Turkic peoples facts for kids
The Turkic peoples are a group of people who are believed to have come from a region called Manchuria. This area is in northeastern China and parts of Mongolia. Today, most Turkic people live across a huge area called Eurasia, which includes parts of Europe and Asia.
They speak languages that are part of the Turkic language family. If someone is from a Turkic group, they are often called a Turk. For example, you might hear about the Kazakh Turks or the Kyrgyz Turks. In history, important groups like the Seljuq Turks were also Turkic.
Turkic people live in many different places around the world. They are the main population in modern Central Asia. You can also find many Turkic people in the Caucasus area, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. Some Turkic groups also live in Pakistan and India. There, they have mixed with the local people, like the Muhajir group in Pakistan.
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What Turkic People Look Like
Turkic people can have different appearances. Originally, many had black hair, dark eyes (black or brown), and skin that ranged from white to yellowish. This look is sometimes called Mongoloid.
However, Turkic people in western areas, like Turkey and Azerbaijan, often look different. They have mixed a lot with other groups, especially Iranian and other Indo-European peoples. Because of this mixing, they often look more like people from those groups.
Where Did They Come From?
The very first Turkic people, sometimes called proto-Turks, are thought to have looked similar to Chinese or Mongolian people. Many experts believe their original home was the Xinglongwa culture area. This area is in Manchuria, northeastern China, near the Liao River.
From this homeland, these early Turkic groups slowly moved into Siberia and the Altai Mountains. You can learn more about the people who live there today by looking up the Altai people. These early Turkic people are considered an East Asian group.
Related Pages
Images for kids
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The top of Belukha in the Altay Mountains in Mongolia is shown here. The mountain range is thought to be the birthplace of the Turkic people.
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Göktürk petroglyphs from Mongolia (6th to 8th century)
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Bashkirs, painting from 1812, Paris
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A shaman doctor of Kyzyl.
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Mosque in Kazakhstan.
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Kyz kuu.
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Azerbaijani girls in traditional dress.
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Young and old Gagauz people.
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Turkmen girl in national dress.
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Turkish women playing backgammon.
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U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits Tatarstan.
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Bashkir boys in national dress.
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A Chuvash woman in traditional dress.
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Uyghur man of Yarkand.
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Two Uyghur elders from Turpan.
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A female Chuvash dancer in traditional dress.
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Tatar woman in the 18th century.
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Female Azerbaijani from Baku.
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Karachay patriarchs in the 19th century
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Uyghur farmer, Xinjiang.
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Altay man in national suit on horse
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Kazakh family inside a Yurt
See Also
In Spanish: Pueblos túrquicos para niños
