MIGRATIONS FROM CAUCASIA TO ANATOLIA AND CAUCASIAN IMMIGRANTS

Caucasia, where the Asian, European and African continents intersect, is one of the most important and fertile regions from geopolitical and geostrategic perspectives. Therefore, migration and immigrants from the Caucasia to Anatolia are equally important. In this study, a detailed examination was carried out on Caucasian lands, migrations in different periods in the direction of Ottoman-Russian relations, immigrant groups and the results of the migrations. Archival documents, native and foreign literature were utilized in the study. Consequently, in the short term, it is observed that immigrants coming from the lost lands to Anatolia created problems for the state, for the local administrators and for the environment in which they settled. However, in the long term, they became a richness of Turkey by making great contributions to the economic, demographic, social and political structure of Anatolia.