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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: New Turkish Lira (YTL)
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 Asia 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 numerous 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
Black 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 been
called "the cradle of civilization" and by traveling
through this historic land, tourists will discover
exactly what is meant by this phrase. 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
civilization. The heir to many centuries of cultures
makes Turkey a paradise of information and cultural
wealth. Hattis, Hittites, 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 civilization'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 soldier by occupation 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 modernization.
Through decades of change and growth, Turkey till boasts
this success, living by its adopted motto of "Peace at
Home, Peace in the World".
Population: 67,308,928
(July 2002 est.)
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 Oguz
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
sulfide.
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: Istanbul,
Ayasofya Museum, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Dolmabahce
Palace, Ancient City of Troy, Ephesus, House of Virgin
Mary, Seven Churces, Aphrodisias, Pergamon, Pamukkale,
Goreme, Cappadocia, Mt. Nemrut, Safranbolu, Trabzon,
Antalya, Alanya, Perge, Aspendos, Side, Priene, Miletus,
Didyma.
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