Turkey
Geography | People | Government | Economy | Transportation | Communications | Defense | History | Travel
GEOGRAPHY
Location
Southwestern Asia (that part west of the Bosporus is sometimes included with Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria
Area
- Total area: 780,580 sq km
- Land area: 770,760 sq km
- Comparative area: slightly larger than Texas
Land Boundaries
Total 2,627 km, Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km, Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 331 km, Syria 822 km
Coastline
7,200 km
Maritime Claims
- Exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only - to the maritime boundary agreed upon with the former USSR
- Territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea, 12 nm in the Black Sea and in the Mediterranean Sea
International Disputes
Complex maritime, air and territorial disputes with Greece in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question; Hatay question with Syria; ongoing dispute with downstream riparians (Syria and Iraq) over water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Climate
Temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior
Terrain
Mostly mountains; narrow coastal plain; high central plateau (Anatolia)
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m
Natural Resources
- Antimony
- Coal
- Chromium
- Mercury
- Copper
- Borate
- Sulphur
- Iron ore
Land Use
- Arable land: 30%
- Permanent crops: 4%
- Meadows and pastures: 12%
- Forest and woodland: 26%
- Other: 28%
Irrigated Land
22,200 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment
- Current issues: water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation
- Natural hazards: very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van
- International agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Desertification, Environmental Modification
Note: Strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas
PEOPLE
Population
62,484,478 (July 1996 est.)
63,405,526 (July 1995 est.)
Age Structure
0-14 Years
32% (male 10,192,195; female 9,836,045) (July 1996 est.)
35% (male 11,203,723; female 10,815,288) (July 1995 est.)
15-64 Years
62% (male 19,859,717; female 19,187,769) (July 1996 est.)
60% (male 19,391,037; female 18,723,772) (July 1995 est.)
65 Years and Over
6% (male 1,571,451; female 1,837,301) (July 1996 est.)
5% (male 1,507,343; female 1,764,363) (July 1995 est.)
Population Growth Rate
1.67% (1996 est.)
1.97% (1995 est.)
Birth Rate
22.26 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
25.33 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death Rate
5.52 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
5.64 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net Migration Rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.86 male(s)/female
all ages:
1.02 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate
43.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
45.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life Expectancy at Birth
- Total population: 71.92 years (1996 est.); 71.48 years (1995 est.)
- Male: 69.53 years 91996 est); 69.11 years (1995 est.)
- Female: 74.43 years (1996 est.); 73.96 years (1995 est.)
Total Fertility Rate
2.58 children born/woman (1996 est.)
3.12 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality
- Noun: Turk(s)
- Adjective: Turkish
Ethnic Divisions
Religions
Languages
Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic
Literacy
Age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)
- Total population: 82.3%
- Male: 91.7%
- Female: 72.4%
Labor Force
20.9 million
By occupation:
- Agriculture 46%
- Services 31%
- Industry 23%
Note: About 1.5 million Turks work abroad (1994)
GOVERNMENT
Names
- Conventional long form: Republic of Turkey
- Conventional short form: Turkey
- Local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti
- Local short form: Turkiye (Pronunciation)
Digraph
TU
Type
Republican parliamentary democracy
Capital
Ankara
Administrative Divisions
79 provinces (iller, singular - il); Adana, Adiyaman, Afyon, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol, Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gazi Antep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Icel, Iggdir, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir, Kahraman Maras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanli Urfa, Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon, Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak
note: Karabuk, Kilis, and Yalova are three new Turkish provinces mentioned in the 24 December 1995 election results
Independence
29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)
National Holiday
Anniversary of the Declaration of the Republic, 29 October (1923)
Constitution
7 November 1982
Legal System
Derived from various continental legal systems; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Executive Branch
- Chief of state: President Suleyman DEMIREL (since 16 May 1993)
- Head of government: Prime Minister Mesut YILMAZ (since 12 March 1996) and Deputy Prime Minister Nahit MENTESE (since 12 March 1996) were appointed by the president
National Security Council
Advisory body to the President and the Cabinet
- Cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president on nomination of the prime minister
Legislative Branch
Unicameral
Grand National Assembly of Turkey
(Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi) elections last held 24 December 1995 (next to be held by December 2000); results - RP 21.38%, DYP 19.18%, ANAP 19.65%, DSP 14.64%, CHP 10.71%, independent 0.48%; seats - 550 total) RP 158, DYP 135, ANAP 133, DSP 75, CHP 49
Note: Seats held by various parties are subject to change due to defections, creation of new parties, and ouster or death of sitting deputies; current seats by party are as follows: RP 158, DYP 135, ANAP 126, DSP 75, CHP 49, BBP 7
Judicial Branch
Constitutional Court, judges appointed by the president; Court of Appeals, judges are elected by the Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors
Political Parties and Leaders
True Path Party (DYP), Tansu CILLER; Motherland Party (ANAP), Mesut YILMAZ; Welfare Party (RP), Necmettin ERBAKAN; Democratic Left Party (DSP), Bulent ECEVIT; Nationalist Action Party (MHP), Alparslan TURKES; New Party (YP), Yusuf Bozkurt OZAL; Republican People's Party (CHP), Deniz BAYKAL; Workers' Party (IP), Dogu PERINCEK; Nation Party (MP), Aykut EDIBALI; Democrat Party (DP), Murat UZMAN; Grand Unity Party (BBP), Muhsin YAZICIOGLU; Rebirth Party (YDP), Hasan Celal GUZEL; People's Democracy Party (HADEP), Murat BOZLAK; Main Path Party (ANAYOL), Gurcan BASER; Democratic Target Party (DHP), Abdulkadir Yasar TURK; Liberal Party (LP), Besim TIBUK; New Democracy Movement (YDH), Cem BOYNER; Labor Party (EP), Abdullah Levent TUZER; Democracy and Peace Party (DBP), Refik KARAKOC; Freedom and Solidarity Praty (ODP), Ufuk URAS
Other Political or Pressure Groups
Turkish Confederation of Labor (Turk-Is), Bayram MERAL; Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions (DISK), Ridvan BUDAK; Moral Rights Workers Union (Hak-Is), Salim USLU; Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD), Halis KOMILI; Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB), Ali Osman ULUSOY; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions (TISK), Refik BAYDUR; Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (MUSIAD), Erol YARAR
Member of
AsDB, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN (observer), EBRD, ECE, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NACC, NATO, NEA, OECD, OIC, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Anthem
Flag
Red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening
ECONOMY
Overview
The Turkish economy consists of a mixture, on the one hand, of modern industry and commerce, and, on the other hand, of time-honored village agriculture and crafts. Since World War II, it has become increasingly integrated into the West European economic arena, for example, as a member of OECD. The economy has improved significantly since the 1994 crisis, when the economy experienced a sharp drop and inflation hit triple digits. The crisis - sparked by the downgrading in January 1994 of Turkey's international credit rating by two US rating agencies - stemmed from years of loose monetary and fiscal policies that had exacerbated inflation and allowed the public debt, money supply, and current account deficit to explode. In April 1994, then Prime Minister CILLER introduced a stabilization package that paved the way for a $950 million IMF standby loan. However, because the government missed key macroeconomic targets in 1995 and the December national election produced months of political wrangling, the IMF put the agreement - and release of remaining funds - on hold. The new center-right minority government that finally has emerged will find it difficult to balance the need for new austerity measures and tough structural reforms with the pressure for continued buoyant growth. Ankara is also likely to face internal opposition to policies it must implement as part of the Turkey-EU customs union agreement - which came into force on 1 January 1996 - because many industries are unfit for EU competition and much-needed revenues will decline with the elimination of import tariffs and surcharges. Meanwhile, Ankara's heavy debt repayment schedule in 1996 makes it necessary for Turkish leaders to bolster the confidence of both domestic and foreign investors.
National Product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $345.7 billion (1995 est.); $305.2 billion (1994 est.)
National Product Real Growth Rate
6.8% (1995 est.)
-5% (1994 est.)
National Product Per Capita
$5,500 (1995 est.)
$4,910 (1994 est.)
Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)
94% (1995)
106% (1994)
Unemployment Rate
12.6% (1994)
Budget
- Revenues: $30.2 billion
- Expenditures: $35 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.8 billion (1995)
Exports
$20.7 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
$15.3 billion (f.o.b., 1993)
Commodities:
- Textiles and apparel 37%
- Steel products 12%
- Fruits and vegetables 11% (1994)
Partners:
Imports
$32.6 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
$27.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993)
Commodities:
- Machinery 25%
- Fuels 17%
- Raw materials 11%
- Foodstuffs 5% (1994)
Partners:
- Germany 16%
- U.S. 10%
- Italy 9%
- Russia 8% (1994)
External Debt
$73.8 billion (1995 est.)
$66.6 billion (1994)
Industrial Production
Growth rate 8.8% (1995); 6.7% (1993); accounts for 33.2% of GDP
Electricity
- Capacity: 18,710,000 kW
- Production: 71 billion kWh
- Consumption per capita: 1,079 kWh (1993)
Industries
- Textiles
- Food processing
- Mining (coal
- Chromite
- Copper
- Boron)
- Steel
- Petroleum
- Construction
- Lumber
- Paper
Agriculture
Accounts for 15.5% of GDP; products - tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulses, citrus fruit, variety of animal products; self-sufficient in food most years
Illicit Drugs
Major transit route for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish to Western Europe and the U.S. via air, land, and sea routes; major Turkish, Iranian, and other international trafficking organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert imported morphine base into heroin are in remote regions of Turkey as well as near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate
Economic Aid
- Recipient: ODA, $195 million (1993); U.S. commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $2.3 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $10.1 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $665 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $4.5 billion
Note: Aid for Persian Gulf war efforts from coalition allies (1991), $4.1 billion; aid pledged for Turkish Defense Fund, $2.5 billion
Currency
1 Turkish lira (TL) = 100 kurus
Turkish liras (TL) per US$1 - 60,502.1 (January 1996), 45,845.1 (1995), 29,608.7 (1994), 10,984.6 (1993), 6,872.4 (1992), 4,171.8 (1991), 2,608.6 (1990)
Fiscal Year
Calendar year
TRANSPORTATION
Railroads
- Total: 10,386 km
- Standard gauge: 10,386 km 1.435-m gauge (1,088 km electrified)
Highways
- Total: 386,704 km
- Paved: 45,683 km (including 862 km of expressways)
- Unpaved: 341,021 km (1992 est.)
Inland Waterways
About 1,200 km
Pipelines
Crude oil 1,738 km; petroleum products 2,321 km; natural gas 708 km
Ports
Gemlik, Hopa, Iskenderun, Istanbul, Izmir, Izmit, Mersin, Samsun, Trabzon
Merchant Marine
- Total: 465 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,509,741 GRT/9,494,434 DWT
- Ships by type: bulk 139, cargo 212, chemical tanker 18, combination bulk 7, combination ore/oil 12, container 2, liquefied gas tanker 4, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 43, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 15, short-sea passenger 7, specialized tanker 2
note: Turkey owns an additional 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 247,369 DWT operating under the registries of Malta, Panama, Libya, and Greece (1995 est.)
Airports
- Total: 104
- With paved runways over 3,047 m: 17
- With paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 19
- With paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
- With paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 18
- With paved runways under 914 m: 28
- With unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 2
- With unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (1995 est.)
Heliports
2 (1995 est.)
COMMUNICATIONS
Telephone System
6.89 million telephones (1990 est.); fair domestic and international systems
- Local: NA
- Intercity: trunk radio relay microwave network; limited open wire network
- International: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Atlantic Ocean regions); 1 submarine cable
Radio
- Broadcast stations: AM 15, FM 94, shortwave 0
- Radios: 9.4 million (1992 est.)
Television
- Broadcast stations: 357
- Televisions: 10.53 million (1993 est.)
DEFENSE FORCES
Branches
Land Forces, Navy (includes Naval Air and Naval Infantry), Air Force, Coast Guard, Gendarmerie
Manpower Availability
Males age 15-49 16,937,828; males fit for military service 10,312,010; males reach military age (20) annually 637,456 (1996 est.)
Defense Expenditures
Exchange rate conversion - $6.0 billion, 4% of GDP (1995); $6.9 billion, 4.1% of GDP (1993); note - figures do not include about $7 billion for the government's counterinsurgency efforts against the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)
History
World Atlas
