The Turks are racially diverse. Many are the descendants of refugees, often from the Balkans, but a strong sense of national identity is rooted in a shared language and religion. Most are Sunni Moslems, although a Shia community including the Alawite sect. The largest community are the Kurds, making up about 20% of the population and the rest are Turks. There are some 500,000 Arabic speakers.