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General information about Turkey

Official name: The Republic of Turkey (Türkiye Cumhuriyeti).

Founder: Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK (1881-1938).

Location: Eastern Mediterranean. Located on two continents: Europe and Asia. The European part of Turkey is called Trakya (Thrace), while the Asian part is called Anadolu (Anatolia or Asia Minor).

Area: 814 578 km2. 3% on the European continent. 97% on the Asian continent.

Capital: ANKARA

Population: 67.8 million (as of 2002).

Literacy rate: 1935-19.25%, 2001-86.60%.

Major cities (as of 2002):
▪ Istanbul: 10 million
▪ Ankara: 4 million
▪ Izmir: 3.4 million
▪ Bursa: 2.1 million
▪ Konya: 2.2 million
▪ Adana: 1.8 million

Language: Turkish (uses Latin Alphabet).

Currency: Turkish Lira (TL).

Religion: 99% of the population is Muslim. Turkey is the only country among Islamic countries, which has included secularism in her Constitution and guarantees complete freedom of worship to non-Muslims.

Flag: Red background with a white crescent and star in the middle.

National anthem:
▪ "Istiklal Marsi" (Independence March)
▪ Lyrics by: Mehmet Akif Ersoy
▪ Adopted as Turkey's National Anthem on March 12, 1921

State information

Government: Turkey is democratic, secular and social state governed by the rule of law, committed to the nationalism of Atatürk and based on the principle of the separation of powers.
Legislative power: The Turkish Grand National Assembly
Executive power: President and the Council of Ministers
Judicial power: Independent courts and supreme judiciary organs

Education system

▪ Primary Education: Eight years, includes the education of children in the 6-14 age-group. Compulsory for all male and female citizens.
▪ Secondary Education: Consists of general and vocational-technical high schools that offer at least three years of education.
▪ Higher Education: Includes all educational institutions where an educational programme of at least two years over and above secondary education is implemented. These educate students at associate's, bachelor's, master's or doctorate degree levels.
▪ Primary and secondary education is free of charge in public schools. Higher education institutions, however, charge a certain minimal tuition fee.

Geographical information

Coastline: 8333 km (5000 miles). Turkey is surrounded by sea on three sides, by the Black Sea in the North, the Mediterranean in the south and the Aegean Sea in the West. In the northwest there is also an important internal sea, the Sea of Marmara, between the straits of the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus.

Geographical regions: Turkey has 80 administrative provinces and seven geographical regions. The first four of the seven regions are given the names the seas which are adjacent to them.

▪ Black Sea Region
▪ Marmara Region
▪ Aegean Region
▪ Mediterranean Region
▪ Central Anatolia Region
▪ Eastern Anatolia Region
▪ South-eastern Anatolia Region

Famous landmarks

▪ In Istanbul: Ayasofya, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Dolmabahçe Palace, Kariye Museum.
▪ Elsewhere in Turkey: Ancient City of Troy, Ephesus, Aphrodisias, Pergamon, Pamukkale, Göreme-Cappadocia, Mt. Nemrut, Safranbolu, Mevlevi Convent and Museum, Halil Rahman Mosque in Sanli Urfa. Istanbul, Safranbolu, Bogazköy-Hattushash, Mt. Nemrut Remains, Xanthos-Lethoon, Divrigi Great Mosque and Hospital, Troy, Pamukkale and Göreme-Cappadocia are registered on the World Heritage List to help preserve them for future generations.

Economy

Composition of GNP (as of 2001):
▪ Agriculture: 12.9 %
▪ Industry : 25.3 %
▪ Services : 61.8 %

Some important products: As of 2000, Turkey has the first place in the world in terms of hard-shell nuts, fig and apricot production, fourth in fresh vegetables, grape and tobacco production and seventh in wheat and cotton production. Turkish delight and helva are famous throughout the world.

Turkey is among the leading countries in the world in textiles and ready to wear clothing production. The exports of this sector constitute 37 percent of total industrial exports. The leather processing industry is also very developed in Turkey both in terms of technological level and high production capacity and comes after textiles in terms of export figures.

High-quality handmade Turkish carpets are also one of the main export items of Turkey the most famous and finest pure silk carpets of the world are produced in the small town of Hereke, 60 km east of Istanbul.

Turkey is Europe's third largest ceramic producer.

Other useful information

Time: Local time is equal to GMT + 2 hours. Same time zone all over the country

Electricity: 220 volts a.c. all over Turkey

Weight and measures: Metric and Kilo system

Web sites for more information:

▪ Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. www.mfa.gov.tr
▪ Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. www.kultur.gov.tr

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