ABSTRACT
Turkey is predominantly a Muslim country, divided into two main groups. The majority of the population is Sunni. A smaller proportion consists of a distinct group called “Alevi.” The religious divide crosses ethnic categories; there are Alevi Turks and Alevi Kurds, and Sunni Turks and Sunni Kurds (Andrews, 2003). There are no precise surveys, and estimates of numbers are influenced by political claim and counterclaim. Nevertheless, it would appear reasonable to suggest that approximately 10–12 percent of the Muslim population is Alevi, the remainder Sunni.
