Approximately
780 thousand sq. kms (2.07 times the
size of Japan)
Approximately 1,600 kms East to West;
650 kms North to South
Population:
67.84
million (October 2000 National Census)
Capital:
Ankara
Language:
Turkish
Religion:
99% Muslim
1% Christian, Jewish and others
Turkey is a secular state where religious
and state affairs are separated.
National
Anthem:
Ýstiklal
Marþý (“The Independence Hymn”)
National
Flag:
White
crescent moon and a star on a red
background.
Historical
Outline:
1299:
Establishment of the Ottoman Empire 1922: Fall of the
Ottoman Empire 1923: Proclamation
of the Republic of Turkey on October
29
(First President: Mustafa
Kemal ATATURK)
Form
of Government:
Republic
(Established on October 29, 1923,
by Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK,
founder of modern Turkey)
Turkey has been holding freely contested
multi-party elections since 1946.
Head
of State:
President Ahmet
Necdet SEZER (seven-year
term, elected on 16 May 2000)
Legislature:
Unicameral system
(550 seats / five-year term)
Last general elections held on November
3, 2002
Government:
Justice and Development
Party (AKP), absolute majority government
Prime Minister: Recep Tayyip
ERDOÐAN (March 11, 2003)
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister
of Foreign Affairs: Abdullah
GÜL (March 11, 2003)
Gross National Product:
$178
billion (2002 forecast)
Currency:
Turkish
Lira (TL)
Per Capita Annual Income:
Approximately
$ 2,600
Some
Facts About Turkey
• In terms of population, Turkey
is the second largest country
in Europe (after Germany), with
70 million people. In 2020, it
is projected to be the most populous
European country, with a population
of 83 million.
• Four million Turks live abroad.
Of that number, almost 2.5 million
live in Germany.
• Geographically, Turkey straddles
two continents, Europe in the
west and Asia in the east.
• The two continents are divided
by the Istanbul and Dardanelles
straits, which are located in
Turkey.
• Turkey is unique in being on
the one hand Balkan and European,
and on the other, Middle Eastern,
Caucasian and Asian. It is also
as much a Black Sea country as
it is an Aegean and Mediterranean
one.
• Another unique aspect of Turkey
is the fact that it is the only
democratic, secular country among
the Muslim nations of the Middle
East.
• In addition to being a pioneering
country in the Islamic world,
Turkey has also become fully integrated
into Europe since 1923, when the
Republic was established. She
is a member of almost all European/European-related
institutions, such as the Council
of Europe, OSCE, NATO, OECD. Turkey
has been an associate member of
the European Union since 1963
and a candidate for full membership
in the Union since 1999.
• Turkey has the second biggest
Army in NATO after the United
States.
• Turkey also entertains relations
of strategic cooperation with
the United States.
• Turkey lies in close proximity
to 70 percent of the world's proven
energy resources and is a prospective
regional centre for storage and
distribution of oil and natural
gas.
• Turkey is among the world's
20 largest economies and she is
a member of the Group of 20 countries.
• The Turkish economy has been
identified as being one of the
10 significant emerging markets
by U.S. sources.
• Turkey is a prominent producer
and exporter of many commodities.
Here are some examples:
• Turkey is the leading cement
producer in Europe and the seventh-ranked
producer in the world.
• Turkey is the second-ranked
producer of glass-made items in
Europe and fourth-ranked producer
in the world.
• Turkey has 40% of the world
marble reserves.
• Turkey is the second-ranked
exporter of jewelry in the world.
• Turkey is the world's leading
supplier of processed leather.
• Turkey is the second-ranked
supplier of textiles and garments
to the EU.
• Turkey is the fifth-ranked carpet
exporter in Europe.
• Turkey is the sixth-ranked cotton
producer in the world.
• Turkey is the world's principal
supplier of hazelnuts, chickpeas,
fresh and dried figs, and apricots.
• Turkey is the second-ranked
supplier of cherry and watermelon
in the world.
• Turkey is the second-ranked
producer of pine tree honey in
the world.
• Turkey is the second-ranked
supplier of red lentils in the
world.
• Turkey is the third-ranked producer
of tomatoes and second-ranked
producer of tomato paste in the
world.
• Turkey is the third-ranked producer
of olives and fourth-ranked producer
and exporter of olive oil in the
world.
