TURKEY - GENERAL
A country where people form different cultures, religions and ethnic backgrounds come together! A geography, as ancient as the human culture, where the ancient continents of Asia and Europe meet. Turkey is a paradise of sea, sun and mountains, at the same time offering the visitors the pleasure of historical treasures of magnificent ancient cities. From April to October, most parts of Turkey have an ideal climate providing perfect conditions which a visitor can enjoy the comfort of sandy beaches and also the unique atmosphere of Ancient Cities. It is doubtless that just one visit will not be enough, one will want to come back time after time as the extraordinary places and tastes are discovered.
Turkey, exotic, colorful, many-faceted, romantic, ever-old and ever-new, is the gateway and the key to the fabled East. Turkey has a magnificent past and is a land full of historic treasures.

GEOGRAPY
Modern Turkey is a country of 780,576 square kilometers, somewhat larger than the state of Texas or France and Great Britain combined. It is bordered by the Mediterranean, Aegean and Black Seas. In clockwise order, Turkey shares borders with Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq and Syria. About three percent of the country is in Europe. South and east of the Dardanelles, the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus stretches the peninsula known as Asia Minor or Anatolia. Fertile plains fringe the coast; mountain ranges separate them from the high central plateau. Nineteen mountains are over 4,100 meters (13,800 feet) high; of them Mt. Ararat (Agri Dag) is the highest at 5,073 meters (16,910 feet). Both the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (Dicle and Firat) rise in Anatolia.

HISTORY
Turkey is one of the most ancient settlement areas of the world. Archaeological excavations in the Karain cave near Antalya have yielded material dating from the lower, intermediate and upper periods of Palaeolithic Age – the earliest finds, some two million years old. The most developed Neolithic Age settlement centre is Çatalhöyük, 52 km southeast of the Konya Province. Anatolia entered the Ancient Bronze Age between the end of 4000BC and the beginning of 3000BC.
The Hittites in 1750BC founded the first state governed by the central system in Anatolia. Archaeological excavations in Bogazköy, Alacahöyük, Eskiyapar, Inandik, Masathöyük, Kargamis, Zincirli, Arslantepe, Karatepe, Sakçagözü all unearthed artefacts from the reign of the Hittites.
After the Hittites came the Frigs (1200-700BC) with their headquarters at Gordion, near Ankara. Urartus, who founded a state around Van Lake with Tusba (Van) as the capital in 1000BC, contributed important works of art to Turkish heritage.
The end of 2000BC saw the first Hellenist colonies begin to settle in the western areas of Anatolia as a result of the Dorian migrations. The effect of Ion civilization had significantly increased in Western Anatolia after the year 1050BC. Karia, Lycia and Lydian Civilizations had their most advanced periods between 700BC and 600BC.
The Lydians were the first to use currency in the form of coins. They founded a state in the middle of the Aegean Region with the capital city of Sardes but were destroyed by Persians in 546BD. The combination of Persian and Greek cultures gave rise to the first Greco- Persian Style art works.
The Hellenistic Period (333-30BC) began after the invasion of Anatolia by Alexander the Great. Much of the ornamental architecture in the cities of the Aegean dates from this period. The ensuing Roman Empire saw major cultural improvement. After 395, the Empire was divided in two with the beginning of the Byzantium period and corresponding art works.
In 1453, the Turks who had begun to settle in Anatolia during the period of Great Seljuk’s Empire in the 11th Century conquered Istanbul. Architecture began to be influenced by Islam with emphasis on building educational institutions and hospitals.
The Ottomans, who founded a state in 1299 and later, an Empire, secured the unification of Anatolia during Fatih Sultan Mehmet’s reign. The borders of the empire reached to the inner parts of Iran to Central Europe and from Crimea to Northern Africa carrying Ottoman culture to these newly conquered lands and bringing back ideas from across the borders.
The Republic of Turkey was founded in 29 October 1923 after the Turkish War of Independence under the command of the leader Atatürk. Atatürk took great pains to conserve the rich cultural heritage of the Ottoman Empire. He founded Turkish Language and History Institutions and converted Topkapi Palace and Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia) into museums.
With such a rich cultural heritage from so many different civilizations, Turkey has learned to preserve its past for the benefit of future generations. Thousands of works of art and ancient remains draw tourists to Turkey every year. The Ephesus Arthemis Temple and Halikarnas Bodrum Mausoleum, counted among the Seven Wonders of the World, were once part of Turkey. The remains of these, along with many other exhibits from Turkey's cultural legacy are housed in major museums worldwide.

MYTHS & LEGENDS
History and mythology bring the shores of the Mediterranean to life. The ancient ruins and hidden coves to the South of the Taurus Mountains are rich in legend and folklore.
The fire-breathing monster Chimera, so the story goes, lived among the mountains to the West of Antalya. That was until Bellerofontes, the Lydian hero, sliced his head from his body in one blow. The fire, which rises from the ground on the southeastern slopes of Mount Olympus today, is said to come from the mouth of Chimera.
Another myth tells the story of Apollo, the god of the fine arts, who was one day chasing Daphne, the beautiful but elusive object of his affections – close to Antakya. Daphne’s feet became tree roots and her hands and arms, branches and limbs of the laurel tree, or ‘defne’ in Turkish.
Few people may know that Santa Claus, or St Nicholas, was born in the town of Patara in Turkey and died in Kale. Turkey’s Tarsus was also the birthplace of St Paul.

POPULATION OF TURKEY (All figures based on 1997 estimates)
Population:
63,528,225 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 31% (male 10,180,631; female 9,820,505)
15-64 years: 63% (male 20,326,169; female 19,648,647)
65 years and over: 6% (male 1,638,048; female 1,914,225)
Population growth rate: 1.64%
Birth rate: 21.83 births/1,000 population
Death rate: 5.43 deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years : 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female

Nationality:
noun: Turk(s)
adjective: Turkish
Religions: Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (Christian and Jews)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.3%
male: 91.7%
female: 72.4%
Population Density: 80 persons/sq km; (208 persons/sq mi)
Urban/Rural Breakdown: 69% Urban; 31% Rural
Largest Cities:
Istanbul - 6,620,241 (1990 census)
Ankara - 2,559,471 (1990 census)
Izmir - 1,757,414 (1990 census)

POLITICAL STRUCTURE
The Turkish Republic is based on secular democratic, pluralist and parliamentary system, where human rights are protected by law and social justice. The National Assembly is elected by popular vote and the nation is governed by the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. Turkey is a founding member of OECD, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization, a member of NATO, the European Council and the European Parliament, and an associate member of the European Community.

MONEY & ECONOMY
The money used in Turkish Republic is the Lira. As of January 2005, the Turkish government has taken the decision to drop 6 zeros from the Lira, the new lira is called ‘Yeni Lira- YTL’. The coins is called the ‘kurus’. Euros, British Pounds and US Dollars are very strong currencies towards Turkish Lira, offering foreign citizens a luxurious living at a low cost.
Euros and US dollars are very commonly used currencies while shopping, you may also exchange at the banks or at the exchange offices. In addition to Turkish Private banks, there are many international banks such as HSBC, Citibank, ABN Amro in major cities, with sub-branches or correspondent banks in the districts.

LAND & CLIMATE
Area: 779,452 sq km (300,948 sq mi)
Highest Point: Mount Ararat - 5137 m (16,854 ft) above sea level
Lowest Point: Sea level along the coast

Average Temperatures:
Ankara
January 0° C (32° F)
July 23° C (73° F)
Istanbul
January 5° C (41° F)
July 23° C (73° F)

Average Annual Precipitation:
Ankara - 350 mm (14 in)
Istanbul - 820 mm (32 in)