How did population exchanges after the Balkan Wars change Greek Macedonia?

Following the Balkan Wars and the subsequent partition of the region in 1913, Greek Macedonia underwent significant demographic shifts. The displacement of populations, particularly following the forced expulsion of Greeks from Turkey in the 1920s, led to the settlement of thousands of Greek refugees in the area, then known as Aegean Macedonia.1

These settlers were granted land that had become available due to the displacement or expulsion of many former Turkish landowners. This influx of refugees, combined with the broader demographic changes of the era, contributed to the consolidation of a Greek national identity among the vast majority of the region's inhabitants. While the region had historically been characterized by a diverse population—including Slavic-speaking Christians, Muslims, and other ethnic groups—these population movements and state-led efforts during the interwar years were instrumental in reshaping the demographic and national character of Greek Macedonia.12