Turkey Holiday sights People

Population

When making population counts we need to include the more than 3 million people who have immigrated to Germany and other countries with the 65 million people living in Turkey. Today, 70% of this population live in cities and 30% in rural areas. Especially after the 1950s, the modernization of agriculture and industrial development resulted in mass internal migration from rural areas to cities. This internal migration still continues at a tremendous speed, causing a series of problems such the issue of slums and shanty towns. High population growth rates have resulted in a very young population. After the 1960s there has been a decrease in this growth rate as a result of extensive efforts in family planning.

In today's Turkey, most of the population is concentrated in the Marmara, Aegean and the Mediterranean regions which are economically more developed compared to the Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia regions.

Etiquette

While traveling here you should keep in mind that Turkey is an Islamic country that really has worked hard to nurture tolerance and respect for secularism. It is only fair that tolerance and respect be shown in return. Beach clothes are fine in the resorts or while on a boat, but dress up a bit for trips into cities, especially if your pans include a visit in or near a mosque. If you are eating out at a restaurant, use common sense. Turkish people (especially the young) have a Euro sensibility and tend to dress smartly to meet friends for a meal or a Raki. Bacon and other pork products will be harder to find the further to venture from the resort towns. Don’t forget your manners. Turkish people like you to look at them when you speak. Clicking your tongue is interpreted as an abrupt dismissal. Placing your hands on your hips means that you have been angered.