| Turkey
In Brief |
| 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
Thrace, while the Asian part is called Anatolia
(or Asia Minor) |
| AREA |
814
578 square kilometers (314 500 square miles)
% 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 |
| 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 |
|
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.
|
| 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 theWest. 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
The
other three regions are named in accordance with
their location in the whole of Anatolia.
-
Central Anatolia Region
- Eastern Anatolia Region
- Southeastern Anatolia Region |
| FAMOUS
LANDMARKS |
In
Ýstanbul: Ayasofya, Topkapý 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 Þanlý Urfa.
Ýstanbul,
Safranbolu, Boðazköy-Hattushash, Mt.
Nemrut Remains, Xanthos-Lethoon, Divriði Great
Mosque and Hospital, Troy, Pamukkale and Göreme-Cappadocia
are registered on the World Heritage List to help
preserve them for future generations. |
| 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 Ýstanbul.
Turkey
is Europe's third largest ceramic producer. |
