Turkey’s status as the world’s largest refugee-hosting country has at times been a source of pride, a geopolitical tool, and a logistical challenge for the country.
The millions of Syrians who have arrived since 2011 comprise just one part of Turkey’s rich and complex migration history. Over the last century, Turkey has been a destination for migrants of all types, an origin for workers and others abroad, and a transit country primarily for people heading to the European Union.
This article provides a sweeping overview of the history, 100 years after the republic’s founding.
