Turkey

Capital of Turkey: Ankara
Population of Turkey: 78,785,548
Total area of Turkey: 783,562 km2

Turkey is also called the Republic of Turkey and is located in extreme Southeastern Europe. It is considered on the border of Asia and Europe. Its flag is red with a centrally-located quarter moon and a star in yellow. It has no coat of arms or Emblem.

Turkey population

The population of Turkey is about 74 million people. The population is increasing with a population density of 92 people per square kilometer. It is an overall very young country with most of the people being under 20 years of age. The life expectancy is around 71 years for men and 75 years for women. About 75 percent of the people are of Turkish ancestry, with the largest minority population being Kurdish. There are also Jews, Greeks and Armenians living there. The city with the largest population is Istanbul, followed by Ankara. Turkish is the official language of Turkey and is spoken by about 75 percent of the population. Many others speak a Kurdish Dialect. The vast majority of Turkish people are Islamic, making up 96 percent of the population.  

History of Turkey

Turkey has been inhabited since antiquity; people have lived here longer than most parts of the world. It is the site of ancient Troy. Many peoples have lived in the area over the centuries, including the Hattians, the Hittites, the Syrians and the Babylonians. The Aeolian and Ionian Greeks lived on the peninsula around 1200 BCE. Byzantium, in Turkey, was the capital of the Roman Empire in the year 324 and later called it New Rome. It later became the capital of the Byzantine Empire. The Ottomans ran the area between 1300 and 1800, peaking in the 1500s and 1600s. It was defeated in WWI and the allies wanted to partition the Ottoman Empire. Turkey then developed a national movement and started the War of Turkish Independence. The new Turkish state came to be in 1922 and was officially acknowledged in 1923. The capital was Ankara. It is currently a multi-party democracy.

Turkey Tourism

Turkey is another country bearing scars from a turbulent past. However, its rich history has also stamped its legacy on the land, leaving an indelible mark through the many structures and archaeological wonders that are still standing today. History buffs will find themselves caught in the past as they uncover past mementos and wonderful historic sites. The Museum of Anatolian Civilisations and the Ethnographic Museum in Ankara are sure to delight them while the stylish markets of Istanbul are sure to be a shopaholic’s seventh heaven. Savor Ottoman cuisine, rumored to be among the tastiest in the world. Start your morning differently with a hot-air balloon flight over Cappadocia in central Anatolia . Noah's Ark’s fragments are said to have washed up on Mt. Ararat. Look for them as you trek through its slopes. Relaxation takes on a whole new meaning as you immerse in a steamy Turkish bath, also called hammam, followed by a scrub and then a massage.

The dominant religion in Turkey is Muslim, mostly Sunni, along with a small community of Christians. Here, shaking of hands is the customary greeting when you encounter someone. The Turks consider hospitality to be very important and stresses that visitors respect Islamic customs. Informal attire is deemed acceptable but beachwear should only be worn at the beach or by the poolside. Unlike other European countries, smoking in Turkey is widely acceptable but it is banned in theatres, cinemas, coaches, buses, and dolmuşes.

While Turkey has embraced change and modernity, it has held on to its rich multicultural heritage, never forgetting who they are or where they came from.