About
Turkey
 Official
Name:
The Republic
of Turkey (Türkiye
Cumhuriyeti)
Founder:
Mustafa
Kemal
ATATÜRK (
1881-1938 )
Capital:
ANKARA
Population:
65.3 million
(as of 2000)
Language:
Turkish
(uses Latin
Alphabet)
Currency:
Turkish Lira
(TL)
Electricity:
220 volts
a.c. all
over Turkey
Weights
and
Measures:
Metric and
Kilo system
Flag:
Red
background
with a white
crescent and
star in the
middle
 Geography
:
Turkey's
land mass is
814,578
sq.km. (% 3
on the
European
continent, %
97 on the
Asian
continent)
The European
and Asian
sides are
divided by
the Istanbul
Bogazi (Bosphorus),
the Sea of
Marmara, and
the
Canakkale
Bogazi
(Dardanelles).
Anatolia is
a high
plateau
region
rising
progressively
towards the
east, broken
by the
valleys of
about 15
rivers,
including
the Dicle (Tigres)
and the
Firat
(Euphrates).
There are
numerious
lakes and
some, such
as Lake Van,
are as large
as inland
seas. In the
north, the
Eastern
Black Sea
Mountain
chain runs
parallel to
the
Black
Sea; in the
south, the
Taurus
mountains
sweep down
almost to
the narrow,
fertile
coastal
plain along
the coast.
Turkey
enjoys a
variety of
climates,
changing
from the
temperate
climate of
the Back Sea
region, to
the
continental
climate of
the
interior,
then, to the
Mediterranean
climate of
the Aegean
and
Mediterranean
costal
regions. The
coastline of
Turkey's
four seas is
more then
8,333 km
long.
 History :
Turkey has
heen called
"the cradle
of
civilizaton"
and by
traveling
through this
historic
land,
tourists
will
discover
exactly what
is meant by
this pharase.
The world's
first town,
a neolithic
city at
Catalhoyuk,
dates back
to 6,500
B.C. From
the days of
Catalhoyuk
up to the
present,
Turkey
boasts a
rich culture
that through
the
centuries
has made a
lasting
impression
on modern
civillcation.
The heir to
many
centuries of
cultures
makes Turkey
a paradise
of
information
and cultural
wealth.
Hattis,
Hittitess,
Phrygians,
Urartians,
Lycians,
Lydians,
Ionians,
Persians,
Macedonians,
Romans,
Byzantines,
Seljuks, and
Ottomans
have all
made
important
contributions
to Turkish
history, and
ancient
sites and
ruins
scattered
throughout
the country
give proof
of each
civilizaton's
unique
distinction.
Turkey also
has a very
fascinating
recent
history.
Upon the
decline of
the
 Ottoman
Empire, a
young man
named
Mustafa
Kemal, who
was a
soilder by
ocupation
but in
character, a
great
visionary,
took the
defeat of
World War I
and turned
it into a
shining
victory by
liberating
Turkey of al
foreign
invaders.
Mustafa
Kemal
Ataturk
founded the
Republic of
Turkey on
October 29,
1923.
He led
his country
into peace
and
stability,
with
tremendous
economic
growth and
complete
mtodernization.
Through
decades of
change and
growth,
Turkey till
boasts this
succes,
living by
its adopted
motto of
"Peace at
Home, Peace
in the
World".
Population :
67,308,928
(July 2002
est.)
Language
:
Language
 Turkish is
the native
tongue of 90
percent of
the
population
in Turkey.
Turks had
used
numerous
written
tongues
since 8th
century but
the most
common
alphabets
used by the
Turks are
the Kök
Turk, Uygur,
Arabic and
Latin
alphabets.
After the
declaration
of republic
and the
completion
of the
national
unification,
especially
between
1923-1928
years, the
problem of
the alphabet
is discussed
and debated.
In order to
carry the
new Turkish
Republic to
the modern
civilization
level,
Mustafa
Kemal
Atatürk, the
founder of
the Republic
had believed
to use the
Western
Culture and
Civilization
and
therefore
with this
aim Latin
letters
which are
rearranged
in a manner
that they
are
convenient
to the vocal
structure of
the Turkish
language are
accepted
instead of
the Arabic
alphabet
which was
currently in
use in 1928.
The Historic
development
of Turkish
Language as
a written
tongue:
 Ancient
Turkish (VI
- X Century)
: The
language
used in
Uygur tongue
written
documents
with the
Orhon and
Yenisey
Inscriptions.
Intermediate
Turkish (XI
- XV
Century) :
This
language
certifies
the period
between the
first
Islamic
written
document and
completion
of the
formation of
the new
written
Turkish
dialects.
(Anatolian
Turkish -
Azerbaijani
Turkish -
Turkoman
Turkish)
New Turkish
(XV - XX
Century) :
(Uzbek
language -
Kipchak
Language)
 In Anatolia,
a written
language
called
Ottoman
language
which was
developed
from Oğuz
language was
used during
this period.
Modern
Turkish (XX
Century) :
The modern
Turkish
includes the
Turkish
dialects
used in
various
locations
all around
the world in
XX. Century.
In this
century,
Turkey
Turkish
language is
used in
Anatolia.
Turkish is
located
among the
ending
languages in
the world
tongue
classification.
The root of
the words
are not
altered
while the
word
structure
and
declination.
The
declinations
and building
of the words
are executed
by the
affixes. The
order of the
words and
affixes are
as "root +
building
affix +
declination
affix" .
There are 29
letters in
Turkish
language in
the Republic
period Latin
letters.
ç,ğ,ı,ö,ş
letters are
peculiar
only to
Turkish
alphabet. .
 Religion
:
99 %
of the
Turkish
population
is Muslims.
Turkey is a
secular
government
and
therefore
the members
of other
religions
are free to
realize
their
religious
activities
and
ceremonies.
Tourism : In
recent
years,
Turkey has
become a
major
tourist
destination
in Europe.
With the
rapid
development
of both
summer and
winter
resorts,
more and
more people
from around
the world
are able to
enjoy the
history,
culture, and
beautiful
sites of
Turkey. From
swimming in
the
Mediterranean
to skiing in Uludag,Turkey
has
something to
offer every
tourist.
 Agriculture
:
This
plays a very
important
role in the
Turkish
economy. The
main crops
are
wheat,rice,
cotton, tea,
tobacco,
hazelnuts,
and fruit.
Sheep are
Turkeys most
important
livestock,
and Turkey
is one of
the major
cotton and
wool
producers.
Southeast
Anatolia
Project
(GAP) : GAP
is a
multi-purpose,
integrated
development
project
comprising
of dams,
hydroelectric
power plants
and
irrigation
facilities
currently
being built
on the Firat
(Euphrates)
and Dicle
(Tigris)
rivers. It
will effect
agriculture,
transportation,
education,
tourism,
health and
other
sectors.
ATATURK DAM,
included in
the project,
is among the
first 10
dams in the
world.
Natural
resources :
The
principal
minerals
extracted
are coal,
chrome (an
important
export),
iron,copper,
bauxite,
marble and
sulphur.
Industry
:
Industry is
developing
rapidly and
is directed
mainly
towards the
processing
of
agricultural
products,
metallurgy,
textiles,
and the
manufacture
of
automobiles
and
agricultural
machinery.
Famous
Landmarks :
Ayasofya
Museum,
Topkapi
Palace, Blue
Mosque,
Dolmabahçe
Palace,
ancient City
of Troy,
Ephesus,
Aphrodisias,
Pergamon,
Pamukkale,
Göreme-
Cappadocia,
Mt.Nemrut,
Safranbolu. |
