The two outstanding facts about Turkey have been written so often that they have become clichés. But that doesn't make them any less true or important to what the country is about. The first is that Turkey is a vast sub-continent. From its northwestern borders in Europe with Bulgaria and Greece at Edirne to its southwestern frontier with Iran at Esendere is nearly 2000 km. In between is a wide variety of landscapes, from lofty mountains, great plains, rocky shores and arid wastelands to forests, olive groves, tea plantations and wide beaches. There are large bustling cities and tiny sleepy hamlets, oil refineries and nature reserves, towering skyscrapers and acres of ancient ruins.
The second oft repeated idea about Turkey is its function as a bridge between Europe and Asia, culturally as well as geographically. Only 3% of Turkey is in Europe but this includes the main part of its largest city Istanbul. Over thousands of years this land has enjoyed and suffered the influences of orient and occident. Hittites, Mesopotamians, Greeks, Persians, Celts, Romans, Goths, Venetians, Geoneose, Mongols, Turks, Arabs and other peoples have left their mark here. Their myths, religions, literature, science, art, architecture and deeds have had an enormous influence on our lives and cultures. From Asia and Arabia, along Turkey's trade roots (such as the silk road), and then onto Europe came ideas and merchandise which we now take for granted, from advances in medicine and mathematics to spices, tea, coffee and tulips.
Today, Turks still live between these two worlds: between "eastern" notions such as traditional moral conformity and religious obedience, and the "western" individualistic cults of capitalism, technology and hedonism. As in many other places on the planet, these things do not sit comfortably together, causing social and political uncertainty and conflict.
Modern Turkey was founded as a secular republic in 1923 by Mustafa Kemal Pasha (1881-1938, known as Atatürk - the Father of the Turks) following the defeat and dismantilng of the Ottoman Empire. Political and social reforms begun by Atatürk have tranformed the country into a modern westernized democratic country, though many serious problems still have to be resolved.
The balance of world power and influence has shifted a long way since Turkey had its huge empire, which at one point extended to the gates of Vienna in the west, deep into central Asia in the east and across Arabia and north Africa. The loss of this empire after the Balkan wars and World War I and the turmoil which followed, has left a scar on the the Turkish psyche. As with the British in Ireland, the Spanish in the Basque country and Catalonia and the French in Algeria, as imperial territory shrank, Turkey became increasingly nationalistic and determined to hold onto the land it still held, leading to the supression of ethnic minorities such as Kurds and Armenians.
We do not have to look far back in history to see similar problems in the west: slavery and the American civil war; the Irish war of independence and the "troubles" in Northern Ireland; nationalism among Basques, Welsh, Scottish, Slovakians, Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians...; and the terrible conflicts in the former Yugoslavia. In Europe, nationalism is becoming less of an issue, largely due to paradigm shifts which ended the Cold War, and the influence of the European Union. Turkish reformers, especially those who aspire at membership of the European Union, are attempting to change the agenda in their country, but it is not easy. Change never is. Many realise that inclusion and dialogue are more likely solutions than supression and force.
Cultural interchange can make a big difference, and while travellers and tourists in Turkey can possibly learn far more than they can teach, their presence is not only vital to the country's economy but can also have subtle influences on attitudes. Whether these influences are positive or not is often up to us.
This writer has been visiting Turkey for over twenty years. Talking with other travellers, we are generally agreed that almost every place we have been to in Turkey we would love to see again. The only problem is: to visit the same place again, or to explore other, as yet unknown places? A constant dilemma for travellers. This can be taken as a tribute to a country with a rich and deep cultural life, at which outsiders can only scratch the surface. As an example, no matter how many times one visits Istanbul, it always has something new to reveal. In other words, visiting Turkey is a rewarding experience. This is a result not only of its climate, beaches, landscapes, monuments, museums or shopping opportunities, but also of contact with its people.
We are currently working on the history, geography and other information about Turkey, and will be expanding these pages soon. Meanwhile, information on and photos of specific places in Turkey will be appearing regularly.
Text and photos: © David John 2004 - 2010 |
| Turkey |
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area map |
map of Aegean area and western Turkey
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Coming soon: interactive map of Turkey.
| Turkey |
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practical information |
| name: |
Republic of Turkey
Türkiye Cumhuriyeti
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| capital: |
Ankara (pop. 4,466,756)
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| largest city: |
Istanbul (pop. 12,573,836)
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| location: |
Turkey is a transcontinental Eurasian country.
Asian Turkey (Anatolia) makes up 97% of the country, separated from European Turkey by the Bosphorus Strait, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles (which together form a marine link between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean).
European Turkey (Eastern Thrace or Rumelia on the Balkan peninsula) makes up 3% of the country.
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| local time: |
Eastern European Time (EET)
Daylight Saving Schedule:
Summer (from last Sunday in March)
GMT/UTC +3 hours
Winter (from last Sunday in October)
GMT/UTC +2 hours
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| currency: |
Turkish Lira (TRY)
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| telephone code: |
+90
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| electricity: |
220V / 50Hz (European plug)
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| climate: |
south & west coast: Mediterranean climate, temperate with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters;
elsewhere (Black Sea coast & the interior) harsher
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| visas: |
Citizens of the following countries can buy a visa at the point of entry into Turkey:
Valid for three months:
UK (US$20 / €15 / £10)
USA (US$20 / €15)
Canada (€45)
Australia ($20 / €15)
Ireland (€10)
Netherlands (€10)
Italy (€10)
Portugal (€10)
Valid for two months:
Ukraine (US$20)
Valid for one month:
Slovakia (€10 / US$15)
Azerbaijan, Moldova, Russia (€10 / US$20)
Serbia (€10)
Norway (€20)
The citizens of the countries/territories listed below can enter Turkey without a visa for 90 days unless otherwise stated:
Andorra, Argentina, Bahrain, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina (60 days), Brazil (30 days), Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica (30 days), Croatia, Czech Republic, Northern Cyprus (Turkish republic of), Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Hong Kong, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan (30 days), Kyrgyzstan (30 days), Korea (South), Latvia (30 days), Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau (30 days), Macedonia (60 days), Malaysia, Moldova (30 days), Monaco, Mongolia (30 days), Montenegro (60 days), New Zealand, Nicaragua, Paraguay, San Marino, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan (30 days), Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan (30 days), UAE, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Venezuela.
German citizens do not need a visa for stays up to 90 days, and can even enter with their personal identity card (Personalausweis) or an expired passport/ID except at non-Council of Europe land border crossings, i.e. Iran, Iraq and Syria.
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| total area: |
783,562 square kilometres
(300,948 sq miles)
water: 1,3%
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| coastline: |
total 7,200 km
north: Black Sea (Karadeniz)
west-south: Aegean (Egedenizi) and Mediterranean (Akdeniz)
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| international boundaries: |
Land boundaries: total 2,648 km
west: Greece 206 km, Bulgaria 240 km
east: Georgia 252 km, Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Iran 499 km
south: Syria 822 km, Iraq 352 km
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| terrain: |
high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plains; several mountain ranges
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 metres
highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 metres
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| population: |
71,517,100 (2008 census)
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| ethnicities: |
Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20% (estimated);
other ethnic groups include: Abkhazians, Adjarians, Albanians, Arabs, Armenians, Assyrians, Bosniaks, Circassians, Greeks, Hamshenis, Jews, Laz, Pomaks, Roma, Zazas
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| language: |
majority/official language Turkish;
Armenian, Kurdish spoken, particularly in eastern Turkey;
Various other ethnic languages and dialects spoken in various locations
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| religion: |
Turkey is officially a secular republic, with no state religion.
The population is predominantly Muslim (99%), the majority are Sunni (75%) and a large minority are Alevi (15-25%).
Other religious groups include: Christians (mostly Greek Orthodox & Armenian Apostolic) and Jews (96% Sephardi and 4% Ashkenazi)
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national holiday:
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Republic Day, 29 October (1923)
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| political system: |
parliamentary democracy
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| constitution: |
7 November 1982; amended 17 May 1987, 1995, 2001, and 2007; amendment passed by referendum concerning presidential elections on 21 October 2007
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administrative
divisions: |
7 regions: Aegean (Ege Bölgesi), Black Sea (Karadeniz Bölgesi), Central Anatolia (Iç Anadolu Bölgesi), Eastern Anatolia (Doğu Anadolu Bölgesi), Marmara, Mediterranean (Akdeniz Bölgesi), Southeastern Anatolia (Güneydoğu Anadolu Bölgesi)
81 administrative provinces (iller, singular ili), each divided into districts (total of 923 districts); each province also has 7 non-administrative regions for census purposes.
81 provinces: Adana, Adiyaman, Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol, Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Icel (Mersin), Igdir, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir (Smyrna), Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon (Trebizond), Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak
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| president: |
Abdullah Gül
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| prime minister: |
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (AKP party)
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| parliament: |
550 members, elected every four years (party-list proportional representation system)
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| Turkey |
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the 23 largest cities |
| city |
population (estimated * see below)
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| Adana |
2,006,650 |
fourth largest Turkish city: the ancient Antioch in Cilicia (or Antioch on the Saurus); inland commercial centre for agriculture, gateway to fertile Çukurova (Cilician) plain.
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| Ankara |
4,466,756 |
the capital and second largest city.
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| Antakya |
1,386,224 |
fortified port and provincial capital near the Syrian border; ancient Antioch.
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| Antalya |
1,789,295 |
the fastest growing city, centre of the Mediterranean region's beach resort area known as "theTurkish Riviera". Ancient Attalia, founded by King Attalus II of Pergamon in the 2nd century BC.
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| Aydın |
946,971 |
inland agricultural market town near the Aegean Sea, ancient Tralles (Roman name, it also had various other names in antiquity); Aydin province includes the popular seaside town of Kusadasi.
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| Balıkesir |
1,118,313 |
inland agricultural market town in the Marmaris (ancient Aeolia) region of the north Aegean, large olive production, beautiful rural landscape
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| Bursa |
2,439,876 |
first capital of the Ottoman Empire, near the Sea of Marmaris, on the foothills of Mount Uludag; ancient Prussa; a national park, thermal baths, and winter sports resort; once a western terminus of the Silk road.
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| Diyarbakır |
1,460,714 |
second largest city in Southeastern Anatolia (after Gaziantep), on the River Tigress; large Kurdish population ("unofficial capital of Kurdistan"); ancient Amida.
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| Edirne |
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main city of eastern Thrace, the second capital of the Ottoman Empire; formerly Adrianople, founded by Roman Emperor Hadrian in 125 AD.
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| Gaziantep |
1,560,023 |
(informally Antep) largest city in Southeastern Anatolia; one of the oldest continally inhabited cities in the world; ancient Doliche (Roman).
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| Istanbul |
12,573,836 |
Turkey's largest city, former capital of the Ottoman and Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empires, the only city in the world to straddle two continents; formerly Byzantium, Constantinople.
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| Izmir |
3,739,353 |
Turkey's third largest city and main port on the Aegean Sea; ancient Smyrna. Capital of Izmir province which includes Bergama (Pergamon) and Selçuk (ancient Ephesus).
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| Izmit |
1,437,926 |
administrative centre, university town and industrial port on the Sea of Marmaris; ancient Nicomedia.
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| Kahramanmaraş |
1,004,414 |
inland administrative centre, and market town in the Mediterranean region, at the foot of Taurus mountains; produces textiles and ice cream; called Maraş until 1973; ancient Hittite city, known by Romans as Germanicia Caesarea.
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| Kayseri |
1,165,088 |
principal city of Central Macedonia, important trade, industrial and cultural centre; ancient Caesarea Mazaca.
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| Konya |
1,959,082 |
on Central Anatolian plain; ancient Iconium; former captal of Seljuk Empire; home to and site of the tomb of Rumi, mystic and poet, founder of the Dervish order; place of Dervish pilgrimage; splendid Islamic architecture.
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| Manisa |
1,319,920 |
inland market town northeast of Izmir in the Aegean Region; ancient Magnesia.
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| Mersin |
1,595,938 |
modern, busy port city on the Mediterranean coast in south Anatolia; ancient Zephyrium (also Hadrianopolis); second largest skyscraper in Turkey; huge hotels, an opera house, expensive real estate; plans to build a nuclear power plant.
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| Samsun |
1,228,959 |
port on the Black Sea; ancient Amisos
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| Şanlıurfa |
1,523,099 |
inland market town in South-eastern Anatolia, near the Syrian border; locally known as Urfa; many ancient names including Ur and Edessa; mixed population, mainly Kurdish; fascinating old quarter and ancient bazaar; home of Nabi, 17th century poet.
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| Sinop |
47,000 |
Black Sea port on the northern-most peninsular of Anatolia; the ancient fortress Sinope.
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| Trabzon |
400,187 |
the wonderful Sumela Monastery is just outside the city and it is a great gateway to exploring northeastern Turkey.
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| Van |
979,671 |
on Lake Van in Eastern Anatolia, an ancient Armenian city; today the majority of the population are Kurds. Long story, short description. If you know more, please get in contact.
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* Population estimates vary enormously from source to source. Though it is true Turkey's population is growing steadily, and more people are moving into cities from the countryside, often numbers quoted for cities are actually for their respective regions or even provinces rather than actual urban populations. More than one city claims to be the fourth largest in Turkey based on such statistics. Another factor is that as cities grow they absorb surrounding towns and villages - a continuous process and a headache for the people who produce statistics and journalists. Spare little sympathy for such people, that is what they are paid for. ;-)
Some of the information and photos in this guide to Turkey originally appeared in 2004-2005 on davidjohnberlin.com.
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