People group profile · PG024598
The Turkmen of Turkiye
The Turkmen of Turkiye, numbering about 800,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Turkic ethnic group indigenous to Central Asia, living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern Iran, and northwestern Afghanistan.
They are a diaspora people in the Turkmen people cluster of the Turkic Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Islam, and they primarily speak Turkish.
Fast facts
- Country
- Turkiye
- Population
- 800,000
- Affinity group
- Central Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Turkmen
- Primary language
- Turkish (tur)
- Primary religion
- Folk Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Western Asia, Asia
- Location
- Tokat province
Where they live
Gospel status
The Turkmen are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. 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 Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Turkmen
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Folk Islam · Islam
99% adherents
Primary language
Turkish · Turkic family
100% speak Turkish
Gospel resources in Turkish
- Bible available, published 2009
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- Magdalena (Turkish)
- The Savior (Turkish)
Bibles
- Halk Dilinde 2012 · audio, text
- Kutsal Kitap 2009 · audio, text
- New Turkish Bible Translation · video
- Yeni Antlaşma 1987, 1994 · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Turkmen
- 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.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
Turkmen in other countries
The same people (ROP3 110306) is reported in 8 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkmen | Turkmenistan | 5,355,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Turkmen | Iran | 2,780,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Turkmen | Afghanistan | 2,105,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Turkmen | Uzbekistan | 227,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Turkmen | Tajikistan | 15,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Turkmen | Pakistan | 15,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Turkmen | Kyrgyzstan | 2,500 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Turkmen | United States | 200 | Unengaged and Unreached |
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.