Armenians in the Middle East

Last updated
Armenians in the Middle East
Total population
About 1,470,000 [1]
Regions with significant populations
Flag of Lebanon.svg  Lebanon 150,000 [2]
Flag of Iran.svg  Iran 120,000 [3]
Flag of Syria.svg  Syria [4] 100,000 [5]
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 60,000 [6]
300,000–5,000,000 (Hidden Armenians) [7] [8]
Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq 10,000–20,000 [9]
Flag of Egypt.svg  Egypt 6,500-12,000
Flag of Kuwait.svg  Kuwait 6,000 [10]
Flag of Palestine.svg  Palestine and Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 5,000 [11] –6,000 [12]
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates 5,000 [13]
Flag of Cyprus.svg  Cyprus 3,500
Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan 3,000 [14]
Flag of Qatar.svg  Qatar 800-5,500 [15]
Languages
Armenian and the official language(s) of the host country
Religion
Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Catholic Church
and a small Armenian Evangelical Church

Armenians in the Middle East are mostly concentrated in Iran, Lebanon, Cyprus, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem, although well-established communities exist in Iraq, Egypt, Turkey and other countries of the area including, of course, Armenia itself. They tend to speak the western dialect of the Armenian language (except those of Iran) and the majority are adherents of the Armenian Apostolic Church, with smaller Catholic and Protestant minorities. There is a sizable Armenian population in the thousands in Israel. There is also the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem with a history that goes back 2,000 years.

Contents

History

The Armenian royalty had always kept close contact with neighboring Persia. In the 1st century B.C., Tigranes the Great, the King of Kings of the Armenian Empire, ruled over a significant part of the region. Armenians have a millennia-long native history in the region, and are part of the indigenous inhabitants of northwestern Iran, as well as many of the oldest Armenian churches, chapels, and monasteries are located there.

During the Middle Ages, Armenians established a new kingdom in Cilicia, which despite its strong European influence, not unlike Cyprus, was often considered as being part of the Levant, thus in the Middle East. There were Armenian communities (in the form of well-established quarters in major cities) in the Edessa region, Northern Syria, Jerusalem, Egypt, and have played a direct role in many key events, such as the Crusades.

The Armenians' presence in northern Persia/Iran continued to increase. However their presence notably significantly strengthened in 1604–1605, when Shah Abbas of the Safavid Empire deported 250,000–300,000 Armenians deeper into Persia. The Armenians, notably those of Iran, were recognized as being astute businessmen and were renowned throughout the World.

During the Ottoman period, the Levantine Armenian communities had diminished in number because of previous conflicts, such as the Mamluk invasion of Cilicia, [16] Tamerlane's invasion of Syria, and so on.

From the 16th century until 1828, all of Eastern Armenia, which includes all of the modern-day Armenia, was part of Qajar Iran, alongside the rest of Transcaucasia and parts of the North Caucasus. As a result of the Treaty of Turkmenchay, Iran irrevocably lost Eastern Armenia to neighboring Imperial Russia, [17] while the terms stipulated the rights of the Tsar to make a call for Iran's very large Armenian community to settle in the newly conquered Caucasian territories of Russia. Many tens of thousands of Armenians relocated. A year after, per the Treaty of Adrianople of 1829 concluded with Ottoman Turkey, the Tsar gained the same rights now for the extant Ottoman Armenian population, and again many tens of thousands moved. As a result of this, the number of Armenians in the Middle East, who all lived either in Qajar Iran, or the Ottoman Empire, became reduced.

Many Ottoman Armenians forcefully came to the Levant and Mesopotamia (known today as Iraq) while many strengthened the already large Armenian community in neighboring Iran, while others moved to Russia and other parts of the world, as they fled during the Armenian genocide, during which 1.5 million Armenians perished.

In contemporary times, the Armenians in the region lived through and were forced to participate in many conflicts, such as the Arab–Israeli conflict, the Lebanese Civil War, and under Saddam Hussein in the Iran–Iraq War during the 1980s and the first Gulf War of 1990–91.

Because of political turmoil and tension in the region (such as the Lebanese Civil War and the Islamic Revolution), many Middle Eastern Armenians have emigrated to the Western Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia and the Persian Gulf states. Although a good quantity has left the region, they never have lost their foothold in the Orient.

By country

Bahrain

Armenians in Bahrain number around 50, living mainly in the capital, Manama. They come from Lebanon Syria and Iraq, attracted by the economic opportunities provided by the country. The Armenians in Bahrain are Armenian Apostolic (Orthodox Armenians) belonging to the Armenian Apostolic Church and under the jurisdiction of the Holy See of Cilicia. The Catholicossate of the Great House of Cilicia (also known as the Holy See of Cilicia) has established the "Diocese of Kuwait and the Persian Gulf Countries" headquartered in Kuwait, but also serving the Armenians in the Persian Gulf including Bahrain.

Cyprus

Armenians maintain a notable presence of about 3,500 people in Cyprus, mostly centered in Nicosia, but also with communities in Limassol and Larnaca.

Egypt

Armenians in Egypt is a community with a long history. They are a minority in their language, schools, churches, and social institutions. The number of Armenians in Egypt is decreasing due to migrations to other countries and a return migration to Armenia. They number about 6000 concentrated in Cairo and Alexandria, the two largest Egyptian cities. [18]

Iran

Armenians in Iran are one of the oldest and largest Armenian communities in the world. There are about 150,000-300,000 Armenian Iranians (Armenian: "Իրանահայ" translit. Iranahay or "Պարսկահայ" translit. Parskahay; հայ/hay meaning Armenian (member of Armenian people) in Armenian language). [19] They mostly live in Tehran and Jolfa district. The Armenian-Iranians were very influential and active in the modernization of Iran during the 19th and 20th centuries. [ citation needed ] After the Iranian Revolution, many Armenians immigrated to Armenian diasporic communities in North America and Western Europe. Today the Armenians are Iran's largest Christian religious minority.

Israel and Palestine

The Armenian community has been resident in the Holy Land for two millennia. After the 1948 Arab–Israeli War and the establishment of the State of Israel, several Armenians residing in what had been the British Mandate of Palestine took up Israeli citizenship, whereas other Armenian residents of Old City of Jerusalem and the territory captured by Jordan took on the Jordanian nationality. [ citation needed ]

Armenians in Israel are Armenians with Israeli citizenship. There are around one thousand Israeli-Armenians with Israeli citizenship, residing mainly in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Jaffa, and Haifa. When taking into account the total number of Armenians in the areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority, the Armenian community in Israel, and the West Bank added, the number of Armenians is estimated to be around 4,500. [17] [20] [21]

Kuwait

The Armenian population reached its peak of 12,000. [22] But after the Iraqi invasions, the number of Armenians resident in Kuwait greatly diminished to just 500 [22] as they left the country.

Lebanon

There have been Armenians in Lebanon (Armenian: Լիբանանահայեր translit. libananahayer, Arabic: أرمن لبنان) for centuries. While there has not been a census for a few decades, because the balance between Christians and Muslims is considered to be a volatile subject, it is estimated that there are approximately 150,000 Armenians in Lebanon, or around 4% of the population. [23] Before the Lebanese Civil War, the number was higher, but the community lost a portion of its population to emigration.

Qatar

Ethnic Armenians in Qatar number between 400 and 500 and live mainly in the capital Doha.

Many Armenians originating from Lebanon, Syria, and other Arab countries were attracted by the economic opportunities provided by Qatar, and they came to Qatar for jobs. Since the 1990s, economic migrants to Qatar have included people from Armenia and Armenians from Russia.

Sudan

There is an Armenian community in Sudan (estimated to be around a thousand Armenians). Most are concentrated in the Sudanese capital Khartoum.

Sudan's Armenian community has its church, the St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church (in Armenian Sourp Krikor Lousavoritch). [24] It is under the jurisdiction of the See of Holy Echmiadzin.

There is also an active Armenian club in operation.

Syria

Syria and the surrounding areas have often served as a refuge for Armenians who fled from wars and persecutions such as the Armenian genocide. It is estimated that there are no more than 100,000 Armenians in Syria, most of whom live in Aleppo. The village of Kasab is a majority Armenian village within Syria.

Turkey

An Armenian couple in Istanbul at the early 19th Century, by Louis Dupre. Armenian and his wife.jpg
An Armenian couple in Istanbul at the early 19th Century, by Louis Dupré.

Armenians in Turkey (Turkish : Türkiye Ermenileri; Armenian : Թուրքահայեր, also Թրքահայեր, both meaning Turkish Armenians and Պոլսահայեր, the latter meaning Istanbul-Armenian) have an estimated population of 40,000 (1995) to 70,000. [25] [26] Most are concentrated around Istanbul. The Armenians support their own newspapers and schools. The majority belong to the Armenian Apostolic faith, with smaller numbers of Armenian Catholics and Armenian Evangelicals.

United Arab Emirates

Armenians in United Arab Emirates number around 3,000. [27]

The Armenians live mainly in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Many Armenians originating from Lebanon, Syria, and other Arab countries were attracted by the economic opportunities provided by the UAE, and they came to the UAE for jobs. Although there are no clear statistics and their numbers vary, over time their number has increased to around 3,000.

Recently,[ when? ] there are also economic migrants coming from Armenia and Armenians from Russia.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle East</span> Geopolitical region

The Middle East is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage as a replacement of the term Near East beginning in the early 20th century. The term "Middle East" has led to some confusion over its changing definitions, and being seen as too Eurocentric. The region includes the vast majority of the territories included in the closely associated definition of West Asia, but without the South Caucasus, and additionally includes all of Egypt and all of Turkey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arab world</span> Geographical and cultural region in Africa and the Middle East

The Arab world, formally the Arab homeland, also known as the Arab nation, the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, comprises a large group of countries, mainly located in Western Asia and Northern Africa. While the majority of people in the Arab world are ethnically Arab, there are also significant populations of other ethnic groups such as Berbers, Kurds, Somalis and Nubians, among other groups. Arabic is used as the lingua franca throughout the Arab world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Asia</span> Subregion of the Asian continent

West Asia, also called Western Asia or Southwest Asia, is the westernmost region of Asia. As defined by most academics, UN bodies and other institutions, the subregion consists of Anatolia, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Mesopotamia, the Armenian highlands, the Levant, the island of Cyprus, the Sinai Peninsula, and the southern part of the Caucasus Region (Transcaucasia). The region is separated from Africa by the Isthmus of Suez in Egypt, and separated from Europe by the waterways of the Turkish Straits and the watershed of the Greater Caucasus. Central Asia lies to its northeast, while South Asia lies to its east. Twelve seas surround the region (clockwise): the Aegean Sea, the Sea of Marmara, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aqaba, the Gulf of Suez, and the Mediterranean Sea. The area contains the vast majority of the similarly defined Middle East, but excluding most of Egypt and the northwestern part of Turkey, and including the southern part of the Caucasus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Middle East</span>

The Middle East, also known as the Near East, is home to one of the Cradles of Civilization and has seen many of the world's oldest cultures and civilizations. The region's history started from the earliest human settlements and continues through several major pre- and post-Islamic Empires to today's nation-states of the Middle East.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armenian Catholic Church</span> Eastern Catholic Church

The Armenian Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic particular churches sui iuris of the Catholic Church. It accepts the leadership of the bishop of Rome, and is therefore in full communion with the universal Catholic Church, including the Latin Church and the 22 other Eastern Catholic Churches. The Armenian Catholic Church is regulated by Eastern canon law, summed up in the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian emigration</span>

The phenomenon of large-scale migration of Christians is the main reason why Christians' share of the population has been declining in many countries. Many Muslim countries have witnessed disproportionately high emigration rates among their Christian minorities for several generations. Today, most Middle Eastern people in the United States are Christians, and the majority of Arabs living outside the Arab World are Arab Christians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle East and North Africa</span> Geographic region

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA), also referred to as West Asia and North Africa (WANA), is a geographic region. While still referring to most of the Middle East and North Africa together, it is widely considered to be a more defined and apolitical alternative to the grouping of countries that is known as the Greater Middle East, which comprises the bulk of the Muslim world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Partition of the Ottoman Empire</span> Division of Ottoman territory after World War I

The partition of the Ottoman Empire was a geopolitical event that occurred after World War I and the occupation of Constantinople by British, French, and Italian troops in November 1918. The partitioning was planned in several agreements made by the Allied Powers early in the course of World War I, notably the Sykes–Picot Agreement, after the Ottoman Empire had joined Germany to form the Ottoman–German Alliance. The huge conglomeration of territories and peoples that formerly comprised the Ottoman Empire was divided into several new states. The Ottoman Empire had been the leading Islamic state in geopolitical, cultural and ideological terms. The partitioning of the Ottoman Empire after the war led to the domination of the Middle East by Western powers such as Britain and France, and saw the creation of the modern Arab world and the Republic of Turkey. Resistance to the influence of these powers came from the Turkish National Movement but did not become widespread in the other post-Ottoman states until the period of rapid decolonization after World War II.

The Armenians in Kuwait are people of Armenian descent living in Kuwait. As of 2013, there has been a large population increase and now there are 6,000 Armenians. Before the Gulf War, the Armenian population reached its peak of 12,000. But after the Iraqi invasions, the numbers of the Armenians resident in Kuwait greatly diminished to just 500 as they left the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demographics of the Arab world</span>

The Arab world consists of 22 states. As of 2021, the combined population of all the Arab states was around 475 million people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foreign relations of the Arab League</span>

The Arab League or League of Arab States was founded by Egypt in 1945, has 22 members and seven observer members so far: Armenia, Brazil, Chad, Eritrea, Greece, Republic of India, Venezuela.

For approximately a millennium, the Abrahamic religions have been predominant throughout all of the Middle East. The Abrahamic tradition itself and the three best-known Abrahamic religions originate from the Middle East: Judaism and Christianity emerged in the Levant in the 6th century BCE and the 1st century CE, respectively, while Islam emerged in Arabia in the 7th century CE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christianity in the Middle East</span> Overview of Christianity and churches in the Middle East

Christianity, which originated in the Middle East during the 1st century AD, is a significant minority religion within the region, characterized by the diversity of its beliefs and traditions, compared to Christianity in other parts of the Old World. Christians now make up approximately 5% of the Middle Eastern population, down from 13% in the early 20th century. Cyprus is the only Christian majority country in the Middle East, with Christians forming between 76% and 78% of the country's total population, most of them adhering to Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Lebanon has the second highest proportion of Christians in the Middle East, around 40%, predominantly Maronites. Egypt has the next largest proportion of Christians, at around 10% of its total population. Copts, numbering around 10 million, constitute the single largest Christian community in the Middle East.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iraqi diaspora</span>

The Iraqi diaspora refers to native Iraqis who have left for other countries as emigrants or refugees, and is now one of the largest in modern times, being described by the UN as a "humanitarian crisis" caused by the 1991 Gulf War and 2003 invasion of Iraq and by the ensuing war.

Armenians in United Arab Emirates refers to ethnic Armenians living in the United Arab Emirates. They number around 5,000.

Ethnic Armenians in Qatar number between 800 and 1,500 and live mainly in the capital Doha. Unofficial sources place them at around 5,500.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saudi Arabia–Turkey relations</span> Bilateral relations

Saudi Arabia and Turkey relations have long fluctuated between cooperation and alliance to enmity and distrust. Since the 19th century, the two nations have always had a complicated relationship. While Turkey and Saudi Arabia are major economic partners, the two have a tense political relationship, deemed from the historic enmity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Church in the Middle East</span>

The Catholic Church in the Middle East is under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. The Catholic Church is said to have traditionally originated in the Middle East in the 1st century AD, and was one of the major religions of the region from the 4th-century Byzantine reforms until the centuries following the Arab Islamic conquests of the 7th century AD. Ever since, its proportion has decreased until today's diaspora tendency, mainly due to persecution by Islamic majority societies. In most Islamic countries, the Catholic Church is severely restricted or outlawed. Significant exceptions include Israel and Lebanon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oriental Orthodoxy by country</span> Overview of Oriental Orthodox churches and populations

Oriental Orthodox Churches are the churches descended from those that rejected the Council of Chalcedon in 451. Despite the similar name, they are therefore a different branch of Christianity from the Eastern Orthodox. Oriental Orthodoxy consists of several autocephalous and autonomous jurisdictions holding a single set of beliefs and united in full communion. However, they each have their own separate rites, and there are significant differences between their respective practices. Thus, there is more internal diversity of practice among the Oriental Orthodox than among the Eastern Orthodox.

References

  1. ↑ C. Held, Colbert (2006). Middle East Patterns: Places, Peoples, and Politics, fourth edition. Westview Press. p. 120. ISBN   0-8133-4170-1.
  2. ↑ Gibney, Matthew J. (2005). Immigration and asylum: from 1900 to the present. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. p.  13. ISBN   978-1-57607-796-2.
  3. ↑ Vardanyan, Tamara (21 June 2007). Իրանահայ համայնք. ճամպրուկային տրամադրություններ [The Iranian-Armenian community] (in Armenian). Noravank Foundation. Archived from the original on 19 May 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  4. ↑ The number of Syrian Armenians is estimated to be far lower due to the Syrian Civil War, as these are pre-war figures. Many fled to Lebanon, Armenia, and the West respectively.
  5. ↑ "The Virtual Museum of Armenian Diaspora". Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia. Archived from the original on 19 February 2014. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
  6. ↑ "Foreign Ministry: 89,000 minorities live in Turkey". Today's Zaman . 15 December 2008. Archived from the original on 20 May 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  7. ↑ "More than half of 4–5 million Islamized Armenians confess that their ancestors have been Armenian". Public Radio of Armenia. 5 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  8. ↑ Basyurt, Erhan (26 December 2005). "Anneannem bir Ermeni'ymiş! [My Grandmother is Armenian]". Aksiyon (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013. 300 bin rakamının abartılı olduğunu düşünmüyorum. Bence daha da fazladır. Ama, bu konu maalesef akademik bir çabaya dönüşmemiş. Keşke akademisyen olsaydım ve sırf bu konu üzerinde bir çalışma yapsaydım.
  9. ↑ About 10,000 Armenians live in Iraq
  10. ↑ "We have around 6,000 Armenians in Kuwait, says ambassador". Archived from the original on 2013-11-05. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
  11. ↑ "Armenian Population in the World". Archived from the original on 2013-05-11.
  12. ↑ https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2021-01-24/ty-article/.premium/im-in-mourning-for-one-of-my-countries-im-furious-with-the-other/0000017f-e31e-d568-ad7f-f37f7bc90000 Haaretz
  13. ↑ ArmenianDiaspora website Archived May 11, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  14. ↑ "Jordan: Religions & Peoples". Archived from the original on 2017-12-22. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  15. ↑ "Armenians in Qatar". Joshua Project. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  16. ↑ Kurdoghlian, Mihran (1996). Badmoutioun Hayots, Volume II (in Armenian). Athens, Greece: Hradaragoutioun Azkayin Oussoumnagan Khorhourti. pp. 29–56.
  17. 1 2 Timothy C. Dowling Russia at War: From the Mongol Conquest to Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Beyond p 729 ABC-CLIO, 2 Dec. 2014 ISBN   1598849484
  18. ↑ Zhory, Ayman. Armenians in Egypt. 2005.
  19. ↑ The Encyclopedia of the Orient Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine states that there are 500,000 ethnic Armenians living in Iran.
  20. ↑ "Armenia Diaspora". Archived from the original on 2013-05-11.
  21. ↑ "Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem". Archived from the original on 2011-07-09.
  22. 1 2 THE ARMENIANS OF KUWAIT: REBUILDING AFTER THE GULF WAR Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  23. ↑ CIA World Factbook: Lebanon: People
  24. ↑ Armeniapedia: Armenian Churches in Africa
  25. ↑ Turay, Anna. "Tarihte Ermeniler". Bolsohays: Istanbul Armenians. Retrieved 2007-01-04.
  26. ↑ Hür, Ayşe (2008-08-31). "Türk Ermenisiz, Ermeni Türksüz olmaz!". Taraf (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 2008-09-02. Retrieved 2008-09-02. Sonunda nüfuslarını 70 bine indirmeyi başardık.
  27. ↑ ArmenianDiaspora website Archived 2008-03-27 at the Wayback Machine


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.