Circassians are a North Caucasian ethnic group native to Circassia (now in Russia's Adygea, Krasnodar Krai, Karachay-Cherkessia, and Kabardino-Balkaria). Since the end of the Russo-Circassian War in 1864, the Circassians were forced to flee to other lands, spreading to the Middle East to the south and Europe to the west. Today, as many as 6,000,000 live in Turkey, 720,000 in Russia, 180,000 in Jordan, 120,000 in Syria, and tens of thousands in the rest of the world.
Religion:
About 90% of Circassians are Muslims, while 9% are Christians and 1% are Jewish. Before the 1500s, most Circassians were Christian until the Russians invaded and many were forced to flee to other countries, most of them ultimately settling in the Ottoman Empire. Many Circassians soon grew interested in the religion of Islam, and many started to convert under the auspices of the Ottoman Turks.
Language:
Most Circassians do not speak their native language, with many Circassians speaking Turkish, Hebrew, English, Arabic, and Aramaic.