Altaic peoples are the peoples who speak Altaic languages (note that the existence of the Altaic language family as a genetically related group is controversial).

• Turkic peoples, speaking Turkic languages (over 200 million speakers: Central Asia, North Asia, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, minorities in Iran and Iraq, and small groups scattered about Eastern Europe)
• Mongolians and other Mongol peoples, speaking Mongolic languages (about 9 million speakers: Central Asia, North Asia, and the north Caucasus)
• Tungusic peoples, speaking Tungusic languages (about 63,000 speakers and endangered: East Asia, North Asia)

The term Turco-Mongol refers to Turkic and Mongolic peoples or tribes in combination, in particular in the context of the migration period Huns, which were comprised of unions of multiple ethnicities of Altaic clans, and the medieval Mongol Empire ("Turco-Mongol Empire").

There has been debate on a possible relationship with Uralic peoples, i.e. peoples speaking a Uralic language. Uralic peoples are divided into two groups: Finno-Ugric peoples (including Hungarians, Finns, and Estonians) and Samoyedic peoples (including Nenets).

See also

• Tengriism
• Altaic mythology
• Eurasian nomads
• Turkic expansion
• Mongol invasions
• Horde