Thanks to the astonishing extension of its territories, Turkey boasts a huge variety of wonderful landscapes, archaeological sites, natural beauties, historical monuments and modern architecture. All you can imagine about Turkey, never really compare with the reality: there is more than expected and surely lots of surprises!
Geography
Turkey territories spread over an area of 814.578 square kilometres both in Europe and Asia: it is renown that Istanbul is the only city in the world to lie across two continents, but you should know that Çanakkale shares the same status as well!
Europe and Asia are separated by the Dardanelles Strait in Çanakkale and further forward by the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul. This makes possible to reach a different continent in a matter of minutes (in Çanakkale, by ferryboat) or at worst hours (in Istanbul, crossing the bridges, in case of traffic).
You can swim in four seas in Turkey: in the Black Sea in the north, in the Aegean in the west, in the Mediterranean in the south and in the Marmara in the north-west.
Anatolia is a high plateau rising progressively towards the east, broken up by the valleys of about 15 rivers, including the Dicle (Tigris) and the Fırat (Euphrates). There are numerous lakes and some, such as Lake Van, are as large as inland seas. In the south, the Taurus Mountains sweep down almost to the narrow, fertile coastal plain. Turkey enjoys a variety of ranging from the temperature climate of the Black Sea region, to the continental climate of the interior, then, to the Mediterranean climate of the Aegean and Mediterranean coastal regions. The coastline touching the four seas that border the country is 8333 km in length.
History
Turkey has been called "the cradle of civilisation" and by travelling through this historic land, tourists will discover exactly what is meant by this phrase. The world's first known settlement, a Neolithic city at Çatalhöyük, dates back to 6.500 BC. From the days of Çatalhöyük up to the present, Turkey boasts a rich culture that through the centuries has made a lasting impression on modern civilisations. Being the heir to many centuries and cultures makes Turkey a paradise of information and cultural wealth. Hattis, Hittites, Phyrygains, Urartians, Lycians, Ionians, Lydians, Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks, and Ottomans have all made important contributions to the history of the area. Ancient sites and ruins scattered throughout the country give sufficient proof of each civilisation's unique distinction.
Turkey also has a very fascinating recent history, though. Upon the decline of the Ottoman Empire, a young man named Mustafa Kemal, known also as Atatürk ("Father of the Turkish nation"), took the defeat of World War I and turned it into a shining victory by liberating Turkey on October 29th, 1923. He led his country towards peace and stability that brought about tremendous economic growth and increasing modernisation. His motto "Peace at home, Peace in the World", is still deeply believed in.
Population
On the general basis, the population in Turkey is characterised by youth and dynamism. Although there has been a marked migration into town, approximately 47 percent of the population still lives in the rural areas. Istanbul is Turkey's largest city, with approximately 9.1 million inhabitants, but Ankara is the capital city, with 3.69 million inhabitants. The next largest cities are Izmir, Bursa, Antalya, Konya and Adana.
Language
The Turkish language belongs to the Ural-Altaic group and has an affinity with the Finno-Hungarian languages. Turkish is written in the Latin alphabet and is spoken by at least 150 million people around the world.
Religion & Secularism
Definitely the largest majority of the Turkish population is Muslim. However, everyone in Turkey has freedom of religion. The first phases in the introduction of secularism were the abolition of the Caliphate and the Ministry of Sharia and Pious Foundations on March 4th, 1924, followed by the introduction of separate educational and judicial systems, the hat reform, the closure of dervish retreats and religious sects, the acceptance of a Sunday weekend holiday rather than the Muslim Friday and finally the adoption of the principle of secularism in the Constitution in 1937.
In secular Turkey, all religious affairs are carried out by a central government organisation affiliated to the Prime Ministry, namely the Department of Religious Affairs.
Political Structure
The republic of Turkey is based on a secular, democratic, pluralistic and parliamentary system. The Grand 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 Co-operation Organisation, a member of NATO, the European Council, the Islamic Conference Association, and an associate member of the European Union.
Turkish Culture
The Anatolian culture bears the wisdom of one who has been molded by the peaceful exuberance that comes from living by the sea and also being close to the soil.Turkey, the inheritor of Anatolian culture, invites humanity to build a sustainable cultural partnership.
The civilizations and cultures that have existed in Anatolia over the centuries, the Byzantines, the Seljuks and the Ottomans, have combined to form a rich synthesis. The creativity that ranges from gastronomy to music, from philosophy to literature and fine arts, from legends to modern art, is the unique characteristic of Anatolia and Turkey.
The cultural wealth of Anatolia is a peaceful friendly song, rising towards the sky as it calls humanity to tolerance and harmony.
Turkish Cuisine
Regarded as one of the three most favourable cuisines of the world,Turkish cuisine has superiority when compared to the cuisine of France and China. Exceptional richness of the various meals, methods of cooking, arrangement of the table, service and equipments used bring the richness in a way that never fail to to delight.
