TURKEY

TURKEY

The Republic of Turkey is a state with an area of ​​783 thousand sq. km, located at the junction of Europe and Asia, with a population of 83 million people (2020), ranks 19th in the world in terms of population and 36th in terms of territory. Member of NATO, candidate for membership in the European Union.

The capital is Ankara. The head of state is the president, legislative power belongs to a unicameral parliament. The state language is Turkish. Religion is legally separated from the state.

Modern Turkey was formed in 1923 as a result of the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, which for 500 years was one of the strongest states in the world. Even earlier, this region was part of the ancient states: the Hittite Kingdom, Assyria, Urartu, Byzantium, Persia, Rome and others.

Population

The main population of the country is Turks. Also, more than 25 nationalities live in the country – Kurds, Arabs, Greeks, Circassians, Armenians, Jews, Georgians, Lazes and others. The overwhelming majority of the population is Muslim. An increase in the number of population is observed, while the distribution over the territory is extremely uneven – with the lowest density in the east and an increase in the west of the country and the coasts of the seas. The share of urban population is about 75%, the most populous city is Istanbul.

Economy

The Turkish economy has shown an average annual GDP growth rate of 4.9% over two decades. With a constantly negative trade balance, these dynamics presuppose a significant export of services and an inflow of foreign capital. Pursuing a policy of import substitution and taking into account the limited natural resources, the country develops the manufacturing industry, exports of steel and other goods, and imports energy resources.

Key industries include textiles, leather, food, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, automotive, electrical household goods, as well as wholesale and retail trade, and construction. The share of the agricultural sector is gradually decreasing, but agriculture remains an important industry, producing cotton, tobacco, olives, cereals, sugar beets, nuts and fruits, and animal products.

The bulk of Turkey’s merchandise exports are vehicles (15.3% in 2019), Turkey’s main export partner is the European Union. The structure of imports is dominated by mineral fuels and oil products (20.5%).

Transport

Highways and railways (including one high-speed line) run through the territory of Turkey. Several airlines operate in the country, there is a developed system of public transport – buses, metro. There are also several ports, oil and gas pipelines.

Tourism

Turkey’s climate – from temperate continental to tropical desert, often has high-altitude zoning, since mountains occupy a significant part of the country’s territory. All this, as well as the variety of attractions, creates opportunities for different types of tourism. The country has a well-developed tourist service.

Interesting

Russian-Turkish diplomatic relations were established in 1701, when the embassy of the Russian kingdom was opened in Istanbul. However, historians count a longer period of interstate relations – from 1492, from the message on trade of Prince Ivan III to the Ottoman Sultan Bayazet II.

On December 13, 2018, the Turkish Space Agency (KAT) was officially established in the country, which will be financed from the state budget.

The monetary unit is the Turkish lira (TL).

GMT: +3 hours (summer), + 2 (winter).