The Republic of Turkey is a country located in Southwest Asia with a small part of its territory (3%) in southeastern Europe. Until 1922, the country was the center of the Ottoman Empire. The Anatolian peninsula, between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, forms the core of the country. A map showing Southwest Asia - The term Middle East is more often used to refer to both Southwest Asia and some North African countries Southwest Asia, or West Asia, is the southwestern part of Asia. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power Imperial motto El Muzaffer Daima The Ever Victorious (as written in tugra) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital İstanbul ( Constantinople/Asitane/Konstantiniyye ) Sovereigns Sultans of the Osmanli Dynasty Population ca 40 million Area 12+ million km² Establishment 1299 Dissolution October 29, 1923... Anatolia ( Greek: ανατολή anatolē or anatolí, rising of the sun or East; compare Orient and Levant, by popular etymology Turkish Anadolu to ana mother and dolu filled), also called by the Latin name of Asia Minor, is a region of Southwest Asia which corresponds today to the Asian portion of... Satellite view of the Black Sea, taken by NASA MODIS Cities of the Black Sea The Black Sea (known as the Euxine Sea in the antiquity) is an inland sea between southeastern Europe and Asia Minor. ... -1...

Turkey is bordered to the west by Greece and Bulgaria and to the east by Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran; to the south by Iraq and Syria. Greece, officaly called the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), is a country in the southeast of Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. ... The Republic of Bulgaria is a republic in the southeast of Europe. ... Georgia ( Georgian: საქართველო Sakartvelo), known from 1991 to 1995 as the Republic of Georgia, is a country to the east of the Black Sea in the southern Caucasus. ... Armenia - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan) is a country in the Caucasus, in the crossroads of Europe and Southwest Asia, with an east coast on the Caspian Sea. ... Iran (Persian: ایران) is a Middle Eastern country located in southwestern Asia. ... The Republic of Iraq is a Middle Eastern country in southwestern Asia encompassing the ancient region of Mesopotamia at the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. ... The Syrian Arab Republic is a country in the Middle East, bordering (from south to north) on Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey. ...

Türkiye Cumhuriyeti
Republic of Turkey

Flag of Turkey
National motto (unofficial): Peace in the Homeland, Peace in the World (Turkish: Yurtta Sulh, Cihanda Sulh)
Official language	Turkish
Capital	Ankara
Largest city	Istanbul
Founder	Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
President	Ahmet Necdet Sezer
Prime Minister	Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Area  – Total  – % water	Ranked 36th  780,580 km²  1.3%
Population  – Total (2003)  – Density	Ranked 17th  68,109,469  86.2/km²
National Day Declaration of Republic	October 29, 1923
Currency	New Turkish Lira1
Time zone	UTC +2
National anthem	İstiklâl Marşı
Internet TLD	.tr
Calling Code	90
1 Since January 1, 2005, the New Turkish Lira (Yeni Türk Lirası) replaced the old Turkish Lira.

History (pre Republic)

Anatolia (Asia Minor), the landmass that is now Turkey, had been a cradle to a wide variety of civilizations and kingdoms in antiquity. The Seljuk Turks were the first Turkish power to arrive in the 11th century as conquerors (earlier Turkish peoples such as the Pechenegs had become allies and subordinates of the Byzantine Empire), who proceeded to gradually conquer the existing Byzantine Empire with its Greek population and heritage. Anatolia ( Greek: ανατολή anatolē or anatolí, rising of the sun or East; compare Orient and Levant, by popular etymology Turkish Anadolu to ana mother and dolu filled), also called by the Latin name of Asia Minor, is a region of Southwest Asia which corresponds today to the Asian portion of... The Seljuk Turks (Turkish: Selçuk; Arabic: سلجوق Saljūq, السلاجقة al-Salājiqa; Persian: سلجوقيان Saljūqiyān; also Seldjuk, Seldjuq, Seljuq) were a major branch of the Oghuz Turks and a dynasty that occupied parts of Central Asia and the Middle East from the 11th to 14th centuries. ... The Turkic people are any of various peoples whose members speak languages in the Turkic family of languages. ... (10th century - 11th century - 12th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... The Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... The Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... The word Greek has a number of meanings relating to Greece, including: Architecture of Ancient Greece Art in Ancient Greece Greek alphabet Greek colonies Cuisine of Greece Greek salad Ethnic Greek Greco-Turkish relations Greece The Greek People Greek-Americans History of Greece History of Mycenaean Greece History of Ancient...

Their Turkish successors, the Ottoman Empire, completed this conquest in the 15th century with the fall of Constantinople in 1453. At its peak under Sultan Suleyman the 'Magnificent' between 1520-1555, the empire stretched from the gates of Vienna to the Persian Gulf, from the Crimea to Morroco. The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power Imperial motto El Muzaffer Daima The Ever Victorious (as written in tugra) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital İstanbul ( Constantinople/Asitane/Konstantiniyye ) Sovereigns Sultans of the Osmanli Dynasty Population ca 40 million Area 12+ million km² Establishment 1299 Dissolution October 29, 1923... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... The 1453 Siege of Constantinople (painted 1499) The Fall of Constantinople was the conquest of that Greek city by the Ottoman Empire under the command of Sultan Mehmed II, on Tuesday, May 29, 1453. ...

Throughout the 19th and early 20th century the Ottoman empire began to lose a foothold on its territories, first with Algeria and Tunisia, then Greece, Egypt, Libya and the Balkans in the 1912 Balkans war. Faced with territorial losses on all sides Turkey forged an alliance with Germany who supported it with troops and equipment. In World War I Turkey entered the war on the side of the Triple Alliance (Germany, Italy, Austro-Hungary) and was subsequently defeated. Greece, officaly called the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), is a country in the southeast of Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. ...

Between 1915 and 1917 large parts of Anatolia's Armenian population were deported from the area constituting today's Turkey. A disputed number of Armenians have perished. Armenians refer to it as the Armenian Genocide, Turkey maintains the number of deaths were a result of inter-ethnic strife, disease and famine during the turmoil of World War I. The size of the Armenian population within the Ottoman Empire in 1914-1915 is a controversial topic, but most estimates range from 1. ... The Armenian Genocide (also known as the Armenian Holocaust or Armenian Massacre) was the mass forced evacuation and related deaths of hundreds of thousands or over a million Armenians during the government of the Young Turks from 1915 to 1917. ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ...

On October 30th 1918, the Mondros Armistice was signed followed by the Treaty of Sèvres on August 10th 1920. These sought to break up the Ottoman empire and force large concessions on Turkey in favour of its rival Greece who had fought against the Germans. Greece, France and Italy were awarded parts of the coast of Minor Asia. The city of Izmir (Smyrna), with its large Greek population, was awarded to Greece. The Greek army took it over on May 15 1919 and triggered the War of Independence. A nationalist movement led by Mustafa Kemal, rejected the Sèvres and organised an army which repelled Greece from Turkey. By September 18th 1922 the country was liberated resulting in the Treaty of Lausanne of 1923, recognising the new borders of Turkey. The Treaty of Sèvres of August 10, 1920, made peace between the Allied and Associated Powers1 and the Ottoman Empire after World War I. The treaty was signed by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed VI, who was trying to save his throne but was rejected by the independence movement in... Greece, officaly called the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), is a country in the southeast of Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... Izmir (Turkish spelling İzmir, contraction of its former name Smyrna, Σμυρνη in Greek), the second-largest port (after İstanbul) and the third most populous city (2,409,000 in 2000) of Turkey is located on the Aegean Sea near the Gulf of Izmir. ... Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Mustafa Kemal Pasha, named Atatürk ( 1881– November 10, 1938), Turkish reformist, soldier, and statesman, was the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey. ... The Treaty of Lausanne was a treaty that set the boundaries of modern Turkey. ...

On October 29th 1923 The Republic of Turkey was proclaimed and Mustafa Kemal, later taking the last name Atatürk (meaning father of Turks), would be her first president. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Mustafa Kemal Pasha, named Atatürk ( 1881– November 10, 1938), Turkish reformist, soldier, and statesman, was the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey. ...

History timeline (post Republic)

Since 1923, ...

• 1923 - 1938 After taking the presidency of the Republic of Turkey, Atatürk would initiate reforms with the aim of westernising Turkey; these included: a secular government and education, introduction of the Latin alphabet and Gregorian calendar, equal rights for women, abolition of the caliphate and Sharia Law, introduction of western attire and adoption of surnames among many others.

• November 10, 1938 The founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk dies in Istanbul from cirrhosis of the liver. He is succeeded by Ismet Inonu, a former general who leads Turkey until the first democratic elections in 1950.

• July 7, 1939 Province of Hatay joins Turkey.

• 1939 - 1945 Turkey stays neutral during World War II.

• Between 25 June 1950 and 27 July 1953, Turkey was a part of the joint UN operation against North Korea during the Korean war.

• Since the 1950's, Turkey hosted the USAF at the Incirlik Air Base as a deterrent against the Soviet Union.

• April 27-28, 1961 Jupiter missle crisis: Turkey hosted American Jupiter missiles (nuclear) for an undisclosed period until the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the U.S. agreed to remove her nuclear missiles from Turkey in exchange for the Soviet Union removing her missiles from Cuba.

• On May 27, 1960, the 1960 Coup d'Etat(1st "Darbe") took place due to the level of influence Islamists had gained in the nation. This clashed with the "separation of religion and state/goverment" which was one of the results of the clash between Inonu's republican party and his opponents, president Celal Bayar and prime minister Adnan Menderes, both former republican party members. Prime minister Adnan Menderes was held responsible and executed.

• On October 1965, military rule dissolved back into civilian, the political system was reestablished, and a new consitution was drafted that reaffirmed the "separation of religion and state/goverment".

• On March 12, 1971, military officials intervened, instead of taking over the goverment, forced an advisory comittee due to the increasing anarchical situation caused by the Right (fascist/capitalist) - Left (communist) clash and ineffective policies in maintaining order. Although the military were not in charge they had significant influence.

• In 1974, Turkey invades Cyprus in response to an Athens backed coup of the island (see Cyprus dispute). Turkey maintains a garisson in the de facto TRNC.

• On September 12, 1980, the 1980 Coup d'Etat (2nd "Darbe") took place, ending a long bloodshed of anarchical situation due to the Right (fascist/capitalist) - Left (communist) clash, and was welcomed by the general population, martial laws were almost immediately established and 25% of the military (about 475,000) were mobilised to settle the anarchical situation.

• On November 6, 1983, military rule dissolved and removed itself from the political scene after the reestablishment of a new "1982 Constitution".

• Between 1970 and 1983, international terrorism by the Armenian terrorist organisation ASALA. Attacks start with assassinating Turkish diplomats and bombing consulates in the USA and Europe, airports in Paris and Ankara, the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, in an attempt to force the Turkish government to acknowledge that it committed "genocide against Armenians" in 1915. The organization ceases to exist after the Turkish secret service assassinates ASALA leaders.

• Between 1984 and 1999, Turkey suffered terrorism again, primarily in form of PKK terrorism. Capture of Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the terrorist organisation, resumed the conflict.

• Since the ending of the 1991 Persian Gulf War, Incirlik Air Base enforced the Northern no-fly zone of Iraq.

• Between 24 March and 10 June 1999, Turkey was a part of the joint NATO operation, 1999 Kosovo War, in the Balkans to end a brutal civil war in the region that used to be Yugoslavia.

• Between June 2002 and February 2003, Turkey assumed command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.

• On December 17, 2004, the European Union (EU) agrees to begin negotiations on the eventual accession of Turkey.

• On February 14, 2005, Turkey assumed command of the ISAF in Afghanistan for a second time.

• Since the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Turkey had been extremely concerned with the developments in Northern Iraq.

1938 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1938 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... Events January January 5 - US Senator Estes Kefauver introduces a resolution calling for examination of organized crime in the USA January 6 - The United Kingdom recognizes the Peoples Republic of China. ... July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 157 days remaining. ... 1953 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... This article is about the United Nations, for other uses of UN see UN (disambiguation) Official languages English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic Secretary-General Kofi Annan (since 1997) Established October 24, 1945 Member states 191 Headquarters New York City, NY, USA Official site http://www. ... North Korea, officially the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK; Korean: Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk; Hangul: 조선민주주의인민공화국; Hanja: 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國), is a country in eastern Asia, covering the northern half of the peninsula of Korea. ... The Korean War (Korean: 한국전쟁), from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953, was a conflict between North Korea and South Korea. ... Seal of the Air Force. ... The İncirlik Air Base, an important regional storage center in NATOs Southern Region is located in İncirlik, 12 km east of Adana, Turkeys fourth largest city, and 56 km from the Mediterranean Sea ( 37°00N 35°26E). ... The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) .( Russian: Сою́з Сове́тских Социалисти́ческих Респу́блик (СССР)  listen?; tr. ... April 27 is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 248 days remaining. ... April 28 is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 247 days remaining. ... 1961 (As MAD Magazine pointed out on its first cover for the year) was the first upside-down year - i. ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 km (11 mi) above the epicenter. ... The Cuban Missile Crisis was a tense confrontation between the Soviet Union and the United States over the Soviet deployment of nuclear missiles in Cuba. ... The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) .( Russian: Сою́з Сове́тских Социалисти́ческих Респу́блик (СССР)  listen?; tr. ... The Republic of Cuba is an archipelago in the northern Caribbean that lies at the confluence of the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. ... May 27 is the 147th day (148th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 218 days remaining. ... March 12 is the 71st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (72nd in Leap years). ... Cyprus (in Greek Kypros Κύπρος and in Turkish Kıbrıs) is an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, 113 kilometres (70 miles) south of Turkey and around 120 km west of the Syrian coast. ... The Cyprus Dispute refers to the dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots over Cyprus, an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. ... The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus(TRNC) {NOTE: the name is not accepted by UN} , in Turkish Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti, is a self-proclaimed state occupying the northern third of the island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean. ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... November 6 is the 310th day of the year (311th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 55 days remaining. ... Armenia - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... The Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) is a defunct terrorist group. ... The word Usa has more than one meaning: U.S.A. - The United States of America Usa, Oita - A city in Japan This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... Ankara from the Atakule Tower, looking N-NE Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the countrys second largest city after Istanbul. ... This article needs cleanup. ... The Armenian Genocide (also known as the Armenian Holocaust or Armenian Massacre) was the mass forced evacuation and related deaths of hundreds of thousands or over a million Armenians during the government of the Young Turks from 1915 to 1917. ... 1915 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... MİT is the intelligence organization of Turkey. ... The Congress for Freedom and Democracy in Kurdistan (Kadek), formerly known as the Kurdistan Workers Party (Kurdish: Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan, PKK ) was one of several militant groups fighting for the creation of an independent Kurdish state in southern Turkey, northern Iraq, Northern Syria and western Iran. ... Abdullah Öcalan Abdullah Öcalan (b. ... See also: 2003 invasion of Iraq and Gulf War (disambiguation) C Company, 1st Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment, 1st UK Armoured Division The Persian Gulf War was a conflict between Iraq and a coalition force of 34 nations led by the United States. ... The İncirlik Air Base, an important regional storage center in NATOs Southern Region is located in İncirlik, 12 km east of Adana, Turkeys fourth largest city, and 56 km from the Mediterranean Sea ( 37°00N 35°26E). ... Categories: Stub | 2003 Iraq conflict ... March 24 is the 83rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (84th in Leap years). ... June 10 is the 161st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (162nd in leap years), with 204 days remaining. ... For the National Association of Theatre Owners, please see National Association of Theatre Owners. ... The term Kosovo War or Kosovo Conflict is often used to describe two sequential and at times parallel armed conflicts (a civil war followed by an international war) in the southern Serbian province called Kosovo (officially Kosovo and Metohia), part of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. ... The Balkans is the historic and geographic name used to describe southeastern Europe (see the Definitions and boundaries section below). ... A civil war is a war in which the competing parties are segments of the same country or empire. ... Yugoslavia (Jugoslavija in all south Slavic languages) is a term used for three separate but successive political entities that existed during most of the 20th century on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe. ... The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) is an international peacekeeping force in Kabul, Afghanistan consisting of about 6,500 personnel. ... Afghanistan (Pashtu/Dari-Persian: Afğānistān افغانستان) is a country in Central Asia. ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... February 14 is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For other uses of the term, see Iraq war (disambiguation) The 2003 invasion of Iraq (also called the 2nd or 3rd Persian Gulf War) began on March 20, 2003, when forces belonging primarily to the United States and the United Kingdom invaded Iraq without the explicit backing of the United...

Culture

Main article: Culture of Turkey The culture of Turkey draws customs from the Ottoman Empire and the Islamic traditions, modernised primarily by Kemal Atatürk and his Young Turks movement. ...

Turkey has a very diverse culture due to its many ethnic minorities.

• Cinema of Turkey
• Cuisine of Turkey
• Islam in Turkey
• List of Turkish painters
• List of Turks
• Music of Turkey
• Turkish literature
• Yağlı Güreş

The first film showing in Turkey was held in the Yildiz Palace, Istanbul in 1896. ... Turkish cuisine is the cuisine of the Turkish people who controlled the eastern Mediterranean Sea region and the Middle East during the reign of the Ottoman Empire from the 14th century to the end of the World War I. Turkic cuisine elements brought from Central Asia were mixed with the... Interior of the Hagia Sofia, Istanbul, Turkey, June 1994. ... History The formation of Turkish painting in western sense starting from mid 19th century till the beginning of the 20th century can be said to be very active. ... This is a list of Turks. ... The modern Turkish state was proclaimed in 1923, and was immediately followed by a campaign to create a pan-Turkish cultural identity. ... The history of Turkish Literature may be divided into three periods, reflecting the history of Turkish civilization as follows: the period up to the adoption of Islam, the Islamic period and the period under western influence. ... Pehlivan at Kirkpinar Yagli Gures, or properly, Yağlı Güreş, is the Turkish national sport. ...

Sport

Turkish national team during the 2002 World Cup

Turkey has risen to prominence in a number of sporting areas in recent decades. Its national sport, football, has seen a rapid transformation earning it third place in the coveted 2002 World Cup. Its domestic teams are dominated by Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Besiktas. Of these, Galatasaray has seen the most success, winning the 2000 UEFA Cup and European Super Cup, as well as fielding many of the players for the international team. In recent years Turkey has exported many of its players into top foreign teams including Inter Milan, Barcelona, Parma, AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen among others. As well as sending players abroad, the Turkish league has also attracted players into Turkey. World class players such as Gheorghe Hagi, Ariel Ortega, Pierre Van Hooijdonk, Mario Jardel and many more have played at some point, or continue to play in Turkey. Turkish national team File links The following pages link to this file: Turkey ... Turkish national team File links The following pages link to this file: Turkey ... A sport consists of a normal physical activity or skill carried out under a publicly agreed set of rules, and with a recreational purpose: for competition, for self-enjoyment, to attain excellence, for the development of skill, or some combination of these. ... Football is the name given to a number of different team sports. ... (Redirected from 2002 World Cup) The 2002 Football World Cup was held in South Korea and Japan from May 31 to June 30. ... Galatasaray SK Logo Galatasaray Spor Kulübü (Galatasaray Sports Club) is a Turkish sports club based in İstanbul which is most famous for its football section. ... Logo of Fenerbahçe SK Fenerbahçe is a Turkish football club from İstanbul. ... Beşiktaş logo Beşiktaş is a Turkish football club from İstanbul. ... UEFA Cup logo The UEFA Cup is a football competition for European club teams. ... The European Super Cup is at stake in an annual football game between the reigning champions of the UEFA Cup and UEFA Champions League. ... Football Club Internazionale Milano (commonly, but incorrectly, known as Inter Milan) is an Italian football club, playing in the Serie A (first division). ... FC Barcelona, also known as Barça, is a sports club in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain with sections in many different sports. ... Parma A.C. (Associazione Calcio) is an Italian football club based in Parma, nicknamed the Gialloblu. ... AC Milan is an Italian football club. ... Bayer Leverkusen is a football club in the German Bundesliga, based in Leverkusen. ... Gheorghe Hagi Gheorghe Hagi (born February 5, 1965 in Săcele, Constanţa County) is a Romanian football player who played for the Romanian national team in three World Cups. ... Ariel Arnaldo Ortega (born March 4, 1974 in Ledesma) is an Argentinian footballer, who currently plays for Newells Old Boys. ...

Weightlifting has been another successful sport for Turkey, regulary relied upon to provide gold medals in the Olympics. Its most famous weightlifters Naim Suleymanoglu and Halil Mutlu are only two of four weightlifters in the world to have won 3 gold medals in 3 olympics. Weightlifting is a sport where competitors attempt to lift heavy weights mounted on steel bars. ... Olympic can refer to: sister ship with RMS Titanic, see RMS Olympic sport event, see Olympic Games Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington Olympic Airways is an airline based in Greece Olympic Airlines is the successor of the Greek airline Olympic Airways Olympic Stadium, Berlin This is... This is a list of active and retired international Turkish weightlifters. ... Naim Süleymanoğlu (also Naim Suleimanov and Naum Shalamanov, born January 23, 1967 at Ptichar, Bulgaria) is a World and Olympic Champion in weightlifting. ... Halil Mutlu (born Huben Hubenov on July 14, 1973 in Postnik, Bulgaria) is a Turkish World and Olympic Champion in weightlifting. ...

Athletics is another fast improving sport, Sureyya Ayhan set the 1500m world record in 2003 and Elvan Abeylegesse set a new 5000m record in 2004. Athletics, also known as track and field or track and field athletics, is a collection of sport events. ... Süreyya Ayhan at ISTAF 2003 in Berlin, Germany Sureyya Ayhan (Turkish full name: Süreyya Ayhan Kop) is a Turkish middle distance track runner and was an European record holder, born on September 6, 1978 in Korgun, Çankırı, Turkey. ... The middle distances are races where the runner tries to go as fast as his training has let him. ... Elvan Abeylegesse leading at the IAAF World Championships 2003 in Paris, France Elvan Abeylegesse (also formerly: Hewan Abeye (Amharic) and Elvan Can (Turkish)) is an Ethiopian-born Turkish woman middle and long distance track and field athlete, running in the disciplines 1500m, 3000m and 5000m, but also 10000m, 2 miles... Long-distance track event races requires runners to balance their energy. ...

Turkey placed a bid to become a candidate for the 2012 olympics but was eliminated in the initial rounds. Part of its bid included the building of the 80,000 seater Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul. The stadium will be used for the 2005 European Champions League final. Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadyumu is in İstanbul and the highest-capacity stadium of Turkey. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Champions League Logo The UEFA Champions League is an annual international inter-club football competition between Europes most successful clubs, regarded as the most prestigious club trophy in the sport. ...

Another world event for Turkey will be its addition to the Formula 1 season. The track located at Istanbul will have a planned seating capacity of 155,000 people, is just over 5,340 m long and will run anti-clockwise. The track was designed by Hermann Tilke, designer of the Sepang, Bahrain and Shanghai tracks, and will make its debut on the August 21, 2005. Formula One, abbreviated to F1 and also known as Grand Prix racing, is the highest class of single-seat open-wheel auto racing. ... The Istanbul Racing Circuit is located on the Asian side of Istanbul, Turkey, close to the junction of Kurtkoy on the north side of TEM Motorway, linking Istanbul to Ankara; it is adjacent to the newly constructed Sabiha Gökçen International Airport. ... Hermann Tilke is a German architect and designer of F1 motor racing circuits. ... The Sepang International Circuit is the venue used for the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix; however, it is also used for many other major motorsport events. ... The Bahrain International Circuit was the venue for the inaugural Bahrain Grand Prix in 2004. ... Map of Shanghai International Circuit Shanghai International Circuit is a brand new motor racing venue, situated near Shanghai in China. ... August 21 is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

See also:

• Turkish Premier Super League
• Turkish Football Federation
• Turkey national football team
• Turkey at the 2004 Summer Olympics

The Turkish Premier Super Football League (Turkish: “Türkiye 1. ... The Turkish Football Federation (TFF), also called Turkish Football Association, (Turkish: Türkiye Futbol Federasyonu) is the governing body of football in Turkey. ... First International Turkey 2 - 2 Romania (Istanbul, Turkey; October 26, 1923) Largest win Turkey 7 - 0 Syria (Ankara, Turkey; November 20, 1949) Turkey 7 - 0 South Korea (Geneva, Switzerland; June 20, 1954) Turkey 7 - 0 San Marino (Istanbul, Turkey; November 10, 1996) Worst defeat Poland 8 - 0 Turkey (Chorzow, Poland... Flag of Turkey Turkey at the 2004 Summer Olympics is represented by the Turkish Olympic Committee and is abbreviated TUR. Turkey is participating with 21 female and 45 male athletes. ...

Politics

Main article: Politics of Turkey Turkey is a secular, republican parliamentary democracy. ...

The Republic of Turkey was created in 1923 by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, a pragmatic leader who reformed Turkey into a modern, secular, and western-oriented republic. Over the years, fears of a shift from secularity and western orientation led to a left-wing military coup in 1961, and fears of a shift towards the Eastern Block have led to two more right-wing military coups in 1971 and 1980. Democratic rule has since returned. Turkey became a member of NATO in 1952, and is seeking membership of the European Union. December 17th 2004 marked the official opening of talks for the accession of Turkey to the European Union, and it remains one of the main issues in Turkish foreign diplomacy. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Mustafa Kemal Pasha, named Atatürk ( 1881– November 10, 1938), Turkish reformist, soldier, and statesman, was the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey. ... In a broad definition a republic is a state or country that is led by people that dont found their power status on any principle beyond the control of the people living in that state or country. ... A coup détat, or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group that just replaces the top power figures. ... During the Cold War, the Eastern Bloc (or Soviet Bloc) comprised the following Central and Eastern European countries: Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, East Germany, Poland, Albania (until the early 1960s, see below), the Soviet Union, and Czechoslovakia. ... A coup détat, or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group that just replaces the top power figures. ... For the National Association of Theatre Owners, please see National Association of Theatre Owners. ... The European Union or EU is an intergovernmental organisation of European countries, which currently has 25 member states. ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Turkey formally applied to join the European Community, the organisation that has since developed into the European Union, on April 14, 1987. ...

International disputes such as Turkish involvement in Cyprus and the allegations relating to the genocide against Armenians in the Ottoman era continue to influence international relations. The increasing appeal of political Islam also continues to fuel public debate in Turkey. The Cyprus Dispute refers to the dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots over Cyprus, an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. ... The Armenian Genocide (also known as the Armenian Holocaust or Armenian Massacre) was the mass forced evacuation and related deaths of hundreds of thousands or over a million Armenians during the government of the Young Turks from 1915 to 1917. ... The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power Imperial motto El Muzaffer Daima The Ever Victorious (as written in tugra) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital İstanbul ( Constantinople/Asitane/Konstantiniyye ) Sovereigns Sultans of the Osmanli Dynasty Population ca 40 million Area 12+ million km² Establishment 1299 Dissolution October 29, 1923... Islam as a political movement has a diverse character that has at different times incorporated elements of many other political movements, while simultaneously adapting the religious views of Islamic fundamentalism. ...

See also:

• Foreign relations of Turkey
• Turkish Foreign Policy

SEE Turkish Foreign Policy Turkeys primary political, economic, and security ties are with the West. ... This article or section should be merged with Foreign relations of Turkey Synopsis of the Turkish Foreign Policy (source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Republic of Turkey) INTRODUCTION In 2004 Turkey celebrates the 81st Anniversary of the Lausanne Peace Treaty, which is one of the founding documents of the...

Geography

Main article: Geography of Turkey Location: southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe, and east is part of Asia), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria The largest lake is...

Map of Turkey

Bozcaada Island in the Aegian Sea

Turkey forms a bridge between Europe and Asia, with the division between the two running from the Black Sea to the north down along the Bosporus strait through the Sea of Marmara and the Dardanelles strait to the Aegean Sea and the larger Mediterranean Sea to the south. map of Turkey, converted directly from CIA World Factbook GIF File links The following pages link to this file: Anatolia Dardanelles Sea of Marmara Geography of Turkey Turkey Categories: CIA World Factbook images ... map of Turkey, converted directly from CIA World Factbook GIF File links The following pages link to this file: Anatolia Dardanelles Sea of Marmara Geography of Turkey Turkey Categories: CIA World Factbook images ... The Venetian fortress in the island of Bozcaada (Tenedos) off the coast of Turkey in the Aegian Sea Photograph taken in June 2003 by Henryk Kotowski and released under the terms of GFDL licence File links The following pages link to this file: Gökçeada and Bozcaada Turkey ... The Venetian fortress in the island of Bozcaada (Tenedos) off the coast of Turkey in the Aegian Sea Photograph taken in June 2003 by Henryk Kotowski and released under the terms of GFDL licence File links The following pages link to this file: Gökçeada and Bozcaada Turkey ... World map showing location of Asia A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... Satellite view of the Black Sea, taken by NASA MODIS Cities of the Black Sea The Black Sea (known as the Euxine Sea in the antiquity) is an inland sea between southeastern Europe and Asia Minor. ... Fatih Sultan Mehmed Bridge over the Bosporus seen from over Rumelihisarı This article is about the strait; Bosphorus is also a Turkish Boğaziçi or İstanbul Boğazı) is a strait that separates the European part (Rumeli) of Turkey from its Asian part (Anadolu), connecting the Sea of Marmara (Marmara Denizi) with... The Sea of Marmara (Turkish: Marmara denizi, Modern Greek: Μαρμαρα̃ Θάλασσα or Προποντίδα) (also known as the Sea of Marmora or the Marmara Sea) is an inland sea that separates the Black Sea from the Aegean Sea (thus the Asian part of Turkey from its European part) by Bosporus and... The Dardanelles (Turkish: Çanakkale Boğazı), formerly Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea with the Marmara Sea. ...

The Anatolian peninsula (also known as Asia Minor) consists of a high central plateau with narrow coastal plains, in between the Pontus range to the north and the Taurus Mountains to the south. To the east is found a more mountainous landscape (main part of the Armenian Highland), home to the sources of rivers such as the Euphrates, Tigris and the Araks, as well as Lake Van and Mount Ararat, Turkey's highest point at 5,166 m. A peninsula is a geographical formation consisting of an extension of land from a larger body that is surrounded by water on three sides. ... For Pontus the Greek god, see Pontus (mythology) Pontus was a name applied in ancient times to extensive tracts of country in the northeast of Asia Minor (modern Turkey) bordering on the Euxine (Black Sea), which was often called simply Pontos (the Main), by the Greeks. ... The Taurus Mountains or simply the Taurus, (Turkish Toros, also known as Ala-Dagh or Bulghar-Dagh) are a mountain range, forming the rugged southeastern rim of the Anatolian plateau, from which the Euphrates River descends into Syria. ... The Euphrates (the traditional Greek name for the river, which is in Old Persian Ufrat, Aramaic Prâth/Frot, in Arabic الفرات, in Turkish Fırat and in ancient Assyrian language Pu-rat-tu) is the westernmost of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia (Bethnahrin in Aramaic), the other being the... The Tigris (Old Persian: Tigr, Syriac Aramaic: Deqlath, Arabic: دجلة, Dijla, Turkish: Dicle; biblical Hiddekil) is the eastern member of the pair of great rivers that define Mesopotamia, along with the Euphrates, which flows from the mountains of Anatolia through Iraq. ... Aras, Araks, Arax, Araxes, or Araz (Persian: ارس, Azerbaijani: Araz), is a river rising in Anatolia in Turkey, flowing along the Turkey-Armenia border, then along the Iran border, entering Azerbaijan, and falling into Kura river as a right tributary. ... Lake Van (in Turkish Van Gölü) is the largest lake in Turkey, located in the far east of the country. ... For other meanings of Ararat, see Ararat (disambiguation) Mount Ararat (Turkish Ağrı; Armenian Արարատ; Persian آرارات; Hebrew אררט, Standard Hebrew Ararat, Tiberian Hebrew ʾĂrārāṭ), the tallest peak in modern Turkey, is a snow-capped dormant volcanic cone, located in the far northeast of Turkey, 16 km west of Iran and...

The climate is a Mediterranean temperate climate, with hot, dry summers and mild, wet and cold winters, though conditions can be much harsher in the more arid interior. Turkey is also prone to very severe earthquakes. Map of the climate of the Earth The climate (ancient Greek: κλίμα) is the weather averaged over a long period of time. ... In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. ... Global earthquake epicenters, 1963–1998. ...

The capital city of Turkey is Ankara, but the largest city is İstanbul. Other important cities include İzmir, Bursa, Adana, Gaziantep, Erzurum, Kayseri, İzmit (Kocaeli), Konya, Mersin, Diyarbakır, Antalya, and Samsun. See the list of cities in Turkey. Ankara from the Atakule Tower, looking N-NE Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the countrys second largest city after Istanbul. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Izmir (Turkish spelling İzmir, contraction of its former name Smyrna, Σμυρνη in Greek), the second-largest port (after İstanbul) and the third most populous city (2,409,000 in 2000) of Turkey is located on the Aegean Sea near the Gulf of Izmir. ... Bursa (formerly known as Brusa or Prusa) is the capital of the Bursa Province in northwestern Turkey. ... Adana is the fourth largest city in Turkey and the capital of the Adana Province. ... Gaziantep is a province in south-central Turkey, and is also the name of the provinces capital and largest city (population 853,513 as of 2000). ... Erzurum (or Erzerum, Arzen in antiquity, Karin in ancient Armenian, Theodosiupolis or Theodosiopolis during Byzantine rule) is one of the Provinces of Turkey, in the Eastern Anatolia Region, to the east of the country. ... Kayseri is an industrialized city in Turkey that is famous for Mount Erciyes. ... Izmit (also known as Ismid and Kocaeli) is a city in the northwestern part of Anatolia, Turkey. ... Konya (also Koniah, Konieh, Konia, and Qunia; historically known as Iconium) is a city in Turkey, on the central plateau of Anatolia. ... Mersin is the capital city of İçel Province, in Turkey. ... Diyarbakir (Syriac: ܐܡܝܕ; Zazakiand Kurdish: Amed; correct Turkish spelling: Diyarbakır) is a city in Turkey, situated on the banks of the River Tigris. ... Antalyas symbol Antalya is a city on a bay of the south Turkey in the Antalya Province. ... Samsun is a city in northern Turkey, on the coast of the Black Sea, with a population of 396,900 as of 2004. ... This is a list of cities in Turkey. ...

Economy

Main article: Economy of Turkey Turkey began a series of reforms in the 1980s designed to shift the economy from a statist, insulated system to a more private-sector, market-based model. ...

Turkey's economy is a complex mix of modern industry and commerce along with a traditional agriculture sector that in 2001 still accounted for 40% of employment. It is estimated that 50% of the population lives under the international standards of poverty, especially in the war torn south-east areas. Farming, ploughing rice paddy, in Indonesia Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other desired products by cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals ( livestock). ...

Turkey has a strong and rapidly growing private sector, yet the state still plays a major role in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. The most important industry - and largest export - is textiles and clothing, which is almost entirely in private hands. For other uses, see Bank (disambiguation). ... This article is about the type of fabric. ...

In recent years the economic situation has been marked by erratic economic growth and serious imbalances. Real GNP growth has exceeded 6% in many years, but this strong expansion has been interrupted by sharp declines in output in 1994, 1999, and 2001. Measures of national income and output are used in economics to estimate the value of goods and services produced in an economy. ... 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ...

Meanwhile the public sector fiscal deficit has regularly exceeded 10% of GDP - due in large part to the huge burden of interest payments, which in 2001 accounted for more than 50% of central government spending - while inflation has remained in the high double digit range. In economics, the gross domestic product (GDP) is a measure of the amount of the economic production of a particular territory in financial capital terms during a specific time period. ... Inflation rates of five core members of the G8 from 1950 to 1994. ...

Perhaps because of these problems, foreign direct investment in Turkey remains low - less than USD 1 billion annually. In late 2000 and early 2001 a growing trade deficit and serious weaknesses in the banking sector plunged the economy into crisis - forcing Ankara to float the lira and pushing the country into recession. The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ... Balance of trade figures are the sum of the money gained by a given economy by selling exports, minus the cost of buying imports. ... Lira is the name of the monetary unit of a number of countries, as well as the former currency of Italy, San Marino and the Vatican City. ...

Results in 2002 were much better, because of strong financial support from the IMF and tighter fiscal policy. Continued slow global growth and serious political tensions in the Middle East cast a shadow over growth prospects in the future. The flag of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is the international organization entrusted with overseeing global financial system‘s current trade account balances of member states. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...

Turkey has recently adopted a new currency, slashing away many "zeros" from the old currency after years of double digit inflation. For example, a taxi ride would cost a few million liras. Overnight, many "millionaires" were gone.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Turkey Modern Turkey spans bustling cosmopolitan centers, pastoral farming villages, barren wastelands, peaceful Aegean coastlines, and steep mountain regions. ...

The majority of the Turkish population (around 85-100%) is of Turkic ethnicity, who speak the official language of the country, Turkish. Other minorities include Abkhaz, Albanians, Arabs, Armenians, Bosniaks, Chaldeans, Circassians, Greeks, Georgians, Hamshenis, Jews, Kurds, Laz, Levantines, Pomaks, Syriacs, and Zazas. The term "minority" itself remains to be a sensitive issue in Turkey, since the Turkish State does consider only the communities mentioned in the text of Treaty of Lausanne (namely, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, and Jewish communities) as minorities (azınlık or ekalliyet). However the minorities in question do not have special rights as the race-blind system is based on equality. According to the CIA factbook estimates Kurds compromising the second largest ethnic group at 8,76% however since a consensus based on race is unheard of in the country, as everyone is considered to be the majority, the accuracy is disputed. Several minorities requested special rights throughout the history of the nation either through terrorism (see PKK) or through political means. Turkic peoples - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Turkish (Türkçe or Türk dili) is a Turkic language, spoken natively by over 100 million speakers in Turkey, Cyprus, and worldwide. ... Abkhaz is an agglutinative Georgia (in the autonomous republic of Abkhazia) and Turkey. ... The Albanians or Shqiptarë are a people of the western Balkan peninsula, speaking the Albanian language and numbering today approximately six million worldwide. ... For other uses, see Arab (disambiguation). ... Armenia - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Bosniaks (natively: Bošnjaci) are South Slavs descended from those who converted to Islam during the Ottoman period (15th-19th century). ... See Chaldean for other references. ... The term Circassians is a Western term derived from the Turkic Cherkess, and is not the self-designation of any people. ... Greece, officaly called the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), is a country in the southeast of Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. ... Georgia ( Georgian: საქართველო Sakartvelo), known from 1991 to 1995 as the Republic of Georgia, is a country to the east of the Black Sea in the southern Caucasus. ... Hamshenis (Turkish Hemşinli(ler)) are a distinct ethnic group (of Armenian origin) in the Black Sea region of Turkey. ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination of these attributes. ... Kurds are one of the Iranian peoples and speak Kurdish, a north-Western Iranian language related to Persian. ... Laz is a Caucasian (Kartvelian) language (Laz language) the wife of the babylonian God Nergal bus factory in Ukraine (Lvovskiy Avtobusnyi Zavod) a commune in the Finistère département, France (Communes of the Finistère département) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share... The Levant is an approximate historical geographical term referring to a large area in Southwest Asia south of the Taurus Mountains, bounded by the Mediterranean Sea in the west, and in the east, the north Arabian Desert and Mesopotamia. ... Muslim Bulgarians (also Bulgarian Mohammedans, bul:Българи-мохамедани; local: Pomak, Ahrian, Poganets, Marvak, Poturnak) are descendants of Christian Bulgarians who were forcibly converted to Islam by the Turks, during the 16th and the 18th century. ... Syriacs (Suryoye) are people using the Syriac language. ... The Zaza are an ethnic minority in eastern Anatolia (Turkey). ... In sociology and in voting theory, a minority is a sub-group that is outnumbered by persons who do not belong to it. ... The Treaty of Lausanne was a treaty that set the boundaries of modern Turkey. ... Greek Orthodox Church can refer to any of several hierarchical churches within the larger group of mutually recognizing Eastern Orthodox churches: the Orthodox Church of Constantinople, headed by the Patriarch of Constantinople, who is also the first among equals of the Eastern Orthodox Communion. ... Armenia - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination of these attributes. ... Race-blind is a term describing activities undertaken and services provided without regard to the racial characteristics of those who participate in an activity or receive a service. ... Kurds are one of the Iranian peoples and speak Kurdish, a north-Western Iranian language related to Persian. ... Terrorism refers to the use of violence for the purpose of achieving a political, religious, or ideological goal. ... The Congress for Freedom and Democracy in Kurdistan (Kadek), formerly known as the Kurdistan Workers Party (Kurdish: Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan, PKK ) was one of several militant groups fighting for the creation of an independent Kurdish state in southern Turkey, northern Iraq, Northern Syria and western Iran. ...

Due to lack of labour force in Europe between 1960 and 1980 many Turkish citizens emigrated to West Germany, the Netherlands, France and other Western European countries, forming a significant overseas population. Recently, many have also settled in Russia and other neighbouring countries. West Germany was the informal but almost universally used name for the Federal Republic of Germany from 1949 until 1990, during which years the Federal Republic did not yet include East Germany. ... The Netherlands (Dutch: Nederland) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden). ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... Western Europe is distinguished from Central Europe and Eastern Europe by differences of history and culture rather than by geography. ...

Nominally, 99.8% of the population is Muslim. Most belong to the Sunni branch of Islam. About 15-20% of the population are Alevi Muslims. There is also a Twelver Shia minority, mainly of Azeri descent. Jewish, and Christian Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic (Gregorian), Roman Catholic and Protestant minorities are also present. Islam ( Arabic al-islām الإسلام,  listen?) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith and the worlds second-largest religion. ... Sunni Islam (Arabic سنّة) is the largest denomination of Islam. ... Alevis are a branch of Islam, related to Shia Islam and practised mainly in (majority Sunni) Turkey, among both Turks and Kurds. ... Twelvers or the Ithna Asharia are members of the group of Shias who believe in twelve Imams. ... Shiʻa Islam (Arabic شيعى follower; English has traditionally used Shiite) makes up the second largest sect of believers in Islam, constituting about 30%–35% of all Muslim. ... Azeri can refer to: Azerbaijanis - a Turkic-speaking people of Azerbaijan Azerbaijani language - a Turkic language Azari - an alternative name for the ethnic language in Azerbaijan, most commonly referred as Tati, also spoken in many places in north-western Iran today. ... For a discussion of Jews as an ethnicity or ethnic group see the article on Jew. ... Greek Orthodox Church can refer to any of several hierarchical churches within the larger group of mutually recognizing Eastern Orthodox churches: the Orthodox Church of Constantinople, headed by the Patriarch of Constantinople, who is also the first among equals of the Eastern Orthodox Communion. ... The Armenian Apostolic Church, sometimes called the Armenian Orthodox Church is one of the original churches, having separated from the then-still-united Roman Catholic/Byzantine Orthodox church in 506, after the Council of Chalcedon (see Oriental Orthodoxy). ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ...

Although, unlike other majority Islamic nations, there is a strong tradition of separation of church and state in Turkey, in practice this means rather the subordination of religion to the state instead of what Westerners would consider separation. The Turkish constitution recognizes freedom of religion for individuals, but explicitly states that religious communities derive no rights at all from this. The mainstream Hanafi school of Sunni Islam is largely organized by the state, through Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı (Department of Religious Affairs). The Diyanet is the main religious framework, successor to the Ulama, Seyh-ul-Islam and Caliph of the Ottoman Empire. As a consequence, they control all mosques and Muslim clerics. Imams are trained in Imam vocational schools and at an academic level at universities. The department is heavily criticized for not supporting religious beliefs asside from Sunni Islam. The separation of church and state is a concept in law whereby the structures of state or national government are kept separate from those of religious institutions. ... Freedom of religion is the individuals right or freedom to hold whatever religious beliefs he or she wishes, or none at all. ... Hanafi is one of the four schools (madhabs) of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam. ... Sunni Islam (Arabic سنّة) is the largest denomination of Islam. ... An Anglicized/Latinized version of the Arabic word خليفة or Khalīfah, Caliph (  listen?) is the term or title for the Islamic leader of the Ummah, or community of Islam. ... A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ... Imam is an Arabic word meaning Leader. The ruler of a country might be called the Imam, for example. ... Sunni Islam (Arabic سنّة) is the largest denomination of Islam. ...

The major regional diversities depend on culture, economy (industry and cash crops in coastal regions), and precipitation (Black Sea littoral where summer drought is unknown). Diversity is the presence of a wide range of variation in the qualities or attributes under discussion. ... Culture refers to the customs, arts, attitudes, institutions, and other traits that characterize a particular society or nation. ... The word economy can refer to any of several things: the economy of the world — see world economy the economy of a country — see economics and economic system Hydrogen economy Judicial economy Political economy Plutonium economy Economy (Eastern Orthodoxy) (concerning a bishops discretionary power to relax rules) Economy, Indiana... In meteorology, precipitation is rain, snow and other material falling from the sky. ... Satellite view of the Black Sea, taken by NASA MODIS Cities of the Black Sea The Black Sea (known as the Euxine Sea in the antiquity) is an inland sea between southeastern Europe and Asia Minor. ... A drought is an extended period where water availability falls below the statistical requirements for a region. ...

Provinces

Main article: Provinces of Turkey Provinces of Turkey are called iller in Turkish, singular is il (see Turkish alphabet for capitalization of i). ...

Turkey is subdivided into 81 provinces (iller, singular - il):

Adana Province is a province located in south-eastern Turkey. ... Adiyaman (Turkish spelling: Adıyaman) is a province in south-central Turkey. ... shows the Location of the Province Afyon Afyonkarahisar (also called more simply Afyon) is a province in western Turkey. ... Ağrı is a border province in eastern Turkey, bordering Iran to the east, Kars to the North, Erzurum to the Northeast, Mus and Bitlis to the Southeast, Van to the south, and Igdir to the northeast. ... shows the Location of the Province Aksaray Aksaray is a province in western Turkey. ... shows the Location of the Province Amasya Amasya is a province of Turkey, situated in the Black Sea Region to the north of the country. ... Ankara from the Atakule Tower, looking N-NE Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the countrys second largest city after Istanbul. ... Antalya is a province in southwest Turkey, bordering Mugla to the East, Burdur, Isparta and Konya to the North, and Karaman and Mersin to the west. ... shows the Location of the Province Ardahan Ardahan is a province in the northwestern_most corner of Turkey, along part of the border with Georgia. ... Artvin Province is a province in north-eastern Turkey next to the Black Sea and Georgia (country). ... Aydin (Turkish spelling: Aydın) is a province of Turkey, and its located in the southwestern Anatolian district, or more specifically in the Aegan region, in Turkish called Ege bölgesi. ... shows the Location of the Province Balıkesir Balıkesir is a province in midwestern Turkey, having shorelines on both Marmara and the Aegean seas. ... Bartin is a small province in northern Turkey on the Black Sea, surrounding the city of Bartin. ... Categories: Turkey geography stubs | Provinces of Turkey ... shows the Location of the Province Bayburt Bayburt is a province of Turkey. ... Bilecik is a province in midwest Turkey, neighboring Bursa to the east, Kocaeli and Sakarya to the north, Bolu to the west, Eskişehir to the southeast and Kütahya to the south, spanning an area of 4,307 km2. ... Map showing the location of Bingöl Province Bingöl is a province of Turkey. ... shows the Location of the Province Bitlis Bitlis is a province of Turkey. ... shows the Location of the Province Bolu Bolu is a province in north western Turkey, around the ancient city of Bolu. ... Categories: Provinces of Turkey | Turkey geography stubs ... shows the Location of the Province Bursa Bursa is a province in western Turkey, along the Sea of Marmara. ... Canakkale is a province of Turkey, located in the northwestern part of the country. ... Çankiri(correct spelling Çankırı) is a Turkey. ... Corum (Turkish spelling Çorum; pronunciation: CHO-room) is a province of Turkey. ... Denizli is a province of Turkey in Western Anatolia. ... Diyarbakir is a province in eastern Turkey. ... Düzce is a province in northwestern Turkey. ... Edirne is the westernmost province of Turkey, located in European Turkey (known in antiquity as Thrace) along the Greek border. ... Elazig Province is a province of Turkey with its seat in the city of Elazig. ... A city on the Eastern region of Anatolia which was destroyed and rebuilt after a powerful earthquake in the early 1930s. ... Erzurum (or Erzerum, Arzen in antiquity, Karin in ancient Armenian, Theodosiupolis or Theodosiopolis during Byzantine rule) is one of the Provinces of Turkey, in the Eastern Anatolia Region, to the east of the country. ... Eskisehir (Turkish spelling: Eskişehir; literal meaning: old town) is a province in northwestern Turkey. ... Gaziantep is a province in south-central Turkey, and is also the name of the provinces capital and largest city (population 853,513 as of 2000). ... Giresun is a province of Turkey and is located in the Black Sea region. ... Categories: Turkey geography stubs | Provinces of Turkey ... shows the Location of the Province Hakkari Hakkari is a province in southernmost Turkey, located at the juncture of Iraq and Iran. ... Hatay is a province of southern Turkey, situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the west and Syria to the south and east. ... shows the Location of the Province Iğdır Igdir is a province in eastern Turkey, located along the border with Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran. ... Isparta is a province in southwestern Turkey. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Izmir (Turkish spelling İzmir, contraction of its former name Smyrna, Σμυρνη in Greek), the second-largest port (after İstanbul) and the third most populous city (2,409,000 in 2000) of Turkey is located on the Aegean Sea near the Gulf of Izmir. ... Kahramanmaras (Turkish spelling: Kahramanmaraş; alternative spelling Kahramanmarash; sometimes referred as Kahraman Maras or simply Maras) is a province of Turkey. ... Karabük is a province in north-central Turkey. ... Karaman is a province of central Turkey. ... Kars is a province of Turkey, and is located in the northeastern part of the country, next to the border with Armenia. ... Kastamonu is one of the Provinces of Turkey, in the Black Sea Region, to the north of the country. ... The Kayseri Province, in central Turkey, is an area that has been linked with mythological stories as well as important figures in Turkish history. ... Kilis is a province of Turkey. ... shows the Location of the Province Kirklareli Kırklarelli is a province of Turkey. ... Shows the Location of the Province Kırşehir Kirsehir Province is located in southern Turkey, forming part of the central Anatolian region. ... Kocaeli is a province of Turkey. ... Konya is a province of Turkey located in central Anatolia. ... Kutahya is a province of Turkey. ... Malatya Province is a province in Anatolia (Turkey). ... Manisa Province is a Province in western Turkey. ... Map showing the location of Mardin Province of Turkish Kurdistan View from Mardin to the Mesopotamian plains Mardin old town Mardin Province is a province of Turkey. ... Mersin (also known as Icel) is a province in southwestern Turkey, along the Mediterranean coast. ... Mugla (Turkish spelling: Muğla) is a province in southwestern Turkey, along the Aegean Sea. ... Mus (Turkish spelling: Muş; alternative transliteration: Mush) is a province in eastern Turkey. ... Nevsehir (Turkish spelling: Nevşehir) is a province in central Turkey. ... Ordu is a province of Turkey, located on the Black Sea coast. ... Rize is a province of Turkey and is located along the eastern part of the Black Sea coast. ... Sakarya is a province of Turkey and is located in the Marmara region. ... Samsun is a province of Turkey on the Black Sea coast with a population of 377,500 (2000). ... This article needs cleanup. ... Sinop is a province of Turkey, along the Black Sea. ... The province of Sivas is located at the eastern part of the Central Anatolian region of Turkey. ... Tokat is a province in northern Turkey. ... Trabzon is a province of Turkey on the Black Sea coast. ... Tunceli is a province in eastern Turkey. ... Usak (Turkish spelling: Uşak; alternative transliteration: Ushak) is a province in western Turkey. ... Van is a province in eastern Turkey, between Lake Van and the Iranian border. ... Yalova is a province in northwestern Turkey, along the Sea of Marmora. ... Yozgat is a province in central Turkey. ... Zonguldak is a province along the western Black Sea coast region of Turkey. ...

Miscellaneous topics

• Communications in Turkey
• Transportation in Turkey
• Military of Turkey
• Pan-Turkism
• Human rights in Turkey

Turkey has one of the most developed telecommunication network in the region. ... Railways: total: 8,607 km standard gauge: 8,607 km 1. ... Military branches: Land Forces, Navy (includes Naval Air and Naval Infantry), Air Force, Coast Guard, Gendarmerie Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2004 est. ... Pan-Turkism is a political movement aimed at uniting the various Turkic peoples into modern political states. ... Human rights in Turkey have long been an international issue and it gained importance recently, affecting the accession of Turkey to the European Union. ...

External links

Official:

• E-Turkiye (http://www.turkiye.gov.tr) - Official gateway to Turkish government (in Turkish)
• Çankaya (http://www.cankaya.gov.tr) - Official presidential site (in Turkish)
• Başbakanlık  (http://www.basbakanlik.gov.tr) - Official prime ministerial site (in Turkish)
• TBMM (http://www.tbmm.gov.tr) - Official parliamentary site (in Turkish)
• Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Turkey (http://www.tourismturkey.org/) official site (in English)
• All About Turkey (http://www.mfa.gov.tr/) - Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Turkish Embassy in Washington D.C. (http://www.turkishembassy.org)
• Constitution of Turkish Republic (http://www.yargitay.gov.tr/bilgi/kanun_liste/PC12709.HM5.frameset.html) (in Turkish)

Unofficial (Tourism):

• Pictures of Turkey (http://www.turkishclass.com/pictures.php) - Annotated pictures of Turkey
• Turkey Tribune (http://www.anorak.jp) - High-resolution pictures of cities, nature, and people in Turkey
• Examples of Traditional Turkish and Ottoman Costumes on Dolls (http://www.turkishitems.com)
• Pictures from almost all cities, many museums etc. with English texts (http://www.pbase.com/dosseman) The result of 12 years of travel all over Turkey, 4700+ pictures, over 90 galleries
• Turkey News (http://HavenWorks.com/world/turkey)
• Guide for property and tourism in Turkey (http://www.turkeyrealestate.co.uk)
• Kuşadası(a tourism center) (http://users.swing.be/kusadasi)
• Pictures from a backpackers trip through Turkey (http://turkey.ianandwendy.com)

Unofficial (Other):

• Learn Turkish Language (http://www.turkishclass.com) - Turkish language lessons and pictures, videos and information about Turkey
• Historic Pictures (http://mypage.iu.edu/~ktuncay/Turkey/index.html) Kağan Tuncay
• Turkey information (http://www.turkeyforyou.com) - Information about Turkey and pictures
• Tulumba.com (http://www.tulumba.com) - Largest Turkish Online Megastore in the US
• Law Search engine (http://www.hukukara.com) - Law Search engine (in Turkish)
• Health Law (http://www.saglikhukuku.net) - Health law (in Turkish)
• Istanbul - Turkey (http://members.fortunecity.com/fstav1/constantinople.html)
• BBC News Country Profile - Turkey (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/country_profiles/1022222.stm)
• CIA World Factbook - Turkey (http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/tu.html)
• Library of Congress Country Studies - Turkey (http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/trtoc.html) data as of January 1995
• LookSmart - Republic of Turkey (http://search.looksmart.com/p/browse/us1/us317836/us317916/us559898/us559967/us560124/) directory category
• Open Directory Project - Turkey (http://dmoz.org/Regional/Middle_East/Turkey/) directory category
• Yahoo! - Turkey (http://dir.yahoo.com/regional/countries/turkey/) directory category
• Yahoo! News Full Coverage - Turkey (http://fullcoverage.yahoo.com/fc/World/Turkey) news headline links

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The Kingdom of Belgium (Dutch: Koninkrijk België, French: Royaume de Belgique, German: Königreich Belgien) is a country in Western Europe, bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and the North Sea. ... Bosnia and Herzegovina (officially Bosna i Hercegovina, shortened to BiH, also in English variously written Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Bosnia-Hercegovina) is a mountainous country in the western Balkans. ... The Republic of Bulgaria is a republic in the southeast of Europe. ... The Republic of Croatia is a crescent-shaped country in Europe bordering the Mediterranean, Central Europe and the Balkans. ... Cyprus (in Greek Kypros Κύπρος and in Turkish Kıbrıs) is an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, 113 kilometres (70 miles) south of Turkey and around 120 km west of the Syrian coast. ... 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The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... Greece, officaly called the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), is a country in the southeast of Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. ... The Republic of Hungary (Magyar Köztársaság) or Hungary (Magyarország) is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. ... Iceland - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... The Republic of Ireland (Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann) is the official description of an independent state which covers approximately five-sixths of the island of Ireland, off the coast of north-west Europe. ... The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... The Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Republika), or Latvia (Latvian: Latvija), is a country in Northern Europe. ... The Principality of Liechtenstein (German: Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is a tiny, doubly landlocked country (one of two such countries, the other being Uzbekistan) in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to its west and by Austria to its east. ... The Republic of Lithuania (in Lithuanian, Lietuva) is a republic in Northeastern Europe. ... The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a small landlocked state in the north-west of the continental European Union, bordered by France, Germany and Belgium. ... National motto: None Official languages Macedonian2 Capital Skopje President Branko Crvenkovski Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 145th 25,713 km² 1. ... 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