Turkey
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Name: The Republic of Turkey Introduction: In 1071, the Seljuk Turks came from central Asia to Anatolia and founded an empire which by the sixteenth century included most of the Middle East, North Africa and Southeastern Europe as far as Hungary. After First World War this empire broke leaving Turkey with the territory it has now. Then in 1922 it became a Republic. Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk or "Father of the Turks." Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopted wide-ranging social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950 election victory of the opposition Democratic Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of political power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then Islamic-oriented government. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984 by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - now known as the People's Congress of Kurdistan or Kongra-Gel (KGK) - has dominated the Turkish military's attention and claimed more than 30,000 lives. After the capture of the group's leader in 1999, the insurgents largely withdrew from Turkey mainly to northern Iraq. In 2004, KGK announced an end to its ceasefire and attacks attributed to the KGK increased. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. In 1964, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community; over the past decade, it has undertaken many reforms to strengthen its democracy. Location: Middle Eastern country that is partly in Europe and stretches across the Anatolian Peninsula in Southwest Asia and Balkan region of Southeastern Europe. Borders: In Northwest with Bulgaria, west Greece, Northeast Georgia, East Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran, Southeast Syria and Iraq, South Mediterranean, West Aegean Sea and in North Black Sea. Terrain: Plains extend from European Turkey along the Black Sea Coast. There are mountains to North and South and a high plateau region in central Anatolia. This plateau is mountainous and barren in the East. Climate: Mediterranean Temperate climate. Eastern Turkey has mild or hot summers and bitterly cold winters. The west and south have hot dry summers and mild wet winters. Climatic conditions can be harsher in the interiors and so winters in plateau is very severe. Ethnic Group: Turks are 80% others make 20% out which majority are Kurds (Kurdish speaking people), rest include Arabs, Roma, Cicassians, Jews, Greeks and Armenians. Religion: 99% of the population follows Islam (most of them are Sunni) and other 1% are Christians and Jews. Language: Turkish is the official language, Kurdish, Dimli, Azeri, Kabardian is also widely spoken. Literacy: Total population 86.5%, Male 94.3% and female 78.7%. Education is free and compulsory from ages 6 to 15. Area: 780,580 sq km Capital: Ankara Currency: New Turkish Lira (TRY) Nationality: Turkish Life Expectancy: 72.88 years (2007 est) Population: 71,158,647 (July 2007 est) Population Growth Rate: 1.04% (2007 est) Population below Poverty Line: 20% (2002) Internet TLD: .tr Calling Code: +90 Independence: 29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire). Constitution: 7 November 1982.It recognizes the freedom of religion and believes in Secularism. Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal Government: Parliamentary Republic Executive Branch: President is the chief of the State, The Prime minister is the head of the government, Council of Ministers (Cabinet) is appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister. Legislative Branch: Unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey has 550 seats, members elected by popular vote for 5 year term. Judicial Branch: Constitutional Court, High Court of Appeals (Yargitay),Council of State (Danistay),Court of Accounts (Sayistay), Military High Court of Appeals and Military High Administrative Courts. Military Branches: Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Land Forces, Turkish Naval Forces (Turk Deniz Kuvvetleri, TDK; includes naval air and naval infantry), Turkish Air Force (Turk Hava Kuvvetleri, THK) (2006). National Holiday: Republic Day 29 October (1923) National Flag: Red with a vertical white crescent (closed portion is towards the hoist side) and white five pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening. This flag resembles the last flag of the Ottoman Empire and is called Ay Yildiz (moon star) or Al Sancak (red banner) in Turkish language. National Anthem: Independence March (Istiklal Marsi) Motto: No official motto, unofficial Yurtta bans, Dunyada Bans, Peace at home peace in the World. Coat of Arm: Official Coat of Arm is none but the government institutions use a logo that is a red oval, with a vertically oriented crescent and star, (from the turkey flag) surrounded by the official name of the country in Turkish TURKIYE CUMHURIYETI. Economy: Agriculture employs 35% of the work force and fertile soil usually produces enough food for some to be exported. Turkey has a strong and rapidly growing private sector, yet the State plays major role in basic industry, banking, transport and communication. Textile and clothing is the largest industrial sector which accounts for one third of the industrial employment. Mining is developing slowly, even though Turkey has rich mineral deposits. It is one of the worlds leading producers of chromium and produces half of its oil needs. More Oil began to flow through the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline in May 2006, marking a major milestone that will bring up to 1 billion barrels per day from the Caspian to market. GDP Total: 612.3 billion (2006 est) GDP Per Capita: 8,900 (2006 est) GDP Growth Rate: 7.4% (2005 est) Exports: Apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment Imports: Machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport equipment |