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Turkey

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Countries; European
Countries

   Türkiye Cumhuriyeti
   Republic of Turkey

   Flag of Turkey Coat of arms of Turkey
   Flag           Coat of arms
   Motto: Turkish: Yurtta Sulh, Cihanda Sulh
   (English: "Peace at Home, Peace in the World")
   Anthem: İstiklâl Marşı
   (English: "Independence March")
   Location of Turkey
   Capital Ankara
   41°1′N 28°57′E
   Largest city İstanbul
   Official languages Turkish (Türkçe)
   Government Republic
    - Founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
    - President of the Republic Ahmet Necdet Sezer
    - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
   Formation
    - Ottoman Empire 1299
    - Dissolution of the Ottoman Empire 1908– 1922
    - Formation of Parliament 23 April 1920
    - Start of War of Independence 19 May 1919
    - Victory Day 30 August 1922
    - Declaration of Republic 29 October 1923
   Area
    - Total 783,562 km² ( 37th)
   302,534 sq mi
    - Water (%) 1.3
   Population
    - 2005 estimate 73,193,000 ( 17th^1)
    - 2000 census 67,844,903
    - Density 93/km² ( 102nd^1)
   241/sq mi
   GDP ( PPP) 2006 estimate
    - Total $612.3 billion ( 17th)
    - Per capita $8,385 ( 75th)
   HDI  (2003) 0.750 (medium) ( 94th)
   Currency New Turkish Lira^2 ( TRY)
   Time zone EET ( UTC+2)
    - Summer ( DST) EEST ( UTC+3)
   Internet TLD .tr
   Calling code +90
   ^1 Population and population density rankings based on 2005 figures.
   ^2 The New Turkish Lira (Yeni Türk Lirası) replaced the old Turkish
   Lira on 1 January 2005.

   Turkey ( Turkish: Türkiye), officially the Republic of Turkey ( Türkiye
   Cumhuriyeti ), is a Eurasian country that stretches across the
   Anatolian peninsula in Southwestern Asia and the Balkan region of
   Southeastern Europe. Turkey borders eight countries: Bulgaria to the
   northwest; Greece to the west; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia, Iran
   and the Nakhichevan exclave of Azerbaijan to the east; and Iraq and
   Syria to the southeast. In addition, it borders the Black Sea to the
   north; the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmara to the west; and the
   Mediterranean Sea to the south.

   Turkey is a democratic, secular, constitutional republic whose
   political system was established in 1923 after the fall of the Ottoman
   Empire under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. It is a founding
   member of the United Nations, the OIC, the OECD and the OSCE, a member
   state of the Council of Europe since 1949 and of the NATO since 1952,
   and is currently in accession negotiations with the European Union,
   being an associate member since 1964..

   Due to its strategic location straddling Europe and Asia, Turkey has
   been a historical crossroad between eastern and western cultures.

Etymology

   The Turkish name for Turkey, Türkiye, subdivides into two words: Türk,
   meaning "strong" in Old Turkish and usually signifying the habitants of
   Turkey or a member of the Turkish nation; and the possessive suffix
   -iye, which means "owner" or "related to". The term "Türk" or "Türük"
   was first used as an autonym by the Göktürks (Sky Turks).

History

                    History of Republic of Turkey Series
      War of Independence | Single Party Period | Multi-Party Period |
                             Timeline | Atatürk

   The region comprising modern Turkey is one of the oldest continually
   inhabited regions in the world, because of its strategic location at
   the intersection of Asia and Europe. The earliest Neolithic settlements
   such as Çatalhöyük (Pottery Neolithic), Çayönü ( Pre-Pottery Neolithic
   A to pottery Neolithic), Nevali Cori ( Pre-Pottery Neolithic B),
   Hacilar (Pottery Neolithic), Göbekli Tepe ( Pre-Pottery Neolithic A)
   and Mersin are considered as the earliest human settlements in the
   world. The settlement of Troy starts in the Neolithic and continues
   forward into the Iron Age. Through recorded history, Anatolians have
   spoken Indo-European, Semitic and Kartvelian languages, as well as many
   languages of uncertain affiliation. In fact, given the antiquity of the
   Indo-European Hittite and Luwian languages, some scholars have proposed
   Anatolia as the hypothetical centre from which the Indo-European
   languages have radiated. Other authors have proposed an Anatolian
   origin for the Etruscans of ancient Italy.
   Ceremonial court in the ancient city of Sardes
   Enlarge
   Ceremonial court in the ancient city of Sardes

   The first major empire in the area was that of the Hittites, from the
   18th through the 13th century BC. Subsequently, the Phrygians, an
   Indo-European people, achieved ascendancy until their kingdom was
   destroyed by the Cimmerians in the 7th century BC. The most powerful of
   Phrygia's successor states was Lydia, Caria and Lycia. The Lydians and
   Lycians spoke languages that were fundamentally Indo-European, but both
   languages had acquired non-Indo-European elements prior to the Hittite
   and Hellenic periods.

   Coastal Anatolia ( Ionia) meanwhile was settled by Greeks. The entire
   area was overrun by the Persians during the 6th and 5th centuries and
   fell to Alexander the Great in 334 BC. Anatolia was subsequently
   divided into a number of small Hellenistic kingdoms (including
   Bithynia, Cappadocia, Pergamum, and Pontus), all of which had succumbed
   to Rome by the mid-1st century BC. In AD 324 the Roman emperor
   Constantine I chose Constantinople, now Istanbul, as the capital of the
   Roman Empire. It subsequently became the capital of the Eastern Roman
   or Byzantine Empire.

   The House of Seljuk was a branch of the Kinik Oghuz Turks who in the
   9th century lived on the periphery of the Muslim world, north of the
   Caspian and Aral sea in their Yabghu Khaganate of the Oghuz
   confederacy. In the 10th century the Seljuks migrated from their
   ancestral homelands into the eastern Anatolian regions which had been
   an area of settlement for Oğuz Turkic tribes since the end of first
   millenium. The gradual conquest of Anatolia from the Byzantines by
   Turkic peoples, under the Seljuks with the Battle of Manzikert and the
   rise of the Seljuk Empire in the 11th century was finalized by the rise
   of the Ottoman Empire. Mass conversions to Islam by native Anatolians
   and peoples of the newly acquired lands helped creating a Muslim
   identity rather than a Turkic identity in the Empire.
   Lycian rock cut tombs of Dalyan
   Enlarge
   Lycian rock cut tombs of Dalyan
   The Ottoman Empire c. 1683
   Enlarge
   The Ottoman Empire c. 1683

   The Ottoman Empire interacted with both Eastern and Western cultures
   throughout its 631-year history. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the
   Ottoman Empire was among the world's most powerful political entities,
   often locking horns with the powers of eastern Europe in its steady
   advance through the Balkans and the southern part of the
   Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Following years of decline, the Ottoman
   Empire entered World War I in through Ottoman-German Alliance in 1914,
   in which it was ultimately defeated. After the war, the victorious
   Allied Powers sought the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire through the
   Treaty of Sèvres.
   Mustafa Kemal Atatürk - Founder and first President of the Republic of
   Turkey
   Enlarge
   Mustafa Kemal Atatürk - Founder and first President of the Republic of
   Turkey

   On 19 May 1919 this prompted the beginning of establishment of the
   Turkish national movement under the leadership Mustafa Kemal Pasha, a
   military commander who had distinguished himself in the Battle of
   Gallipoli. Turkish national movement sought to revoke the terms of the
   treaty signed by the Sultan in Istanbul. This involved mobilizing every
   available part of Turkish society in what would become the Turkish War
   of Independence (Turkish: Kurtuluş Savaşı). By 18 September 1922 the
   occupying armies were repelled and the country saw the birth of a
   Turkish state. On 1 November 1922 the Turkish Grand National Assembly
   formally abolished the office of the Sultan, ending 631 years of
   Ottoman rule. The Treaty of Lausanne of 1923 led to the international
   recognization of the sovereignty of the newly formed "Republic of
   Turkey".

   In the coming years Atatürk's reforms changed the landscape of the
   country, Kemal Pasha became the Republic's first President and
   instituted with the aim of modernizing the new Republic from the
   remnants of its Ottoman past. According to the Law on Family Names, the
   Turkish Grand Assembly presented Mustafa Kemal with the honorific name
   "Atatürk" (meaning Father of the Turks) in 1934.

   Turkey entered World War II on the Allied side in the latter stages of
   the war as a ceremonial gesture and became a charter member of the
   United Nations. Difficulties faced by Greece after World War II in
   quelling a communist rebellion and demands by the Soviet Union for
   military bases in the Turkish Straits prompted the United States to
   declare the Truman Doctrine in 1947. The doctrine enunciated American
   intentions to guarantee the security of Turkey and Greece and resulted
   in large scale U.S. military and economic support.

   After participating with United Nations forces in the Korean conflict,
   Turkey in 1952 joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
   Turkey intervened and militarily invaded Cyprus in July 1974 in
   response to a Greek Cypriot coup by EOKA-B. The resultant breakaway
   de-facto independent Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is not
   officially recognised by any country except Turkey itself.
   Reunification of Cyprus failed despite acceptance by the Turkish
   Cypriots on a referendum of the UN sponsored Annan plan due to the
   rejection of the same by the southern Cypriot Greek community, later
   also resulting in failure of the E.U. and U.S. fulfilling their
   promises of lifting restrictions on the Turkish Cypriots in the
   northern section.

   Turkey experienced a series of coups: Coup of 60, Coup by Memorandum,
   Coup of 80 and the Postmodern Coup D'etat. The period of the 70s (
   Left-Right clashes) and 80s was marked by political instability and
   rapid, but at times erratic economic growth. A series of economic
   shocks led to new elections in 2002, bringing into power the
   conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP) led by the former
   mayor of Istanbul, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In October 2005, the European
   Union opened accession negotiations with Ankara and thus Turkey is a
   candidate country to join the European Union as a full member, having
   been an associate member since 1964.

Government and politics

   Interior of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey
   Enlarge
   Interior of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey

   The politics of Turkey takes place within a framework of a
   parliamentary representative democratic republic, in which the Prime
   Minister of Turkey is the head of government, and of a pluriform
   multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government.
   Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Grand
   National Assembly of Turkey. The Judiciary is independent of the
   executive and the legislature.

   The function of Head of State is performed by the President of the
   Republic (Cumhurbaşkanı). A president is elected every seven years by
   the Grand National Assembly but is not required to be a member of
   parliament. The current President Ahmet Necdet Sezer was elected on May
   16, 2000. Executive power rests in the Prime Minister (Başbakan) and
   the Council of Ministers (Bakanlar Kurulu) who make up the government.
   Neither the Prime Minister nor the Ministers have to be members of
   Parliament; though in most cases they are (one notable exception was
   Kemal Derviş, who was the Minister of Finance following the financial
   crisis of 2001; he is currently the head of the UN Development Fund).
   The Prime Minister is elected by parliament through a vote of
   confidence in his government, and he is generally the head of the party
   that has won the elections. The current Prime Minister is Recep Tayyip
   Erdoğan, whose Islamic conservative AKP won an absolute majority of
   parliamentary seats in the 2002 general elections. The President of the
   parliament is Bülent Arınç, also from the same party. Legislative power
   is invested in the 550-seat Grand National Assembly of Turkey (Türkiye
   Büyük Millet Meclisi) that represents the Turkish Nation. Its members
   are elected for a five year term by mitigated proportional
   representation with a national election threshold of 10%. There are 85
   electoral districts that represent the 81 administrative provinces of
   Turkey (Istanbul is divided into three electoral districts whereas
   Ankara and Izmir are divided into two each because of their large
   populations). To avoid a hung parliament and its excessive political
   fragmentation, only parties that win at least 10% of the national vote
   in a national parliamentary election gain the right to parliamentary
   representation. Independent candidates may run, and to be elected, they
   must only win 10% of the vote in the district they are running from.
   Political parties deemed anti-secular or separatist by the
   Constitutional Court can have their public financing and activities
   suspended or its existence banned altogether. Turkey has a multi-party
   system, with several well-established parties, ranging from the
   far-left to the far-right.

   The Armed forces have traditionally been a politically powerful
   institution, considered as the guardians of Atatürk's Republic. The
   protection of the Turkish Constitution and the unity of the country is
   by law given to the Turkish Armed Forces that therefore plays a formal
   political role via the National Security Council in the same functional
   way that exists also in other western democracies, as the guardian of
   the secular, unitary nature of the republic and reforms of Atatürk in
   the Turkish example. They have staged three coups between 1960 and
   1980, whilst also influencing the removal of the Islam-oriented
   government of Necmettin Erbakan in 1997. Through the National Security
   Council (Milli Guvenlik Kurulu), the army contributes to
   recommendations for defense policy against any threat to the country,
   including those relating to any ethnic or religious separatism. In
   recent years, reforms have seen an increased civilian presence on the
   National Security Council and efforts to defunct military's
   constitutional responsibilities under the program of compliance with
   the EU demands. Despite its perceived alleged influence in civilian
   affairs, the military owns strong unequivocal support from the nation,
   and is considered to be Turkey's most trusted institution.

Foreign Relations

   European Union - Turkey
   Enlarge

                           European Union - Turkey

   Turkey's main political, economic and military relations remain rooted
   within Western Europe and the United States. An associate member of the
   European Union since 1964, Turkey is currently in the process of
   accession pending the completion of negotiations started on October 3,
   2005. A major stumbling block in its EU candidacy is the issue of
   Cyprus, a EU member that Turkey does not recognise, instead supporting
   the de facto independent Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Other
   such unresolved issues include Turkey's human rights record, its
   relatively large population and its relatively poor but rapidly growing
   economy. Based on what it views as lukewarm support for its accession
   to the EU and alleged double standards in its negotiations (France and
   Austria have indicated they will hold referendums on Turkey's
   membership), the Turkish public has become increasingly euroskeptic in
   recent times. A mid- 2006 Eurobarometer survey revealed that 43% of
   Turkish citizens view the EU positively; just 35% trust the EU, 45%
   support enlargement and just 29% support an EU constitution. It is
   believed that the accession process would take at least 15 years . The
   earliest date that Turkey could enter the EU is 2013, the date when the
   next six-year EU budget will come into force (2013-2019).

   Turkey has remained a close ally of the United States, supporting it in
   the war on terror in the post September 11th climate. However, the Iraq
   war faced strong domestic opposition in Turkey and as such, the Turkish
   parliament voted against allowing US troops to attack Iraq from its
   south-eastern border. This led to a period of cooling in relations, but
   soon regained momentum through diplomatic, humanitarian and indirect
   military support. Turkey is particularly cautious about an independent
   Kurdish state arising from a destabilised Iraq. Turkey has fought an
   insurgent war against the Kurdistan Workers Party (or PKK, which is
   listed internationally as a terrorist organization by a number of
   states and organisations, including the USA and the EU), that asserts
   to seek Kurdish independence, in which some estimated 30,000 people
   have lost their lives. This has led Ankara to pressure the US into
   clamping down on insurgent training camps in northern Iraq, though it
   remains reluctant due to its relative stability compared to the rest of
   Iraq. Turkey must therefore balance domestic pressures with commitments
   to its strongest ally.

   Historically, relations with neighbouring Greece have been strained and
   occasionally close to war. The long divided island of Cyprus as well as
   conflicts on Aegean Sea remain the main sticking points between the two
   states. Cyprus remains divided between a Greek Cypriot south, and a
   Turkish Cypriot north recognized only by Turkey. Efforts to reunite the
   island under the auspices of the United Nations have failed thus far.
   As far as the Aegean Sea is concerned, Ankara considers it
   strategically important for easy passage of Turkish vessels, and as
   such does not recognise the extension of Greek territorial waters to
   12-mile around the islands of the Aegean. Turkey has warned that such
   an act would be considered a casus belli or an act of war on Turkey.
   Nonetheless, following consecutive earthquakes in both Turkey and
   Greece and the prompt response of aid and rescue teams from both sides,
   the two nations have entered a much more positive period of relations,
   with Greece actively supporting Turkey's candidacy to enter the
   European Union. A clear sign of improved relations was visible in the
   response to a mid air collision by Greek and Turkish fighter jets in
   the southern Aegean in May 2006. While the Turkish pilot ejected
   safely, the Greek pilot lost his life. Both countries agreed that the
   event should not affect their bilateral relations . Recently, Greek
   military vessels throwing illegal immigrants into Turkish territorial
   waters led to official protests by the Turkish government.

Military

   The Turkish Armed Forces ( Turkish: Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri or
   abbreviated as TSK) consists of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.
   The Gendarmerie and the Coast Guard operate as parts of the Ministry of
   Internal Affairs in peacetime. They are subordinated to the Army and
   Navy Commands respectively in wartime, during which they both have law
   enforcement and military functions.

   The Turkish Armed forces, with a combined strength of 1,043,550
   uniformed personnel, is the second largest standing armed force in
   NATO, after the United States of America. The Turkish Armed Forces
   became a member of the NATO Alliance on February 18, 1952. Currently,
   36,000 troops are stationed in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
   Every fit, heterosexual male citizen (homosexuals are not allowed to
   serve in the Turkish Army) is required to serve in the military for
   time periods ranging from one to fifteen months, depending on his
   education and job location.

   In 1998, Turkey announced a modernization programme worth some $31
   billion over a period of ten years including tanks, helicopters and
   assault rifles. Turkey is also a level three contributor to the Joint
   Strike Fighter (JSF) program, gaining an opportunity to develop and
   influence the creation of the next generation fighter spearheaded by
   the United States.

   The Turkish Army has contributed to a number of peacekeeping missions
   in Somalia, Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan, provided logistics
   and military support to the coalition forces during both Gulf wars and
   maintains special forces units in Northern Iraq. In 2006 the Turkish
   parliament deployed a Turkish peacekeeping force of Navy patrol vessels
   and around 700 ground troops as part of an expanded United Nations
   Interim Force in Lebanon ( UNIFIL) in wake of the 2006 Israeli-Lebanon
   conflict.

   The Commander of The Turkish Armed Forces is The Chief of the General
   Staff General Yaşar Büyükanıt who succeeded General Hilmi Özkök on
   August 30, 2006. The President, as the Head of State, is the Commander
   in Chief, in times of peace. The Chief of the General Staff becomes the
   Commander in Chief, on behalf of the President, in times of war.

Administrative divisions

   Provincial map of Turkey

Provinces and districts

   Turkey is subdivided into 81 provinces (iller in Turkish; singular il).
   Each province is divided into districts (ilçeler; singular ilçe). The
   province usually bears the same name as the provincial capital, also
   called the central district; exceptions are Hatay (capital: Antakya),
   Kocaeli (capital: İzmit) and Sakarya (capital: Adapazarı). Major
   provinces include: İstanbul 11 million, Ankara 4 million, İzmir 3.5
   million, Bursa 2.1 million, Konya 2.2 million, Adana 1.8 million. The
   provinces are also organized into 7 census-defined regions.

   See also:
     * Districts of Turkey
     * Regions of Turkey

Cities

   The capital city of Turkey is Ankara, but the historic capital İstanbul
   remains the financial, economic and cultural centre of the country.
   Other important cities include İzmir, Bursa, Adana, Trabzon, Malatya,
   Gaziantep, Erzurum, Kayseri, İzmit (Kocaeli), Konya, Mersin, Eskişehir,
   Diyarbakır, Antalya and Samsun. An estimated 68% of Turkey's population
   live in urban centers. In all, 12 cities have populations exceeding
   500,000 and 48 cities have more than 100,000 people.

   Major Cities :

          Note: Population figures given are according to the 2000 census

     * İstanbul - 10,041,000
     * Ankara - 4,319,000
     * İzmir - 2,409,000
     * Bursa - 1,195,000
     * Adana - 1,131,000
     * Gaziantep - 854,000
     * Konya - 743,000
     * Antalya - 603,000

Geography

   Turkey on the NASA's Blue Marble composite satellite image
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   Turkey on the NASA's Blue Marble composite satellite image

   The territory of Turkey extends from 36° to 42° N and from 26° to 45° E
   in Eurasia. It is roughly rectangular in shape and is 1,660 kilometers
   (1,031  mi) wide. Turkey's area inclusive of lakes is 814,578 square
   kilometres (314,510  sq mi), of which 790,200 square kilometres
   (305,098 sq mi) occupies the Anatolian peninsula (also called Asia
   Minor) in Western Asia, and 3% or 24,378 square kilometres
   (9,412 sq mi) are located in Europe. Many geographers consider Turkey
   politically in Europe , although it is rather a transcontinental
   country between Asia and Europe. The land borders of Turkey total 2,573
   kilometres (1,599 mi), and the coastlines (including islands) total
   another 8,333 kilometres (5,178 mi). Turkey's size makes it the world's
   37th-largest country (after Mozambique). It is comparable in size to
   Chile, and is somewhat larger than the US state of Texas.

   Turkey is generally divided into seven regions: the Marmara, the
   Aegean, the Mediterranean, Central Anatolia, East Anatolia, Southeast
   Anatolia and the Black Sea region. The uneven north Anatolian terrain
   running along the Black Sea resembles a long, narrow belt. This region
   comprises approximately 1/6 of Turkey's total land area. As a general
   trend, the inland Anatolian plateau becomes increasingly rugged as it
   progresses eastward
   Mount Ararat (Ağrı Dağı) - the tallest peak in Turkey at 5137m in the
   Iğdır Province
   Enlarge
   Mount Ararat (Ağrı Dağı) - the tallest peak in Turkey at 5137m in the
   Iğdır Province

   Turkey forms a bridge between Europe and Asia, with the division
   between the two running from the Black Sea (Karadeniz) to the north
   down along the Bosporus (İstanbul Boğazı) strait through the Sea of
   Marmara (Marmara Denizi) and the Dardanelles (Çanakkale Boğazı) strait
   to the Aegean Sea (Ege Denizi) and the larger Mediterranean Sea
   (Akdeniz) to the south. The Anatolian peninsula or Anatolia (Anadolu)
   consists of a high central plateau with narrow coastal plains, in
   between the Köroğlu and East-Black Sea mountain range to the north and
   the Taurus Mountains (Toros Dağları) to the south. To the east is found
   a more mountainous landscape, home to the sources of rivers such as the
   Euphrates (Fırat), Tigris (Dicle) and the Araks (Aras), as well as Lake
   Van (Van Gölü) and Mount Ararat (Ağrı Dağı), Turkey's highest point at
   5,137 metres (16,853  ft).

   Turkey's varied landscapes are the product of complex earth movements
   that have shaped the region over thousands of years and still manifest
   themselves in fairly frequent earthquakes and occasional volcanic
   eruptions. The Bosporus and the Dardanelles owe their existence to the
   fault lines running through Turkey, leading to the creation of the
   Black Sea. There is an earthquake fault line across the north of the
   country from west to east.
   Ölüdeniz National Park near Fethiye
   Enlarge
   Ölüdeniz National Park near Fethiye

   The climate is a Mediterranean temperate climate, with hot, dry summers
   and mild, wet and cold winters, though conditions can be much harsher
   in the more arid interior. Mountains close to the coast prevent
   Mediterranean influences from extending inland, giving the interior of
   Turkey a continental climate with distinct seasons. The central
   Anatolian Plateau is much more subject to extremes than are the coastal
   areas. Winters on the plateau are especially severe. Temperatures of
   -30°C to -40°C can occur in the mountainous areas in the east, and snow
   may lie on the ground 120 days of the year. In the west, winter
   temperatures average below 1°C. Summers are hot and dry, with
   temperatures above 30°C. Annual precipitation averages about 400
   millimeters, with actual amounts determined by elevation. The driest
   regions are the Konya plain and the Malatya plain, where annual
   rainfall frequently is less than 300 millimeters. May is generally the
   wettest month and July and August, the driest.

Economy

   Turkey's economy is a complex mix of modern industry and commerce along
   with a traditional agriculture sector that in 2005 still accounted for
   30% of employment. Turkey has a strong and rapidly growing private
   sector, yet the state still plays a major role in basic industry,
   banking, transport, and communications.

   Turkey began a series of reforms in the 1980s designed to shift the
   economy from a statist, insulated system to a more private-sector,
   market-based model. The reforms spurred rapid growth, but this growth
   was punctuated by sharp recessions and financial crises in 1994, 1999,
   and 2001. Turkey's failure to pursue additional reforms, combined with
   large and growing public sector deficits, widespread corruption
   resulted in high inflation, increasing macroeconomic volatility and a
   weak banking sector.

   Current GDP per capita soared by 210% in the Seventies. But this proved
   unsustainable and growth scaled back sharply to 70% in the Eighties and
   a disappointing 11% in the Nineties.

   The Ecevit government, in power from 1999 through 2002, restarted
   structural reforms in line with ongoing economic programs under the
   standby agreements signed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF),
   including passage of social security reform, public finance reform,
   state banks reform, banking sector reform, increasing transparency in
   public sector, and also introduction of related legislation to
   liberalize telecom, and energy markets. Under the IMF program, the
   government also sought to use exchange rate policies to curb inflation.

   In the 1990s, Turkey’s economy suffered from a series of coalition
   governments with weak economic policies, leading to a boom-and-bust
   cycle culminating in a severe banking and economic crisis in 2001 and a
   deep economic downturn (GNP fell 9.5% in 2001) and increase in
   unemployment. The government was forced to float the lira and adopt a
   more ambitious economic reform program, including a very tight fiscal
   policy, enhanced structural reforms, and unprecedented levels of IMF
   lending.

   Large IMF loans tied to implementation of ambitious economic reforms,
   enabled Turkey to stabilize interest rates and the currency and to meet
   its debt obligations. In 2002 and 2003, the reforms began to show
   results. With the exception of a period of market jitters in the run-up
   to the Iraq war, inflation and interest rates have fallen
   significantly, the currency has stabilized, and confidence has begun to
   return. Turkey's economy grew an average of 7.5% per year from 2002
   through 2005 - one of the highest sustained rates of growth in the
   world, rivaling countries like China and India. Inflation and interest
   rates have fallen significantly, the currency has stabilized,
   government debt has declined to more supportable levels, and business
   and consumer confidence have returned. At the same time, the booming
   economy and large inflows of portfolio investment have contributed to a
   growing current account deficit. Though Turkey’s economic
   vulnerabilities have been greatly reduced, the economy could still face
   problems in the event there is a sudden change in investor sentiment
   that leads to a sharp fall in the exchange rate. Continued
   implementation of reforms, including tight fiscal policy, is essential
   to sustain growth and stability.

   On 1 January 2005, the Turkish Lira was replaced by the New Turkish
   Lira by dropping six zeroes. That is, 1 new lira is equal to 1,000,000
   old lira.

   Turkey has a number of bilateral investment and tax treaties, including
   with the United States, that guarantee free repatriation of capital in
   convertible currencies and eliminate double taxation. After years of
   low levels of foreign direct investment ( FDI), in 2005 Turkey
   succeeded in attracting $9.6 billion in FDI and is expected to attract
   a similar level in 2006. A series of large privatizations, the
   stability fostered by the start of Turkey’s EU accession negotiations,
   strong and stable growth, and structural changes in the banking,
   retail, and telecommunications sectors have all contributed to the rise
   in foreign investment.

   Turkey seeks to improve its investment climate through administrative
   streamlining, an end to foreign investment screening, and strengthened
   intellectual property legislation. However, a number of disputes
   involving foreign investors in Turkey and certain policies, such as
   high taxation of cola products and continuing gaps in the intellectual
   property regime, inhibit investment. The Turkish privatization board is
   in the process of privatizing a series of state-owned companies,
   including the state alcohol and tobacco company and the oil refining
   parastatal. In 2004, the Privatization Board privatized the telephone
   company and some of the state-owned banks. The government also
   committed in the World Trade Organization to liberalize the
   telecommunications sector at the beginning of 2004.

   Tourism is one of the most dynamic and fast developing sectors in
   Turkey. According to the travel agencies TUI AG and Thomas Cook, 31
   hotels out of 100 best hotels of the world are located in Turkey.

   In the year 2005, 21,122,798 tourists vacationed in Turkey. The total
   revenue was $18.2 billion and with an average expenditure of $679 per
   tourist. Over the years, Turkey has emerged as a popular tourist
   destination for many Europeans, competing with Greece, Italy and Spain.
   Turkish destinations such as Antalya and Muğla (sometimes called the
   Turkish Riviera) have become very popular among European tourists.

Demographics

   The legal use of the term "Turkish" (a citizen of Turkey) is different
   from the ethnic definition. However, the majority of the Turkish
   population are of Turkish ethnicity. Besides the minorities that have
   legal status as defined and internationally recognized by the Treaty of
   Lausanne; namely Greeks, Armenians and Jews; ethnic groups include
   Abkhazians, Albanians, Arabs, Bosniaks, Chechens, Circassians,
   Georgians, Hamshenis, Kabardin, Kurds, Laz, Levantines, Ossetians,
   Pomaks, Roma, Syriacs and Zazas, the largest non-Turkic ethnicity being
   the Kurds, a distinct ethnic group traditionally concentrated in the
   southeast. While the term " minority" itself remains a sensitive issue
   in Turkey, it is to be noted that the degree of assimilation within
   various ethnic groups outside the recognized minorities is high, the
   following generations generally adding into the melting-pot of the
   Turkish main body. Within that main body, certain distinctions based on
   diverse Turkic origins could be made as well by taking account of the
   same tendency as mentioned.

   Though Turkish is the sole official language throughout Turkey,
   broadcasts in local languages and dialects on State media outlets
   include Arabic, Bosnian, Circassian and Kurdish.

   The Turkish population is relatively young with over a quarter falling
   within the [0-14] age bracket. Life expectancy stands at 70.2 years for
   males and 75.2 years for females, giving an overall 72.6 years for the
   populace. Due to a demand for an increased labour force in Post-World
   War II Europe, many Turkish citizens emigrated to Western Europe
   (particularly West Germany), forming a significant overseas population.

Culture

   Turkey has a very diverse culture that came from various elements of
   the Ottoman, European, and the Islamic traditions. As Turkey
   successfully transformed from the religion-driven former Ottoman Empire
   into a modern nation-state with a very strong separation of state and
   religion, the increase in the methods of artistic expression followed.
   During the first years of the republic, the government invested a large
   amount of resources into the fine arts, such as paintings, sculptures
   and architecture amongst other things. This was done as both a process
   of modernisation and of creating a cultural identity. Today the Turkish
   economy is diverse enough to subsidise individual artists with great
   freedom.

   Because of different historical factors playing an important role in
   defining a Turkish identity, the culture of Turkey is a combination of
   clear efforts to be "modern" and Western, combined with the necessity
   felt to maintain traditional religious and historical values.

   Turkish cuisine blends ingredients and recipes inherited from the
   territories covered by the Ottoman Empire with the Turkic and Central
   asian cuisine. Turkish Cuisine generally consists of sauced dishes
   prepared with cereals, various vegetables and some meat (usually Lamb),
   soups, cold dishes cooked with olive oil and pastry dishes.

Religion

   Most of the Turkish population is Muslim, of whom a majority belong to
   the Sunni branch of Islam. About 15-20% of the population are
   affiliated with the Alevi sect. There is also a small, but significant
   Twelver Shi'a minority, mainly of Azeri descent.

   The remainder of the population belong to other beliefs, namely
   Christian (Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Syriac Orthodox, Roman
   Catholicism, Protestantism), Judaism, the Bahá'í Faith, Yezidism and
   Atheism.
   Interior of the Selimiye Mosque, Edirne
   Enlarge
   Interior of the Selimiye Mosque, Edirne

   There is a strong tradition of secularism in Turkey. Even though the
   state has no official religion nor promotes any, it actively monitors
   the area between the religions. The constitutional rule that prohibits
   discrimination on religious grounds is taken very seriously. The
   Turkish Constitution recognises freedom of religion for individuals,
   and the religious communities are placed under the protection of state,
   but the constitution explicitly states that they cannot become involved
   in the political process, by forming a religious party for instance. No
   party can claim that it represents a form of religious belief. However,
   religious sensibilities are generally represented through conservative
   parties. Turkey, as a secular country, prohibits by law, the wearing of
   religious headcover and theo-political symbolic garments for both
   genders in government buildings, schools, and universities.

   The mainstream Hanafite school of Sunni Islam is largely organised by
   the state, through the Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı (Department of
   Religious Affairs), which controls all mosques and Muslim clerics. The
   department is criticized by some Alevi Muslims for not supporting their
   beliefs and instead favoring the Sunni faith. The Orthodox Patriarch
   (Patrik) is the head of the Greek-Orthodox Church in Turkey and serves
   as the spiritual leader of all Orthodox churches throughout the world.
   The Armenian Patriarch is the head of the Armenian Church in Turkey,
   while the Jewish community is led by the Hahambasi, Turkey's Chief
   Rabbi, based in İstanbul.

   Turkey has the oldest Christian church in the world, St. Peter's in
   Istanbul.

Education

   Education is compulsory and free from ages 7 to 15. There are around
   820 higher education institutions including universities, with a total
   student enrollment of over 1 million. The 15 main universities are in
   Istanbul and Ankara. Tertiary education is the responsibility of the
   Higher Education Council, and funding is provided by the state. From
   1998, universities were given greater autonomy and were encouraged to
   raise funds through partnerships with industry.

   There are approximately 85 universities in Turkey, which can be
   classified as either "State" or "Foundational". State universities
   typically charge very low fees and foundationals are highly expensive
   with fees upwards of $15 000. Universities provide either two or four
   years of education for undergraduate studies. For graduate studies, a
   further two years is necessary, as is typical throughout the world.

   The Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey coordinates
   basic and applied research and development. There are 64 research
   institutes and organisations. R&D strengths include agriculture,
   forestry, health, biotechnology, nuclear technologies, minerals,
   materials, IT, and defence.

Neighbouring countries

   Flag of Bulgaria  Bulgaria
   Flag of Greece  Greece Flag of Bulgaria  Bulgaria •  Flag of Romania
   Romania •  Flag of Ukraine  Ukraine •  Flag of Russia  Russia •  Flag
   of Georgia (country)  Georgia
   Image:Template CanadianCityGeoLocation North.png
   Black Sea Flag of Georgia (country)  Georgia
   Flag of Greece  Greece  Image:Template CanadianCityGeoLocation West.png
     Aegean Sea North Flag of Armenia  Armenia
   Flag of Azerbaijan  Azerbaijan
   West    Flag of Turkey  Turkey     East
   South
   Mediterranean Sea
   Image:Template CanadianCityGeoLocation South.png
   Flag of Egypt  Egypt Flag of Syria  Syria Flag of Iran  Iran
   Flag of Iraq  Iraq

   Countries of Europe

   Albania · Andorra · Armenia^1 · Austria · Azerbaijan^2 · Belarus ·
   Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus^1 ·
   Czech Republic · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Georgia^2 ·
   Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Ireland · Italy · Kazakhstan^2 ·
   Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Republic of Macedonia
   · Malta · Moldova · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands · Norway · Poland
   · Portugal · Romania · Russia^2 · San Marino · Serbia · Slovakia ·
   Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Switzerland · Turkey^2 · Ukraine · United
   Kingdom · Vatican City

   (1) Entirely in Asia but having socio-political connections with
   Europe. (2) Has significant territory in Asia.
   Countries of Asia

   Afghanistan • Armenia • Azerbaijan ^1 • Bahrain • Bangladesh • Bhutan •
   Brunei • Cambodia • People's Republic of China ^2 • Cyprus • East Timor
   ^3 • Georgia ^1 • India • Indonesia ^3 • Iran • Iraq • Israel • Japan •
   Jordan • Kazakhstan ^1 • Kuwait • Kyrgyzstan • Laos • Lebanon •
   Malaysia • Maldives • Mongolia • Myanmar • Nepal • North Korea • Oman •
   Pakistan • Philippines • Qatar • Russia ^1 • Saudi Arabia • Singapore •
   South Korea • Sri Lanka • Syria • Tajikistan • Thailand • Turkey ^1 •
   Turkmenistan • United Arab Emirates • Uzbekistan • Vietnam • Yemen

   For dependent and other territories, see Dependent territory and List
   of unrecognized countries.

   ^1 Partly in Europe. ^2 The Republic of China (Taiwan) not officially
   recognized by the United Nations; see Political status of Taiwan.
   ^3 Partly or wholly reckoned in Oceania.
   Countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea

   Albania • Algeria • Bosnia and Herzegovina • Croatia • Cyprus • Egypt •
   France • Greece • Israel • Italy • Lebanon • Libya • Malta • Monaco •
   Montenegro • Morocco • Slovenia • Spain • Syria • Tunisia • Turkey

   For dependent and other territories, see Dependent territory and List
   of unrecognized countries.
   North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)
   Flag of NATO

   Belgium • Bulgaria • Canada • Czech Republic • Denmark • Estonia •
   France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Iceland • Italy • Latvia •
   Lithuania • Luxembourg • Netherlands • Norway • Poland • Portugal •
   Romania • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Turkey • United Kingdom •
   United States

   Candidate countries: Albania • Croatia • Republic of Macedonia (as
   FYROM)
   European Union members and candidates

   Austria • Belgium • Cyprus • Czech Republic • Denmark • Estonia •
   Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Ireland • Italy •
   Latvia • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Malta • Netherlands • Poland •
   Portugal • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • United Kingdom

   Countries acceding on January 1, 2007: Bulgaria • Romania

   Candidate countries: Croatia • Turkey • Republic of Macedonia (referred
   to as the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia by the European Union)
   Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
   Flag of the OIC

   Afghanistan • Albania • Algeria • Azerbaijan • Bahrain • Bangladesh •
   Benin • Burkina Faso • Brunei • Cameroon • Chad • Comoros •
   Côte d'Ivoire • Djibouti • Egypt • Gabon • Gambia • Guinea •
   Guinea-Bissau • Guyana • Indonesia • Iran • Iraq • Jordan • Kuwait •
   Kazakhstan • Kyrgyzstan • Lebanon • Libya • Maldives • Malaysia •
   Mali • Mauritania • Morocco • Mozambique • Niger • Nigeria • Oman •
   Pakistan • State of Palestine • Qatar • Saudi Arabia • Senegal •
   Sierra Leone • Somalia • Sudan • Surinam • Syria • Tajikistan •
   Turkey • Tunisia • Togo • Turkmenistan • Uganda • Uzbekistan •
   United Arab Emirates • Yemen

   Observer countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina • Central African Republic •
   Russia • Thailand • Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

   Observer Muslim organizations and communities:
   Moro National Liberation Front

   Observer international organizations:
   Economic Cooperation Organization • Organisation of African Unity •
   League of Arab States • Non-Aligned Movement • United Nations
   Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

   Australia • Austria • Belgium • Canada • Czech Republic • Denmark •
   Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Iceland • Ireland •
   Italy • Japan • South Korea • Luxembourg • Mexico • Netherlands • New
   Zealand • Norway • Poland • Portugal • Slovakia • Spain • Sweden •
   Switzerland • Turkey • United Kingdom • United States

   Turkic-speaking nations and autonomous entities with an official Turkic
   language

   Western Turkic
   Flag of Azerbaijan  Azerbaijan^1 • Bashkortostan Flag   Bashkortostan^2
   • Chuvashia Flag   Chuvashia^2 • Flag of Cyprus  Cyprus ( Turkish
   Republic of Northern Cyprus Flag Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus^3)
   • Gagauzia Flag   Gagauzia^4 • Kabardino-Balkaria Flag
   Kabardino-Balkaria^2 •
   Karachay-Cherkessia Flag   Karachay-Cherkessia^2 • Karakalpakstan Flag
     Karakalpakstan^5 • Flag of Kazakhstan  Kazakhstan • Tatarstan Flag
   Tatarstan^2 • Flag of Turkmenistan  Turkmenistan • Flag of Turkey
   Turkey • Flag of Uzbekistan  Uzbekistan • People's Republic of China
   Flag   Xinjiang^6
   Eastern Turkic
   Altai Republic Flag   Altai Republic^2 • Khakassia Flag   Khakassia^2 •
   Flag of Kyrgyzstan  Kyrgyzstan • Sakha Flag   Sakha^2 • Tuva Flag
   Tuva^2
     __________________________________________________________________

   Notes: (1) Includes the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic; (2) A federal
   subject of the Russian Federation; (3) See Cyprus dispute;
   (4) Gagauzia is a territorial autonomous unit of Moldova; (5)
   Karakalpakstan is an autonomous republic of Uzbekistan; (6) Xinjiang
   Uyghur is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
