TURKEY IN BRIEF Official Name The Republic of Turkey (Türkiye Cumhuriyeti) Founder Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK ( 1881-1938 ) Capital ANKARA Turkish Flag Population 67.8 million (as of 2000) Language Turkish (uses Latin Alphabet) Currency New Turkish Lira ( YTL ) as of 1/1/2005    1 YTL=1,000,000 TL ( Turkish Lira ) Location Eastern Mediterranean . Located on two contitents Europe and Asia . The European part of Turkey is called Thrace , while the Asian part is called Anatolia or ( Asia Minor ) Area 814 578 Km2 (314 500 square miles) % 3   % 97   on the European continent on the Asian continent Major Cities Istanbul Ankara Izmir Konya Bursa Adana 10.0 million 4.0 million 3.3 million 2.2 million 2.1 million 1.8 million   Religion 99 percent of the population is Muslim. Turkey is a secular state that assures complete freedom of worship to non-Muslims. National Anthem “ Istiklal Marsi ” Lyrics by : Mehmet Akif Ersoy  Adopted as Turkey ’s National Anthem on March 12,1921 Government Turkey is democratic, secular and social stategoverned by the rule of law; committed to the nationalism of Atatürk and based on the principle of the separation of powers; Legislative Power : The Turkish Grand National Assembly Executive Power    : President and the Council of Ministers. Judicial Power       : Independent courts and supreme judiciary organs. Coastline 8333 Km. (5000 miles) Turkey is surrounded by sea on three sides, by the Black Sea in the north, the Mediterranean in the south and the Aegean Sea in the west. In the northwest there is also an important internal sea, the Sea of Marmara, between the straits of the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus Geographical  Regions Turkey has 80 administrative provinces and seven geographical regions. The first four of the seven regions are given the names of the seas which are adjacent to them. - Black Sea Region - Marmara Region - Aegean Region - Mediterranean Region The other three regions are named in accordance with their location in the whole of Anatolia. - Central Anatolia Region - Eastern Anatolia Region - Southeastern Anatolia Region Famous Landmarks Ayasofya Museum, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Dolmabahçe Palace, ancient City of Troy, Ephesus, Aphrodisias, Pergamon, Pamukkale, Göreme- Cappadocia, Mt.Nemrut, Safranbolu Some important products As of 1998, Turkey is the world's largest producer of hard-shell nuts, fig and apricot, the fourth STET in fresh vegetables, grape and tobacco production and seventh in wheat and cotton production. Turkish delight and helva are famous throughout the world. Turkey is among the leading countries worldwide in textiles and ready-to-wear clothing production. The exports of this sector constitutes 36 percent of total industrial exports. The leather processing industry is also very developed in Turkey, both in terms of technological level and high production capacity. It places second to textiles in terms of export figures. Other Useful Information Time Local time is equal to GMT + 2 hours. Same time zone all over the country ( seven hours ahead of U.S. eastern standard time ) Electricity 220 volts a.c. throughout Turkey Weights and Measures Metric and Kilo system TRIP PREPARATION WHEN TO COME Marmara, Aegean, and Mediterranean coasts: These coasts have a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. The swimming season becomes shorter the further north one goes: Marmara and North Aegean - June to September; South Aegean and Mediterranean - April to October. Black Sea Coast: Warm summers, mild winters, and relatively high rainfall. Central Anatolia: Steppe climate with hot, dry summers; cold winters. Eastern Anatolia: Long snowy cold winters with mild summers. Southeast Anatolia: Hot summer with mild, rainy winters. TRIP PREPARATION For full information concerning a trip to Turkey, contact your nearest Turkish Tourist Information Office or your travel agent . In Turkey, there are information offices in all principal cities and tourist centers. TRIP PREPARATION WHAT TO WEAR a) Marmara, Aegean, and Mediterranean coasts: Light, cotton summer clothing and cardigans for evening. b) Black Sea, Central and Eastern Anatolia: Summer wear, warmer clothing should be taken for cool evenings at high altitudes. c) Comfortable shoes are necessary for visiting archeological and historical sites. d) Sun hats and sunglasses are advisable in the summer. e) Headscarves should be brought by women for visiting mosques.