Turkey Flag
Following the collapse of the Mongol Empire in the 14th century, Gazi Osman established the Ottoman Empire, named after himself. This empire became one of the longest-lasting in history and extended its reach across the Balkans, including present-day Yugoslavia and Bulgaria. Governed by Islamic law, the empire still granted certain rights to religious minorities.
During World War I, the Ottoman Empire was part of the Central Powers. During the conflict, 500,000 Armenians were killed in what is known as the Armenian genocide, though Turkey disputes the classification of the event as genocide. After the Central Powers were defeated, the Ottoman Empire fell. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk then led the newly formed Turkish army in expelling foreign forces, such as the Greeks, and removed the Ottoman imperial family from Anatolia.
The Hittites established the first major empire in the region, thriving in Central Anatolia between the 18th and 13th centuries BCE. They spoke an Indo-European language and developed a sophisticated culture. However, their kingdom fell in the 11th century BCE due to invasions by the Sea People, leading to the emergence of successor states such as Lydia, Caria, and Lycia.
By 1950 BCE, Armenians and Assyrians had settled in southeastern Turkey. The Assyrian capital, Tushhan, flourished between 900 and 600 BCE, but Assyrian rule ended when Babylonia conquered their empire in 612 BCE. Anatolia then became home to various influential kingdoms, including the Achaemenid Empire, Hellenistic realms, the Roman and Byzantine Empires, the Seljuk Empire, and later, the Mongol Empire.
Turkey is a member of both the OECD and the G-20, ranking among the world's 20 largest economies. The national currency is the Lira, and Turkey holds historical significance as the place where the first coins were minted.
During the 1970s, economic hardships prompted many Turks to migrate to countries like Germany in search of better job opportunities. Many of these individuals returned to Turkey for summer vacations, and today, a significant number express a desire to move back permanently.
Until the 1980s, the Turkish government controlled most businesses, but Prime Minister Turgut Özal implemented privatization policies, allowing foreign investment. Previously, foreigners were restricted from purchasing companies, land, or property. Turkey's trade relations are largely centered around the EU, the United States, the Russian Federation, and Japan. Turkey and the EU reached an agreement to reduce trade taxes, making it easier for Turkish factories to sell products to the EU and for European investors to acquire Turkish businesses.
In 2010, Turkey’s exports totaled $117 billion USD. However, economic growth faced setbacks due to earthquakes in 1994, 1999, and 2001. Lacking petroleum and possessing limited natural gas reserves, Turkey relies on imports from countries such as Russia. Although oil was discovered in Diyarbakir in 2010, the quantity was insufficient for extraction. Currently, Turkey is exploring natural gas resources in Northern Cyprus.
Turkish is the primary language spoken in Turkey, written in Latin script and part of the Turkic language family, which includes Azerbaijani and Tatar. Originally from Central Asia, Turkish has evolved into a distinct form compared to other languages in the region. Accents vary geographically—Turks near the Mediterranean have deeper, more pronounced tones, while those in the Black Sea region tend to speak with softer accents.
Turkey is also home to diverse linguistic communities, with minorities speaking Arabic, Kurdish, Armenian, Greek, Ladino, Romani, and various other languages. Additionally, many young adults are proficient in English, as it is taught throughout their primary, middle, and high school education.
Ankara serves as Turkey's capital and second-largest city, while Istanbul, the most populous city, uniquely spans two continents. The third-largest city, İzmir, is a key coastal hub and the country's main port. Turkey is organized into 81 provinces, each with a local government handling minor matters, while major decisions are made by the central government in Ankara. These provinces are grouped into seven regions and further divided into 973 districts. The largest city on Turkey's European side is Edirne, located in East Thrace.Turkey's climate is diverse and generally temperate, with coastal regions influenced by the Mediterranean and Black Sea, while the interior experiences a drier, continental climate.
The southern coastal cities, such as Antalya, İzmir, and Adana, exhibit a classic Mediterranean climate, characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. In contrast, northern coastal areas have a cooler climate, ranging from humid temperate to sub-Mediterranean, with frequent rainfall, occasional snow in winter, and warm summers.
Inland, the lower plateaus experience a continental climate, with hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters. Winter precipitation varies greatly—areas like Bitlis receive high humidity, while rain-shadowed regions are semi-arid. At higher elevations, plateaus suitable for permanent settlement, such as Kars and Ardahan, have high-continental or subalpine climates, featuring harsh, snowy winters and mild, rainy summers.
The combination of dry summers in the south and west, along with moderate aridity in the interior, increases Turkey's susceptibility to climate change.