Turkey

Once the centre of the Ottoman Empire, the modern secular republic, the Republic of Turkey, was established in 1923 by nationalist leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Straddling the continents of Europe and Asia, Turkey's strategically important location has given it major influence in the region - and control over the entrance to the Black Sea. The Republic of Turkey is located on the Anatolian peninsula in western Asia and a small enclave in Thrace in the Balkan region of Southeast Europe. Turkey has a coastline on the Mediterranean Sea in the south and east and on the Black Sea in the north. It borders Armenia, Turkey and Azerbaijan (at the exclave of Nakhchivan) in the east, Georgia in the northeast, Bulgaria and Greece in the northwest, and Iraq and Syria in the southeast. Turkey covers an area of 783,562 km²; the country is more than twice the size of Germany or slightly smaller than the U.S. states of Texas and Louisiana combined. The capital of Turkey is Ankara and its official language is Turkish.

Straddling Europe and Asia, where East meets West, Turkey's melting pot of cultures is best reflected in its cuisine. If you're a newcomer to Turkish food and you've got a mouth-watering journey ahead of you, then get started with these three classic dishes. Iskender kebab, long lamb strips cooked and served Turkish food with a spicy tasty tomato sauce and yoghurt on pita bread and melted butter on top. Iskender kebab was named after Master Alexander (Iskender Efendi) from the Ottoman Empire who lived in Bursa. Flat and crunchy Lahmacun is like a pizza prepared with minced meat, salad and lemon on bread and can be wrapped or foldable in half. The Turkish pizza counterpart is full of taste. Minced lamb and amazing Mediterranean spices are partying in your mouth. It is one of the popular street food you can find all over Turkey. So, you should give place to it in your menu on your next holiday to Turkey. Dating back to the Ottoman Empire, baklava is one of the most iconic Turkish dishes and a must for anyone with a sweet tooth. This layered pastry is filled with nuts and covered in syrup and ground pistachios for an unforgettable Mediterranean dessert. You can find baklava in most bakeries and supermarkets, but it's best when freshly baked.

Turkey is famous for the Blue Mosque, the New Mosque, the Hagia Sophia (now a mosque again), and the Topkapı Palace in Istanbul; the Bosporus Bridge, which connects Asia with Europe; the Galata Bridge in Istanbul spans the Golden Horn; the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul; Döner kebab, İskender kebap, Baklava and Turkish coffee and tea; the Evil eye (nazar); Tulips, Turkish carpets; the Turkish bath (hammam); whirling dervishes (Sufi dance moves); the beaches of Incekum, Ölüdeniz (Blue Lagoon), Kaputas, and Antalya; the amazing travertine terraces of Pamukkale; the cave houses of Cappadocia, Mount Ararat, the resting place of Noah's Ark; Troy, the setting of the Trojan War; and the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the seven wonders of the world.

Activity 1: Read the text and answer the questions: