Greeks in Asiatic Turkey: 1910-1912

According to the following statistics, the number of Greeks living in the Asiatic portion of the Ottoman Empire (Asia Minor) in the early part of the 20th century was approximately 1,780,000. The official Turkish statistics of 1910 had the figure at 1,777,146.  Greek Patriarchate statistics of 1912 had the figure at 1,782,582.   C.A Macartney had the figure at 2,000,000.  An exact figure however would be difficult to state for various reasons.  Many Greeks in the Empire renounced their religion and culture in order to assimilate into the Empire, whereas other Greeks were forced into Islam and practiced Crypto-Christianity, and didn't profess to being Greek for fear of persecution in a predominantly Muslim state. 

Due to the geographic isolation of certain parts of Turkey, and the political turmoil within the Ottoman Empire at the time, these population statistics should only be used as a guide. 

Distribution of Foreign Νationalities in the Ottoman Empire – Asia

Turkish Official Statistics , 1910                      

Province

Turks

Greeks

Armenians  

Jews

Others

Total

Constantinople (Asiatic)

135.681

70.906

30.465

5.120

16.812

258.984

Ismid

184.960

78.564

50.935

2.180

1.435

318.074

Aidin (Smyrna)

974.225

629.002

17.247

24.361

58.076

1.702.911

Brussa

1.346.387

274.530

87.932

2.788

6.125

1.717.761

Konia

1.143.335

85.320

9.426

720

15.356

1.254.157

Angora

991.666

54.280

101.388

901

12.329

1.160.564

Trebizond

1.047.889

351.104

45.094

 

 

1.444.087

Sivas

933.572

98.270

165.741

 

 

1.197.583

Castamouni

1.086.420

18.160

3.061

 

1.980

1.109.621

Adana

212.454

88.010

81.250

 

107.240

488.954

Bigha (Dardanelles)

136.000

29.000

2.000

3.300

98

170.398

Total

8.192.589

1.777.146

594.539

39.370

219.451

10.823.095

From: Polybius, Greece before the Conference (London:Methuen and Co. Ltd) p.44

 

Greek Patriarch Statistics, 1912

Provinces

Turks

Greeks

Armenians

Jews

Others

Total

Constantinople (Asiatic)

124.281

74.457

35.360

5.965

18.497

258.560

Ismid

116.949

73.134

48.635

2.500

1.115

242.333

Aidin (Smyrna)

940.843

622.810

16.419

21.781

57.676

1.659.529

Brussa

1.192.749

278.421

89.966

2.854

6.134

1.570.124

Konia

988.725

87.021

9.729

605

15.471

1.101.549

Angora

668.400

45.873

98.798

478

8.749

822.298

Trebizond

957.866

353.533

50.624

 

 

1.362.023

Sivas

839.514

99.376

170.635

 

 

1.109.525

Castamouni

938.435

24.919

3.205

 

2.087

968.646

Adana

142.000

90.208

83.000

 

108.292

423.500

Bigha (Dardanelles)

138.902

32.830

2.336

3.340

81

177.489

Total

7.048.662

1.782.582

608.707

37.523

218.102

9.695.506


Source:
Pentzopoulos, D. The Balkan Exchange of Minorities and its impact on Greece. p.29

 

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