The
Balkan Turks refers to the
Turkish people who have been living in the
Balkans since the
Ottoman rule as well as their descendants who still live in the region today. The Turks are officially recognized as a minority in
Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Bulgaria,
Croatia,
Kosovo, the
Republic of Macedonia, and
Romania; in
Greece the Turkish minority are recognized as "Greek Muslims". Furthermore, the
Turkish language is an official language of Kosovo and has minority status in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Macedonia, and Romania. The Ottoman Empire conquered parts of the Balkans between the 14th and 16th century.