Geographical
position: It has always been on the crossroads of the two
continents but its desire was to be as close to Europe as possible.
Its capital is Ankara and it largest city, and the most popular
tourist destination, is Istanbul, the most precious stone in the
ring of universal empire from the Osman's dream myth.The country is
surrounded by four seas - the Black Sea, the Marmara Sea, the
Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea.
Surface: Total
area: 780,580 km2; land area: 770,760 km2; water area: 9,820
km2.
Population:
Officially 70,586,256 as of 1st January 2008 (67,803,927 in 2000),
average of 92 inhabitants live per km2, 70.5% of the total
population live in the cities and 29.5% in villages or small towns
in the countryside.
Istanbul: 12,573,836 as of Jan
2008 (10,033,478 in 2000), 17.8 % of the total population, 2420
people per square kilometer
Ankara: 4,466,756 as of Jan 2008
(4,007,860 in 2000), 6.3 % of the total population
Izmir: 3.739.353 as of Jan 2008
(3,387,908 in 2000), 5.3 % of the total population, 311 people per
square kilometer
Government
system: Turkey is a parliamentary representative
democracy.
Official language and
script: Turkish language and Latin alphabet.
Time zone: EET
(UTC+2), in summer EEST (UTC+3).
Religion: 99%
of the population is Muslim. Turkey is a secular state that assures
complete freedom of other non-muslim religions.
Capital: Ankara
(population of 3,842,737), while the largest city is Istambul
(population of 10,861,463).
Climate: The
climate ranges from Mediterranean to Continental, so in certain
areas the temperature can drop as low as -40°C but also go as high
as +40°C.
Currency: New
Turkish Lira (TRY).
Working hours:
Shops and department stores are opened between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.,
and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., or to 3 p.m. A smaller number
of stores close between noon and 4 p.m. Many stores are also opened
on Sundays, especially in the summer, and some smaller are opened
24 hours a day. Public services and companies usually work from
8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
Electricity & Water:
Electricity: 220 V. Tap water is safe to drink, but it is
advisable to drink bottled water instead.
Telephone code:
The telephone code for Turkey is +90.
When to travel to
Turkey: The best time to travel to Turkey is definitely
either in the spring or in autumn (from June to September). That is
when the temperature in Istanbul and the coastal regions is the
mildest, around cozy 24 degrees, there is not much rain and the sky
is clear for the most part. At the same time the weather is quite
pleasantly cool in Central Anatolia.
History: Turkey
was founded, by a national hero Mustafa Kemal, in 1923 from the
Anatolian remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire. In 1950, there
was a peaceful transfer of power, from one-party rule to a victory
of opposition Democratic Party. Even though the Turkish political
parties have multiplied, over the years, democracy has been
fractured so much that eventually resulted in a return of political
power to civilians. In 2004, KGK announced an end to its ceasefire
and attacks attributed to the KGK increased. Turkey joined the UN
in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. In 1964, Turkey
became an associate member of the European Community.
Sightseeing:
Turkey prides itself with some of the most important works of
architecture such as Aya Sofya, built in the 6th century as ordered
by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian.Some of the best examples of
Ottoman architecture are mosques.
Turkey has very diverse landscape
that comprises of both mountains and seasides, numerous lakes and
rivers.
Turkish people:
Modern Turkey encompasses bustling cosmopolitan centers, pastoral
farming villages, barren wastelands, peaceful Aegean coastlines,
and steep mountain regions. More than 70% of Turkey's population
lives in urban areas that juxtapose Western lifestyles with more
traditional ways of life.
/ They are incredibly cordial
people who will look upon you as a member of their family from the
start and share the miracle of their national cuisine with
you.
Cuisine: The
Turkish and Ottoman Kitchen is one of the world leading kitchens.
Turkey is the mother country of kebab, baklava, Turkish delight,
and a famous alcoholic beverage raki awaits you.