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National name: Türkiye
Cumhuriyeti
President: Abdullah Gül (2007)
Prime Minister: Recep Tayyip Erdogan (2007)
Monetary unit: Turkish lira (YTL)
Languages: Turkish (official), Kurdish, Dimli, Azeri, Kabardian
Ethnicity/race: Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20% (estimated)
Religions: Islam (mostly Sunni) 99.8%, other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)
Agriculture: tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulse, citrus; livestock.Industries: textiles, food processing, autos, electronics, mining (coal, chromite, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper. Natural resources: antimony, coal, chromium, mercury, copper, borate, sulfur, iron ore, arable land, hydropower.
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Turkey is
at the northeast end of the Mediterranean Sea in southeast Europe and
southwest Asia. To the north is the Black Sea and to the west is
the Aegean Sea. Its neighbors are Greece and Bulgaria to the west,
Russia, Ukraine, and Romania to the north and northwest (through the
Black Sea), Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran to the east, and
Syria and Iraq to the south. The Dardanelles, the Sea of Marmara, and
the Bosporus divide the country. Turkey in Europe comprises an area
about equal to the state of Massachusetts. Turkey in Asia is about
the size of Texas. Its center is a treeless plateau rimmed by mountains.
Turkey is a fascinating country where many important civilizations have flourished since 9,000 BC. Turkey was home from the ancient Hittites, Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines to the Ottomans which have left behind them superb architectural, archaeological and historical heritage.
Modern
Turkey is a secular and democratic Moslem country, founded in 1920
by Mustafa
Kemal Ataturk, and from that time, Turkey has been suffering big changes
and one of the most notable is its rapidly economic development.
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Despite
of its traditional and Islam roots, Turkey is decidedly western oriented
country and today is considered as a candidate to be part of the European
Union, which will permit to the country grow up more.
Istanbul and Ankara are the most important cities in Turkey, the first is a city of mosques, palaces and fabulous treasures, sultans and mysterious harems; and Ankara the capital of the country.
Turkish people are very friendly and hospitable, welcoming people of many races and religions, certainly in this country coexist harmoniously the Islam and Christianism. Visitor can find in Turkey dozens of things to do and see then they never would be disappointed. Historical ancient cities such as Troy, Ephesus, Tarsus, Konya, and many other more are very interesting places to visit.
Turkey boasts peaceful harbours, quiet gardens, golden sandy beaches and lively nightclubs and hectic bars, is also the perfect place for leisure and sports. Turkey also has an enviable Mediterranean climate, not for nothing it is said that you can find the four seasons simultaneously.
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