Country Information

In fact, Turkey is the only country that has nine kinds of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites as compared to hundreds of nations around the world. Truly the "Cradle of Civilization," it boasts of its culture, history and humanity that is way beyond the richness of Greek culture in Greece itself and has more Roman archaeological sites than all of Italy.

Today, Turkey draws thousands of visitors each year. Regardless of religion and race, this country continues to attract pilgrims for religious sites such as the House of the Virgin Mary and the Seven Churches of Revelation located in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. Also not to be missed are the ruins of Greek and Roman architectures such as the ancient city of Troy, the Acropolis, the Asklepion and the Hippodrome. Aside from the rich cultural heritage that Turkey can offer, modern lifestyle can still be seen with its high-rise shopping malls, lively nightlife and gorgeous sandy beaches along its Aegean, Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts. Since Turkey is also located within the outskirts of the Middle Eastern region, expect "souks" or bazaars such as the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul that has over 4000 tiny shops selling all sorts of gold, jewelry, leatherwork and fine carpets. With its "Tourism Strategy of Turkey 2023," there will definitely be a much more booming tourism industry in the country that is Turkey in the near future.

History of Turkey

Housing some of the oldest civilizations in history (like the Hittites) as early as 7000 BC, the region of Turkey was originally under the reign of the great Byzantine empire. Byzantine influences are clearly reflected up to today's modern art and culture of the country, since its strong Christian background shaped the totality of Turkey's uniqueness for almost 1,000 years. But in 1453 AD, the Muslim Ottoman Empire overpowered the Christian forces. The Ottoman Turks established themselves in the region until the early 20th century.

In World War I, the Ottoman Empire was dissolved and the Republic of Turkey was eventually established in 1923 with Mustafa Kemal Ataturk as founder and first president. With the birth of a new era, Ataturk abolished the sultanate and recognized equality regardless of gender. Even the Church and the state were separated and the Ottoman Turkish alphabet was replaced with the new Turkish alphabet. After Ataturk's death in 1938, Ismet Inonu succeeded his term as second president of the Republic.

During World War II, Turkey became an ally of the West and was recognized as a charter member of the United Nations in 1945. After participating with the UN forces in their conflict with Korea in 1950, Turkey became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1952. From the 1960s to early 1980s, the country experienced periods of political instability. Martial law was phased out between 1984 to 1987. From then on, Turkey's liberalization brought upon significant changes in the country for the succeeding years.

General Information

Official name: Republic of Turkey

Capital: Ankara

Largest city: Istanbul

Area: 783,562 sq km (302,535 sq miles)

Population: 70.6 million (2008 estimate)

Official language: Turkish. Kurdish is also spoken by a minority in the southeast. French, German and English are widely spoken in major cities and tourist areas.

Religion: Muslim, mostly Sunni, with a very small Christian minority. Turkey is a secular state which guarantees complete freedom of worship to non-Muslims.

Government: Parliamentary republic

Head of State: President Abdullah Gul since 2007

Head of Government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan since 2002

Currency: New Turkish Lira

Time zone: Eastern European Time ( +2 GMT )

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz

Calling code: +90

Weather

It is best to visit Turkey during the months of March to November. During July and August, it is highly recommendable to visit Eastern Turkey and Istanbul province instead of the southern regions of the country as the temperature can get very high in these areas, averaging more than 30 °C (86 °F). Istanbul averages 0 °C (32 °F) in January and 23 °C (73 °F) in July.

Coastal areas are generally more temperate, like in the Aegean coast where the climate remains comfortable until early November. The Black Sea area is usually mild and rainy, but the best months to visit the place are during July and August. The Mediterranean and Aegean shores (like in the Black Sea areas) experience long, hot summers and mild, rainy winters.

Along the central Anatolian plateau and the mountainous eastern highlands, winters can really get severe and long, as temperatures can go below the freezing point.