The Turks are a national community merged under a language belonging to the Uralo-Altaic linguistic group. They first stepped on the stage of history in the 7th century B.C. at the foot of the Köğmen Mountains. The Göktürks employed the word “Türk” as an official state name for the first time. Orkhun Inscriptions are the first written documents in Turkish history.
In many ways, Turkey’s history is that of mankind. With ruins of countless cultures scattered throughout this remarkable land, it is clear Turkey played an integral role in the development of organized society. From the world’s first known human settlement circa 6500 B.C. at Çatalhöyük, where artwork first appeared in the form of murals and painted relief sculptures of dwellings and domestic shrines, to mighty Ottoman fortresses, Turkey bears the remnants of many of the world’s major civilizations - Hittites, Phrygians, Urartians, Lycians, Ionians, Lydians, Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans.
The Turks started to settle in Anatolia during the period of the Great Seljuk Empire in the early 11th century, following the 1071 victory over the Byzantines in the vicinity of Malazgirt. With time, the Turks conquered most of Anatolia and established the Anatolian Seljuk State as a part of the Great Seljuk Empire (1075 - 1318), the first Turkish Empire in Anatolia.
The Seljuks left Turkey with a rich cultural legacy. The Anatolian Seljuk State enriched the country with monumental mosques, madrashahs, hospitals, fortresses, tombs and caravanserais, often covered with the finest in stone carving and tiles. Mevlâna Celaleddin Rumi, the mystic poet and philosopher and founder of the Whirling Dervish order, flourished in Konya, capital of the Anatolian Seljuk Empire during the 13th century.
When the Turkish Seljuk State collapsed under the strain of repeated Mongol attacks, several beylics from various Turkish tribes emerged in Anatolia toward the end of the 13th century. Of these, the Ottoman beylic succeeded in establishing the union of the beylics in Anatolia in a short period of time and thus arose the Ottoman Empire.
Borders of The Ottoman State, which was founded by Osman Bey, began to expand first in Rumeli. Ottomans captured Constantinople in 1453, during the reign of Sultan Mehmet II (1451 - 1481) putting an end to the Byzantine Empire. The Ottoman State then entered an era of rapid development that would last until the end of the 16th century. The borders of the empire extended from the Crimea in the north to Yemen and Sudan in the south, and from Iran and the Caspian Sea in the East to Vienna in the Northwest and Spain in the Southwest. The Empire, influential in world politics for centuries, treated its citizens of various religions, languages and nationalities in a vast geography justly and tolerantly. The Empire allowed the nations within its borders to preserve their languages and cultures by ensuring freedom of faith and conscience.
The Ottomans made great additions to the already rich heritage of Istanbul and Anatolia. The architecture of Mimar Sinan is still admired today. Suleymaniye Mosque and Sultanahmet Mosque (The Blue Mosque) in Istanbul and the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne are the finest examples of his work. Several palaces that are now museums were also built during this period, including Topkapi, Beylerbeyi and Dolmabahçe, as was The Grand Bazaar. Traditional Turkish art, such as miniatures, tiles and ceramics, calligraphy and weaving, flourished and reached its peak during the Ottoman Empire.
The Ottoman Empire slowly began to lose its economic and military edge to the emerging European powers from the 1600s up into the late 19th century. During World War I (1914-1918), the Ottoman Empire sided with the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires, and was consequently defeated by invasion from Britain, France and Greece. After the War of Independence (1919 - 1923) from invasion, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk led the nation to create the Turkish Republic, which was formally established on October 29, 1923.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk introduced a broad range of reforms - virtually unparalleled in any other country - to Turkey’s political, social, legal, economic and cultural spheres. He created a new political and legal system based on the principles of parliamentary democracy, division of powers, secular administration, nationalism and modernization. The women were granted suffrage and the right to hold office in municipalities by 1930, in village councils by 1933 and in the Turkish Grand National Assembly by 1934, way before many European countries. A new Turkish alphabet was prepared and the Latin script began to be used. In a very short period of time, Turkey became a modern nation-state and as a country negotiating to become a member of European Union today remains a model for Third World countries looking to become part of the modern world.
OFFICAL NAME
The Republic of Turkey (Türkiye Cumhuriyeti)
LOCATION
Turkey is at Eastern Mediterranean on both the European and Asian continents at the only point in the world where three continents converge – Europe, Africa and Asia. The European portion of Turkey is known as Thrace, while the Asian is called Anatolia or Asia Minor; Istanbul straddles both as the world’s only city located on two continents. Turkey is surrounded on three sides by water – the Aegean, Black and Mediterranean Seas – yielding 8,333 km of coastline.
SIZE
814,578 square km (3 percent in Europe and 97 percent in Asia)
CAPITAL
Ankara in the heart of Anatolia. Despite its long history – Ankara has been continuously inhabited since the Bronze Age – it is a thoroughly modern, well-planned city distinguished by wide avenues, green parks, elegant shops, embassies and government buildings, and numerous world-class hotels and restsurants. Indeed it is the only city in Turkey with an urban development plan dating to the 1930s, the result of the formerly provincial town being named the capital of The Republic or Turkey by its founder, Kemal Atatürk, in 1923.
POPULATION
72.94 million (as of 2006)
LANGUAGE
Turkish, which uses the Latin Alphabet, part of the Ural-Altaic group and strongly related to Finno-Hungarian languages. English is widely spoken in major cities and resort areas.
GOVERNMENT
Founded in 1923 by Kemal Atatürk, Turkey is a democratic, secular, social state governed by the rule of law; committed to the concepts of public peace, national solidarity, justice, respecting human rights and the nationalism of Atatürk; based on the principle of a 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
A member of NATO, Turkey is a candidate for inclusion in the European Union.
FLAG
RELIGION
The only country in the world where churches, synagogues and mosques have peacefully co-existed for centuries, the population is 99 percent Muslim. As a secular state Turkey guarantees complete freedom of worship to non-Muslim
MAJOR CITIES
İstanbul (9.2 million)
Ankara (3.7 million)
İzmir (3.1 million)
Konya (1.9 million)
Adana (1.7 million)
Bursa (1.2 million)
GEOGRAPHICAL REGIONS
Seven regions, divided into 80 administrative provinces, four of which are named after the seas that abut them: Black Sea Region, Marmara Region, Aegean Region, Mediterranean Region
The other three regions are named in accordance with their location in Anatolia. Central Anatolia Region, Eastern Anatolia Region, Southeastern Anatolia Region
ECONOMY
16th largest in the world and the strongest in the Balkans, the Black Sea and Caspian basin, Central Asia and the Middle East – with an average growth rate over the past 30 years of around five percent.
Agriculture remains the economy’s base with Turkey being the world’s leading producer of hard-shell nuts, figs and apricot, fourth in fresh vegetable, grape and tobacco production, and seventh in wheat and cotton production. However, Turkey is also among the leading manufacturers of textiles and ready-to-wear clothing, representing 36 percent of exports. The leather processing industry is also an important sector of the Turkish economy.
HOSPITALITY
Hospitality is centuries-old cornerstone of Turkish daily life (especially for travelers for which tradition dictates a warm welcome and the offering of refreshments)
Luxury to budget, the choices are vast. The greatest number of five- and four-star hotels are in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir, as well as in the Mediterranean and Aegean coastal resort areas. Breakfast is usually included in the room rate, even at more modest properties. Many hotels are licensed by the Ministry of Tourism; rated from one to five stars, they are required to meet strict regulations and standards.
RESTAURANTS
World-class fine dining, particularly in Istanbul and Ankara where international cuisine is quite prevalent. There are also many small, family restaurants serving traditional Turkish cuisine at moderate prices and roadside establishments offer spit-roasted lamb, salads and fresh vegetables stuffed with savory rice. Tasty local beers and fine Turkish wines are available throughout the country.
TOURISM
Unrivaled in terms of exploring the remnants of a number of the world’s most important civilizations, through countless ruins, internationally acclaimed and restored historic structures.
RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Turkey’s diverse topography presents almost limitless opportunities for: bicycling; boating; diving; golf; hiking; rafting; and skiing (snow and water). Anatolia’s nearly 1,000 thermal springs have generated a number of spas and therapeutic facilities.
FESTIVALS
From camel wrestling to yachting, music to wine, Turkey celebrates its distinctive traditions with festivals staged every month of the year.
TRAVEL
Turkish Airlines provides regular service to and from Turkey’s seven international airports to the rest of the world. Other major international carriers have access to those gateways as well.
Car and passenger ferries from many Black Sea and Mediterranean ports serve Turkish shores and rail service is available from most major European cities to Istanbul.
Turkish Airlines and Turkish Railways maintain an expansive transportation network throughout the country.
ELECTRICITY
220 volts.
TELEPHONE, FAX
International Country Code : 90
DOMESTIC CALLS
İstanbul - City Code - 212
- 00 + Country Code + Phone Number
- 0 + Area Code + Local Phone Number
EMERGENCY SERVICES
Ambulance 112
Police 155
Fire 110
Directory Assistance 11811
Did You Know That..?
Geographically, Anatolia is Asian Turkey while Thrace is European.
The only city on the world located on two continents is Istanbul, which has been the capital of three great empires, Roman, Byzantian and Ottoman for more than 2000 years.
The oldest known human settlement is in Çatalhöyük, Turkey. (7500 BC)
Temple of Artemis (Ephesus) and the Mausoleum of Halcarnassus (Bodrum), two of the Seven Wonders of the ancient World, are in Turkey.
According to legend, Noah's Ark landed on Ağrı Dağı (Mount Ararat) in eastern Turkey.
The last meal on Noah's Ark, a pudding with nearly 20 ingredients, is still served
throughout Turkey known as "Aşure".
Abraham was born in Şanlıurfa in southeastern Turkey.
Anatolia is the birthplace of historic legends, such as King Midas (who turned everything to gold), Heredotus (the father of history), St. Paul the Apostle, philosopher Diogenes, Aesop (famous for his fables and parables) and Homer (author of the epic poems Iliad and Odyssey).
The famous Trojan wars took place in western Turkey, around the site where a wooden statue of the Trojan Horse rests today.
It’s highly probable that the Amazon women warriors lived around Samsun in northern Turkey.
Anatolia is the home of the first known beauty contest, judged by Paris, with Aphrodite, Hera and Athena as leading participants.
Alexander the Great conquered a large territory in what is now Turkey, and cut the Gordion knot in the Phrygian capital Gordium, not far from Turkey's present-day capital Ankara.
Anatolia is the origin of the names of Paris, Philadelphia and Europe.
Julius Ceaser proclaimed his celebrated words "Veni, Vidi, Vici" (I came, I saw, I conquered) in Amasya, Turkey when he defeated the Pontus, a formidable kingdom in the Black Sea region of Turkey.
Part of Turkey's southwestern shore was a wedding gift that Mark Anthony gave to Cleopatra.
The first church built by man (St. Peter's Church) is in Antioch (Antakya), Turkey.
St. John, St. Nicholas, St. Paul and St. Peter have all lived and prayed in Southern Turkey.
St. Nicholas, who became popular as Father Christmas, was born in Demre on Turkey's Mediterranean coast, and his church still stands there.
The last home of Virgin Mary is in Selçuk.
Early Christians escaping Roman persecution nearly 2000 years ago sheltered in Capodaccia in Central Anatolia.
Anatolia is the location of Seven Churches of Asia.
The first Ecumenical Council was held in Iznik, Turkey.
The first synagogue on this land was built in 1324 with the permission of Sultan Orhan - founder of the Ottoman Empire; to support Jewish community, suffering under Byzantine Empire.
Lenardo da Vinci drew designs for a bridge over the Golden Horn in Istanbul. It was never built.
Suleyman the Magnificent (the famous Ottoman Sultan) was a poet who wrote over 3,000 poems some of them criticizing the greed of mankind.
Turks introduced coffeee to Europe.
The most valuable silk carpet in the world is in the Mevlana Museum, Konya, with 144 knots per sq. Cm.
Hezarfen Ahmed Çelebi was the first man who flew a significant distance across the Bosphorus using wings.
Istanbul has a 550-year-old covered shopping mall of 64 streets, 4,000 shops, 22 entrances and 25,000 workers, - the famous "Grand Bazaar". It is the first mall ever built.
The very young Turkish economy is the 16th largest in the world according to GNP readings.
Turkey is one of the richest countries for water resources, as well as for bor minerals.
Turkey has been a member of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) since 1952.
Turkey provides 70% of world hazelnuts. The nut in your chocholate bar was most probably grown in Turkey.
Turkey has had the women's right to elect and to be elected even before Switzerland.
Turkey is the only democratic, secular country in the world, with a majority of Muslim population.
The Turks are a national community merged under a language belonging to the Uralo-Altaic linguistic group. They first stepped on the stage of history in the 7th century B.C. at the foot of the Köğmen Mountains. The Göktürks employed the word “Türk” as an official state name for the first time. Orkhun Inscriptions are the first written documents in Turkish history.
The Seljuks left Turkey with a rich cultural legacy. The Anatolian Seljuk State enriched the country with monumental mosques, madrashahs, hospitals, fortresses, tombs and caravanserais, often covered with the finest in stone carving and tiles. Mevlâna Celaleddin Rumi, the mystic poet and philosopher and founder of the Whirling Dervish order, flourished in Konya, capital of the Anatolian Seljuk Empire during the 13th century.
The Ottomans made great additions to the already rich heritage of Istanbul and Anatolia. The architecture of Mimar Sinan is still admired today. Suleymaniye Mosque and Sultanahmet Mosque (The Blue Mosque) in Istanbul and the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne are the finest examples of his work. Several palaces that are now museums were also built during this period, including Topkapi, Beylerbeyi and Dolmabahçe, as was The Grand Bazaar. Traditional Turkish art, such as miniatures, tiles and ceramics, calligraphy and weaving, flourished and reached its peak during the Ottoman Empire.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk introduced a broad range of reforms - virtually unparalleled in any other country - to Turkey’s political, social, legal, economic and cultural spheres. He created a new political and legal system based on the principles of parliamentary democracy, division of powers, secular administration, nationalism and modernization. The women were granted suffrage and the right to hold office in municipalities by 1930, in village councils by 1933 and in the Turkish Grand National Assembly by 1934, way before many European countries. A new Turkish alphabet was prepared and the Latin script began to be used. In a very short period of time, Turkey became a modern nation-state and as a country negotiating to become a member of European Union today remains a model for Third World countries looking to become part of the modern world.
Ankara in the heart of Anatolia. Despite its long history – Ankara has been continuously inhabited since the Bronze Age – it is a thoroughly modern, well-planned city distinguished by wide avenues, green parks, elegant shops, embassies and government buildings, and numerous world-class hotels and restsurants. Indeed it is the only city in Turkey with an urban development plan dating to the 1930s, the result of the formerly provincial town being named the capital of The Republic or Turkey by its founder, Kemal Atatürk, in 1923.
Turkish, which uses the Latin Alphabet, part of the Ural-Altaic group and strongly related to Finno-Hungarian languages. English is widely spoken in major cities and resort areas.
16th largest in the world and the strongest in the Balkans, the Black Sea and Caspian basin, Central Asia and the Middle East – with an average growth rate over the past 30 years of around five percent.
Agriculture remains the economy’s base with Turkey being the world’s leading producer of hard-shell nuts, figs and apricot, fourth in fresh vegetable, grape and tobacco production, and seventh in wheat and cotton production. However, Turkey is also among the leading manufacturers of textiles and ready-to-wear clothing, representing 36 percent of exports. The leather processing industry is also an important sector of the Turkish economy.
Turkish Airlines provides regular service to and from Turkey’s seven international airports to the rest of the world. Other major international carriers have access to those gateways as well.
İstanbul - City Code - 212
Temple of Artemis (Ephesus) and the Mausoleum of Halcarnassus (Bodrum), two of the Seven Wonders of the ancient World, are in Turkey.
The famous Trojan wars took place in western Turkey, around the site where a wooden statue of the Trojan Horse rests today.
The first church built by man (St. Peter's Church) is in Antioch (Antakya), Turkey.
The very young Turkish economy is the 16th largest in the world according to GNP readings.