The Circassian Diaspora: Where Circassians Live Today

A map of the global Adyghe community and how they keep their culture alive.

The Circassian diaspora is one of the most widespread yet least known diasporas in the world. An estimated 3 to 5 million Adyghe people live across more than 40 countries, with only about 700,000 remaining in the ancestral homeland in the Caucasus. The reason for this massive imbalance between homeland and diaspora traces back to the 19th century, when the end of the Russo-Circassian War in 1864 forced the majority of the Circassian people into exile in the Ottoman Empire.

That single event created the modern Circassian diaspora. Hundreds of thousands of Adyghe refugees were resettled across Ottoman territories, from the Balkans to the Levant to Anatolia. Many died during the journey across the Black Sea. Those who survived built new lives in foreign lands while holding on to their language, their Habze, and their identity as Circassians.

Turkey: The Largest Community

With 2 to 3 million people of Circassian descent, Turkey has by far the largest Adyghe population outside Russia. Communities are concentrated in the Marmara region (especially Düzce and Sakarya provinces), Central Anatolia (Kayseri, Sivas), and the Black Sea coast (Samsun, Tokat). Istanbul alone has hundreds of thousands of people with Circassian roots.

Cultural associations like Kaf-Der and Çerkes-Der operate across the country, organizing dance groups, language courses, and cultural festivals. Many Turkish Circassians are fully integrated into Turkish society while maintaining a strong sense of Adyghe identity. Some villages in the Düzce and Bolu provinces remain predominantly Circassian, with older residents still speaking the language at home. The challenge for the Turkish community is generational language loss: most young Circassians in Turkey speak only Turkish, and each decade sees fewer fluent speakers of Adyghe or Kabardian.

Jordan: Historic Influence

About 100,000 to 170,000 Circassians live in Jordan, centered in Amman. They were among the founders of the modern capital, arriving in the 1870s and settling on the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Philadelphia. Circassians serve in the prestigious Royal Guard (the ceremonial unit that protects the Hashemite royal family) and hold reserved parliamentary seats, a constitutional guarantee of representation.

The Jordanian Circassian community punches well above its weight in business, politics, and the military. The Charity Circassian Association in Amman runs dance groups, cultural events, and language programs. Weddings are major community events with traditional music, clothing, and dancing. Despite their relatively small numbers, Circassians in Jordan are widely respected and maintain a visible cultural presence.

Syria and Israel

Circassian communities exist in both countries, each with a distinct history. In Israel, two villages maintain a strong Adyghe identity: Kfar Kama (in the Galilee, population around 3,000) and Rehaniya (in the Upper Galilee, population around 1,500). Kfar Kama is particularly notable for its cultural preservation efforts, including a Circassian heritage museum, active dance troupe, and community initiatives to teach the Circassian language to children. Israeli Circassians serve in the Israel Defense Forces and participate fully in Israeli civic life while keeping their Adyghe traditions alive.

In Syria, Circassians historically settled in the Golan Heights (especially the town of Quneitra before 1967), Damascus, and Homs. The Syrian civil war beginning in 2011 disrupted many of these communities. Some Syrian Circassians relocated to the Caucasus homeland, while others moved to Turkey, Jordan, or Europe. The Golan Heights community was largely displaced during the 1967 war.

Europe and the Americas

Germany has the largest Circassian community in Europe, estimated at 40,000 to 50,000, concentrated in cities like Munich, Cologne, Hamburg, and Berlin. Many arrived during labor migration waves in the 1960s and 1970s, or more recently as refugees from Syria. German Circassian organizations run active cultural programs and language courses, and the community has been notable for its political engagement around Circassian cultural recognition.

The United States has Circassian communities primarily in New Jersey (Paterson and Wayne), California, and New York. The Circassian Benevolent Association in New Jersey has been active since the 1950s. Smaller but organized communities exist in the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, and the United Kingdom. In Australia, a small Adyghe community is based in Sydney.

Across the Americas and Europe, Circassian communities tend to be small but tightly organized. Cultural associations serve as community hubs, running weekend language schools for children, hosting annual dance festivals, and maintaining connections with the broader Circassian diaspora through social media and conferences.

The Caucasus Homeland

Within Russia, Circassians live primarily in three republics: Adygea (Republic of Adygea, capital Maykop), Kabardino-Balkaria (capital Nalchik, home of the Kabardian subgroup), and Karachay-Cherkessia (capital Cherkessk). These are the only places on earth where the Circassian language has any form of official status.

Kabardino-Balkaria has the largest concentration of Circassians in the homeland, with Kabardians making up about 57% of the republic's population. In Adygea, the situation is reversed: Adyghe people constitute only about 25% of the population, with ethnic Russians forming the majority. Karachay-Cherkessia has the smallest Circassian population of the three, with Circassians accounting for about 12% of residents.

Despite having official status, the Circassian language faces pressure even in the homeland. Russian dominates education, media, business, and government. Adyghe and Kabardian are taught in schools in the respective republics, but the hours dedicated to native language instruction have decreased over time. Urbanization pulls younger Circassians toward Russian-language environments, and mixed marriages (where Russian often becomes the household language) further reduce the number of native speakers.

Repatriation

The question of return is a sensitive and ongoing topic in the Circassian diaspora. Russia officially allows Circassians from the diaspora to apply for repatriation, but the process is bureaucratic, slow, and varies in practice. Small numbers of families, particularly from Syria and Turkey, have relocated to Adygea and Kabardino-Balkaria over the years. The Syrian civil war prompted a modest wave of repatriation, with several hundred Syrian Circassians settling in the Caucasus.

For most diaspora Circassians, returning permanently is not realistic. They have been settled in their countries for five or six generations. But the emotional connection to the homeland remains strong. Trips to the Caucasus are common, and many diaspora Adyghe describe visiting Adygea or Kabardino-Balkaria as a deeply moving experience, walking on the land their ancestors were forced to leave.

The Circassian diaspora spans over 40 countries, connected by shared Adyghe identity.

What Connects the Diaspora

Despite being scattered across the globe, the Circassian diaspora remains connected through shared identity, Habze values, dance, music, and an increasing interest in the Circassian language. Social media has been transformative, allowing young Circassians in Turkey to connect with peers in Jordan, Germany, and the Caucasus. YouTube channels, Instagram pages, and Telegram groups dedicated to Adyghe culture have created a virtual community that transcends borders.

Cultural events serve as gathering points. Annual Circassian festivals in Turkey, Jordan, Germany, and the United States draw participants from across the diaspora. Weddings remain major cultural anchors, with families often flying in relatives from other countries. The Circassian flag with its 12 stars and three arrows has become a powerful unifying symbol, displayed at events worldwide.

The biggest challenge remains language. In every diaspora country, younger generations are at risk of losing the Adyghe language. In Turkey, some estimates suggest only 15-20% of ethnic Circassians under 30 can speak the language. The situation in Jordan and Europe is similar. Apps, online courses, and cultural programs are fighting this trend, making it possible to learn Circassian no matter where you live. The race is against time: the generation that grew up speaking Circassian at home is aging, and if their knowledge is not passed on, it will be lost permanently.

What makes the Circassian diaspora remarkable is not just its size, but its cohesion. After more than 150 years of displacement, Adyghe communities around the world still share recognizable food, names, proverbs, and a common understanding of what it means to be Circassian. That identity persists not because it is easy, but because each generation has chosen to keep it alive.