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ALANYA
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ANTALYA
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ABOUT TURKEY |
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About Turkey
Turkey is a country
located at a point where the three continents of the old world (Asia, Africa, and
Europe) are closest to each other and where Asia and Europe meet. Because of its
geographical location, Turkey has always been important throughout history and is
the birth place of many great civilizations.
Geography
A spectacular country surrounded
by sea on three sides, with more than 300 natural and 130 artificial lakes, and
almost %35 of its lands covered by forests and mountains, several rivers cutting
the beaches to reach the seas make the country even more attractive. Turkey's land
mass is 814,578 sq km. The European and Asian sides are divided by the Bosphorus
(Istanbul Bogazi), the Propontis (Sea of Marmara), and the Dardanelles (Canakkale
Bogazi). Anatolia ( Asia Minor as the Roman's called) is a high plateau region rising
progressively towards the east, broken up by the valleys of about 15 rivers, including
the Dicle (Tigris) and the Firat (Euphrates). There are numerous lakes and some,
such as Lake Van, are as large as inland seas. In the north, the eastern Black Sea
Mountain chain runs parallel to the Black Sea; in the south, the Taurus Mountains
sweep clown almost to the narrow, fertile coastal plain along the coast. Turkey
enjoys a variety of climates, ranging from the temperate climate of the Black Sea
region, to the continental climate of the interior, then, to the Mediterranean climate
of the Aegean and Mediterranean coastal regions. The coastline of Turkey's four
seas is more than 8,333 km long.
Wild Life
At the wild life of Turkey, there are 120 species of mammals,
439 birds, and 345 fish. Wolf, fox, wildcat, lynx, marten, hyena, bear, deer, gazelle,
boar, beavers, turtles and tortoises are still found in the land. There are 7 species
of sea turtles in the world, 2 of these are living in Mediterranean basin are caretta
caretta and green turtle known as Chelonia Mydas. Sea turtles nest on some of the
sandy beaches of the Mediterranean.
History
ANATOLIA '' The land, where the sun
rises from '' Turkey has been called "the cradle of civilization" and by travelling
through this historic land, tourists will discover exactly what is meant by this
phrase. The first city ever settled in the world with comparatively modern organizational
systems such as agriculture, animal husbandry, and trading, was a Neolithic city
Catalhoyuk, in central Turkey, dating back to 6,500 BC. From the days of Catalhoyuk
up to the present, Turkey boasts a rich culture that through the centuries has made
a lasting impression on modern civilization. The legacy of all those admirable cultures
make Turkey a paradise of information and cultural wealth. Hattis, Hittites, Carians,
Lelegians Phrygians, Urartians, Lycians, Lydians, Ionians, Dorians, Aeolians, Persians,
Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks, and Ottomans have all made important contributions
to Anatolian history, and ancient sites and ruins scattered throughout the country
give proof of each civilization's unique distinction. When you travel by car, within
half an hour you can meet to an ancient city, remaining from those civilizations.
Even in the ancient times, this fascinating country was respected by those ancient
people, therefore it has been called as ANATOLIA , which means in ancient Greek,
'' The land, where the sun rises from '' as many vital initial ideas came into existence
from her fertile lap. No doubt, people always have been proud of breathing on this
amazing peninsula, combining different cultures, customs and traditions, and she,
once again started to offer her hospitality to new cultures & people, by introducing
a new law permitting foreigners to buy houses, who deserve to meet her affectionate
and fertile lands. Turkey also has a very fascinating recent history. Upon the decline
of the Ottoman Empire, a young man named Mustafa Kemal, who was a soldier by occupation
but in character, a great visionary, took the defeat of World War I and turned it
into a shining victory by liberating Turkey from all foreign invaders. Mustafa Kemal
Ataturk founded the Republic of Turkey on October 29, 1923. He led his country into
peace and stability, with tremendous economic growth and complete, modernization.
Through decades of change and growth, Turkey still boasts this success, living by
its adopted motto of "Peace at Home, Peace in the World."
Population
According to the 2000 census, Turkey has 68 million
inhabitants, 41% of whom live in the countryside. The major cities are: Istanbul
(10 mil); Ankara, the capital (4 mil); Izmir (3.4 mil); Bursa (2.1 mil); Adana (1.8
mil); and Antalya (1.7 mil).
Language
The Turkish language belongs to the Ural-Altaic group
and has an affinity with the Finno-Hungarian languages. Turkish has been one of
the ancient languages spoken earlier then 1000 BC. by the nomadic tribes and produced
written alphabet around 7th AD. Through out the history, the language has been influenced
by some other languages slightly and different dialects appeared which are widely
spoken. Modern Turkish is written with the Latin alphabet and is spoken by some
150 million people around the world.
Religion
Although 99% of Turkish people are Moslem,
it is a secular state that guarantees complete freedom of worship to non-Moslems.
There are adequate number of churches and synagogues serving to their communities
especially in the big cities where the majority of non-Moslims live.
Economy
Tourism: In recent years, Turkey has become a major tourist destination in Europe. With the rapid development of both summer and winter resorts, more and more people from around the world are able to enjoy the history, culture, and beautiful sites of Turkey. Swimming in the Mediterranean or skiing in Uludag, Turkey has something to offer every tourist.
Agriculture: This plays a very important role in the Turkish economy. The main crops are wheat, rice, cotton, tea, tobacco, hazelnuts, and fruit. Sheep are Turkey's most important livestock, and Turkey is one of the major cotton and wool producers.
Natural resources: The principal minerals extracted are coal, chrome (an important export), iron, copper, bauxite, marble and sulphur.
Industry: Industry is developing rapidly, and is directed mainly towards the processing agricultural products, metallurgy, textiles, and the manufacture of automobiles and agricultural machinery.
Political Structure
The Turkish Republic is based on a secular, democratic, pluralistic and parliamentary system where human rights are protected by law and social justice. The National Assembly is elected by popular vote and the nation is governed by the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. Turkey is a founding member of OECD, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization, a member of NATO, the European Council and the European Parliament, and an associate member of the European Union.
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