Armenians in Istanbul
Armenians in Istanbul (Armenian: Պոլսահայեր, romanized: Bolsahayer; Turkish: İstanbul Ermenileri) are a major part of the Turkish Armenian community and historically one of the largest ethnic minorities of Istanbul, Turkey. The city is often referred to as Bolis (Պոլիս) by Armenians, which is derived from the ending of the historical name of the city Constantinople.
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 50,000-70,000 | |
| Languages | |
| Turkish (majority), Western Armenian (minority) | |
| Religion | |
| Armenian Apostolic Church (Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople), Armenian Catholic Church, and Armenian Evangelical Church |
| Year | TOTAL | Armenians | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1478 | 100,000 - 120,000 | 5,000-6,000 | ~5% |
| 1844 | 891,000 | 160,000–222,000 | 18–25% |
| 1880s | 250,000 | ||
| 1885 | 873,565 | 156,861 | 18% |
| 1913 | 1,125,000 | 163,670 | 15% |
| 2011 | 13,483,052 | 50,000 - 70,000 | 0.4-0.5% |
| 2021 | 15,840,900 | 50,000 - 70,000 | 0.3-0.4% |
Today, most estimations put the number of Armenian-Turkish citizens in Istanbul at 50,000, 60,000 or 70,000. They constitute the largest Christian and non-Muslim minority in Istanbul, as well as in Turkey. They are not considered part of the Armenian Diaspora by the Ministry of Diaspora, since they have been living in their historical homeland for more than four thousand years.
In addition to local ethnic Armenians who are Turkish citizens, there are also many recent illegal immigrants from Armenia in Istanbul.