| Area |
779,452 sq km (300,948 sq miles). |
| Population |
69,757,000 (2002). |
| Capital |
Ankara - population 3,208,000 (2002) |
| Climate |
Temperatures in Ankara very between- 4°C (25°F) and 30°C (86°F)- Marmara and the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts have a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. |
| Language |
Turkish. Kurdish is also spoken by a minority in the southeast. French, German and English are widely spoken in cities and tourist areas. |
| Religion |
Muslim with a small Christian minority. Turkey is a secular state, which guarantees complete freedom of worship to non-Muslims. |
| Time |
GMT + 2
|
| Highlights |
Located in Western Asia between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, Turkey offers a wealth of history stretching back thousands of years, culture, ever-changing landscapes and people who are proud to share their natural inheritance with the visitor. Istanbul is a lively, bustling city combining magnificent mosques and palaces with the vibrant, colourful bazaars of present day commercial life. Many important historical sites can be found along the coast of Aegean amongst which are Ephesus and the remains of the ancient city of Troy.
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| Country Facts |
Turkey borders Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq and Syria in the East. It forms a long wide peninsular which is surrounded by the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean on three sides. Two mountain ranges run from West to East, the Black Sea Mountains and the Taurus which converge in a huge mountainous region in the east of the country where the two ancient rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates originate. Marmara and the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts have a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. |