Tamil Muslim

Tamil Muslim

Tamil Muslims (Tamil: தமிழ் முஸ்லிம்கள், tamiḻ muslimgal ?) are Tamil-speaking people with Islam as their faith. There are about 3 to 4 million Tamil Muslims in India mostly in Tamil Nadu state and also in neghbouring Kerala. A significant Tamil-speaking Muslim population numbering 1.8 million or more live in the Northern and Eastern provinces in Sri Lanka and many other pockets across central, southwest provinces; however they are listed as a separate ethnic group in official statistics. There are around 500,000 in Malaysia and 20,000 in Singapore. Tamil Muslims are largely urban traders rather than farmers. There is a substantial diaspora of Tamil Muslims, particularly in South East Asia, which has seen their presence as early as the 13th century. In the late 20th century, the diaspora expanded to the North America and Western Europe. They are called Cholias in Myanmar, Mamak in Malaysia and Rathas in South Africa.