This parliamentary Republic lies on the boundary between two Old World continents: Europe and Asia. The historic strait of Bosphorus divides the two land masses. Turkey has been a crossroads in the full sense of the word throughout history. Today, it is a thriving economy in development with almost 80 million residents.
Turkey is rich with historic monuments, from the ancient ruins of the Greek civilization in the west of the country to Christian monasteries in the east. Even though Turkey is an Islamic country, it is secularized and democratic. The most famous city is Istanbul, formerly known as Tsarigrad and Constantinople. The capital of the country is Ankara, and other major towns include Izmir, Konya, and Burs.
Tourism has exploded in Turkey in the past decade, and the coastline is full of resorts and hotels. People from many countries come every year to enjoy the weather, the culture, the food and so many other sites in Turkey.
Official Name: The Republic of Turkey (Türkiye Cumhuriyeti)
Founder: Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK (1881-1938)
Capital: Ankara
Population: 67.8 million (as of 2000)
Language: Turkish (uses Latin Alphabet)
Location: Eastern Mediterranean . Located on two contitents Europe and Asia . The European part of Turkey is called Thrace , while the Asian part is called Anatolia or ( Asia Minor )
Area: 814 578 Km2 (314 500 square miles) on the European continent and on the Asian continent
Religion: 99 percent of the population is Muslim. Turkey is a secular state that assures complete freedom of worship to non-Muslims.
WHEN TO COME
Marmara, Aegean, and Mediterranean coasts: These coasts have a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. The swimming season becomes shorter the further north one goes: Marmara and North Aegean – June to September; South Aegean and Mediterranean – April to October.
Black Sea Coast: Warm summers, mild winters, and relatively high rainfall.
Central Anatolia: Steppe climate with hot, dry summers; cold winters.
Eastern Anatolia: Long snowy cold winters with mild summers.
Southeast Anatolia: Hot summer with mild, rainy winters.
WHAT TO WEAR
a) Marmara, Aegean, and Mediterranean coasts: Light, cotton summer clothing and cardigans for evening.
b) Black Sea, Central and Eastern Anatolia: Summer wear, warmer clothing should be taken for cool evenings at high altitudes.
c) Comfortable shoes are necessary for visiting archeological and historical sites.
d) Sun hats and sunglasses are advisable in the summer.
e) Headscarves should be brought by women for visiting mosques.