People group profile · PG024540
The Assyrians of Turkiye
The Assyrians of Turkiye, numbering about 29,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a Semitic people indigenous to northern Mesopotamia, speakers of Neo-Aramaic, claiming continuity with ancient Assyria, split across the Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic, and Syriac Orthodox traditions, with a large modern diaspora.
They are a diaspora people in the Assyrian people cluster of the Arab Peoples. Their primary religion is Syriac Orthodox Christianity, and they primarily speak Assyrian Neo-Aramaic.

Fast facts
- Country
- Turkiye
- Population
- 29,000
- Affinity group
- Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
- People cluster
- Assyrian
- Primary language
- Assyrian Neo-Aramaic (aii)
- Primary religion
- Syriac Orthodox Christianity
- Strategic Progress Index
- Unengaged and Unreached
- Evangelical
- No Known Evangelicals
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Western Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Assyrians are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Assyrians
- Pray that God would send workers to this people group
- Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
- Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice
Primary religion
Syriac Orthodox Christianity · Christianity
80% adherents
Primary language
Assyrian Neo-Aramaic · Afro-Asiatic family
80% speak Assyrian Neo-Aramaic
Gospel resources in Assyrian Neo-Aramaic
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Assyrians
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
Assyrian in other countries
The same people (ROP3 100574) is reported in 13 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assyrians | Iraq | 207,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Assyrians | Sweden | 145,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Assyrians | United States | 70,000 | No Longer Unreached |
| Assyrians | Germany | 70,000 | No Longer Unreached |
| Assyrians | Syria | 50,500 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Assyrians | Australia | 40,000 | No Longer Unreached |
| Assyrians | Lebanon | 31,500 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Assyrians | Iran | 22,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Assyrians | Canada | 11,500 | No Longer Unreached |
| Assyrians | Kuwait | 8,500 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Assyrians | United Kingdom | 7,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Assyrians | France | 4,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Assyrians | Israel | 850 | Unengaged and Unreached |
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