Demographic differentials and demographic integration of Turkish and Kurdish populations in Turkey

Ismet Koc, Hacettepe University
Alanur Cavlin Bozbeyoglu, Hacettepe University

The objectives of the study are three-folds: (1) to provide estimates of the total populations and spatial distributions of different language groups in Turkey, (2) to test whether the commonly held belief that Turkish-speaking and Kurdish-speaking populations are "actors" of different demographic regimes is true, and (3) to assess whether a process of integration/assimilation, in the form of inter-marriage of Turkish-speaking and Kurdish-speaking populations and language usage is under way in Turkey. Data comes from the 2003 Turkish Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS-2003). The preliminary results of the study show that of the population of Turkey, 83 percent are Turkish-speaking, 14 percent are Kurdish-speaking, 2 percent are Arabic-speaking and the remaining 1 percent belongs to other language groups. Turks and Kurds appear to have distinctive demographic characteristics, and easily distinguishable demographic and reproductive health behavior patterns. Inter-marriage between Turkish and Kurdish-speaking populations is quite uncommon.