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Middle East :: Turkey Print
Page last updated on January 02, 2019
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Middle East :: Turkey Print
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red with a vertical white crescent moon (the closed portion is toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening; the flag colors and designs closely resemble those on the banner of the Ottoman Empire, which preceded modern-day Turkey; the crescent moon and star serve as insignia for Turkic peoples; according to one interpretation, the flag represents the reflection of the moon and a star in a pool of blood of Turkish warriors
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Ruins of the Roman Senate (Odeon, or small theater) in Ephesus. The city, on the west coast of Asia Minor, was originally Greek, but later became part of the Roman Empire. In Roman times it had a population estimated between 250 and 500 thousand, making it one of the largest cities in the Mediterranean world. Ephesus was partially destroyed by an earthquake in A.D. 614. The city's harbor thereafter slowly silted up causing its commercial importance to decline.
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View of the main road in Ephesus, which still bears the marks of chariot wheels. The Library of Celsus may be seen at the foot of the hill. The background is the site of the silted up harbor.
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Image of the goddess Nike (Victory) in Ephesus, an important Greek and later Roman city in Asia Minor. Its fortunes declined because of invasions, earthquakes, and the silting up of its harbor. It was abandoned in the 15th century.
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The Library of Celsus in Ephesus was built between A.D. 100 and 110 by Gaius Julius Aquila in memory of his father, Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaneanus, a former governor of Roman Asia, who is buried under the library. The library held 1,200 scrolls and was built facing east to make the best use of morning light; it was destroyed by an earthquake in A.D. 270. The facade was reconstructed between 1970 to 1978.
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Ruins of the public bath in Ephesus. The city had several bath complexes erected by the Romans in different part of the city. Its aqueduct system was one of the most complex in the ancient world with multiple aqueducts of different sizes supporting various functions.
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The public toilets in Ephesus were located in the public baths and had running water. Servants were often employed as seat warmers before the patrons used the cold stone seats. An inscription on a wall reads: "Close your eyes, count slowly to 10, and it will come."
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The Great Theater in Ephesus was based on an original Greek structure. In the Roman period, it was expanded under the reigns of Domitian (A.D. 81 to 96) and Trajan (98 to 117). One estimate gives the theater's capacity as 44,000 spectators and as such it would have been the largest in the ancient world. While generally used for theatrical performances and public assemblies, it was also used for gladiatorial contests in the later imperial period.
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The Great Theater in Ephesus was based on an original Greek structure. In the Roman period, it was expanded under the reigns of Domitian (A.D. 81 to 96) and Trajan (98 to 117). One estimate gives the theater's capacity as 44,000 spectators and as such it would have been the largest in the ancient world. While generally used for theatrical performances and public assemblies, it was also used for gladiatorial contests in the later imperial period.
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Seating estimates for the Great Roman Theater in Ephesus vary between 25,000 and 44,000. Regardless of actual capacity, the theater was in continuous use until the 5th century A.D. According to tradition, Saint Paul preached against paganism at this site. Today, partially restored, it is used for an annual festival of culture and art.
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Ruins of the Temple of Hadrian in Ephesus. The temple dates to the 2nd century A.D.; it underwent repairs in the 4th century. The structure has been partially reconstructed from surviving architectural fragments.
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Terrace homes in Ephesus built on a hill opposite the Temple of Hadrian. The wealthy families lived here in six multi-family homes built on three terraces. Most homes were highly decorated and were heated by use of hot water flowing through pipes in the floors and walls. The roof of one house formed the patio or terrace of the house above it. Work on restoring the houses began in 1960.
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Terrace homes in Ephesus built on a hill opposite the Temple of Hadrian. The wealthy families lived here in six multi-family homes built on three terraces. Most homes were highly decorated and were heated by use of hot water flowing through pipes in the floors and walls. The roof of one house formed the patio or terrace of the house above it. Work on restoring the houses began in 1960.
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Terrace homes in Ephesus built on a hill opposite the Temple of Hadrian. The wealthy families lived in six multi-family homes built on three terraces. Most homes were highly decorated; they were heated by use of hot water flowing through pipes in the floors and walls. Work on restoring the houses began in 1960.
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Floor mosaic in a terrace home in Ephesus built on a hill opposite the Temple of Hadrian. The wealthy families lived here in six multi-family homes built on three terraces. Most homes were highly decorated and were heated by use of hot water flowing through pipes in the floors and walls. The roof of one house formed the patio or terrace of the house above it. Work on restoring the houses began in 1960.
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View of the port of Kusadasi on the Aegean Sea. The name Kusadasi means "Bird Island." In Byzantine times it was called "Ephesus Neopolis" and "Scala Nova" under the Genoese and Venetians. Its current name was officially adopted at the beginning of the 20th century by Turkish authorities. Kusadasi is the gateway to the Roman ruins at Ephesus. Some 95 km (57 mi) south of Izmir, it has grown since the late 1970s from a fishing village into a major tourist center serving thousands of tourists. A statue of Kemal Ataturk, the first president of Turkey and the founder of the Turkish Republic, stands on a hill overlooking the city.
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View of apartment buildings in the resort town of Kusadasi on the Aegean Sea. The population of the town increases from 65,000 to 500,000 during the tourist season. Kusadasi is about a 20-minute drive from the Roman ruins at Ephesus.
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Pigeon Island (Guvercin Adasi) in the harbor of Kusadasi. The island is connected to the mainland by a causeway. The fortress dates from the 14th and 15th centuries. In 1834, the castle was rebuilt and the garrison expanded. The island became the focus of the town to the extent that people began referring to the whole town as Kusadasi (Bird Island).
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View of the restored castle on Pigeon Island (Guvercin Adasi) in the harbor of Kusadasi. The fortress was the center of the town's activities in the late 19th century.
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Swirls of color ranging from deep olive green to bright turquoise were created by a massive phytoplankton bloom that covered the entire surface of the Black Sea on this image taken 20 June 2006. Many of Europe's largest rivers, including the Danube, the Dnister, and the Dnipro (Dnieper) dump fresh water into the sea. The sea's only source of salty water is the narrow Bosporus Strait (in the southwest), which connects it to the Mediterranean Sea through the Sea of Marmara. Northern Turkey makes up the southern shore of the sea. The diamond-shaped landmass that projects into the sea from the north is Ukraine's Crimean peninsula. Photo courtesy of NASA.
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The Bosporus (near the center of the photograph), a strait that connects the Black Sea to the north with the Sea of Marmara to the south, stands out in this low-oblique, north-looking photograph. One of the world's most strategic waterways, the strait separates European Turkey to the west with Asiatic Turkey to the east. Istanbul (formerly Constantinople), one of the great historic cities of the world, sits near the Bosporus entrance to the Sea of Marmara. Photo courtesy of NASA.
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A view of Istanbul as taken from the International Space Station. The metropolis of 15 million occupies both sides of the entrance to the narrow, 32 km- (20 mi-) long Bosporus Strait connecting the Mediterranean and Sea of Marmara (south, on the right) to the Black Sea (north, on the left). When this image was taken, strong currents carried turbid coastal waters from the Black Sea through the Strait and into the Sea of Marmara. The sinuous waterway and harbor on the western shore are known as the Golden Horn. Image courtesy of NASA.
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The city of Gallipoli (Gelibolu in Turkish; light gray to pink area in center of photo) sits at a crossroads between the Sea of Marmara (to the right) and the Dardanelles Strait (which leads to the Aegean Sea). Water in the Strait flows in both northeast and southwest directions due to opposite surface and undercurrents. Several ships are visible in the Strait to the southwest of Gallipoli (center left). Image courtesy of NASA.
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This image includes many of the islands of the East Aegean as well as part of mainland Turkey. The largest modern city in the Aegean coast is Izmir, Turkey, situated about one quarter of the image length from the top. The city is the bright coastal area near the greenish waters of Izmir Bay and southeast of the roughly triangular-shaped island of Lesvos. The lengthy island at the bottom of the photo is Crete. North of Crete, the small broken ring of islands are the remnants of the collapsed caldera of Santorini Volcano. Image source: NASA.
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This northeast-looking view shows the Ataturk Reservoir and Dam, presently the largest man-made lake in Turkey. Located in south central Turkey on the Euphrates River, Ataturk Reservoir was completed in the early 1990's. The meandering Euphrates River (dark line) can be seen exiting the scene below the left center of the image. Smooth lake waters appear as dark blue, while wind-roughened waters appear light blue. The light area to the west of the dam (left center) is where rocks were quarried for the construction of the dam. Photo courtesy of NASA.
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A southwest-looking photograph of south-central Turkey and northwest Syria. The Plain of Adana, an extensive agricultural region, is located northwest of the Gulf of Iskenderun (the roughly rectangular-shaped gulf near the center of the photo) and is irrigated by the Seyhan River. Adana, the largest city in the region, can be seen midway between the Gulf and the Taurus Mountains to the west. The coastlines of Syria, Lebanon, and Israel are visible along the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The island of Cyprus can be seen off the Turkish and Syrian coasts. Photo courtesy of NASA.
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Mount Ararat (5,166 m, 16,949 ft) is the largest volcano in Turkey, but is not currently active. It is located in extreme northeastern Turkey, near the borders with Iran and Armenia. Southwest of the main peak lies Lesser Ararat (3,896 m, 12,877 ft). Ahora Gorge is a northeast-trending chasm dropping from the top of the mountain. Claims by different explorers to have found remnants of Noah's Ark on Mount Ararat have led to continuing expeditions to the mountain, many focusing their searches on the gorge area. Photo courtesy of NASA.
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A view of Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey through the fog. The highest of its two peaks, Greater Ararat, is the tallest mountain in Turkey at 5,166 m (16,949 ft). Although located some 32 km (20 mi) from the Armenian border, the dormant volcano dominates the skyline of Yerevan, Armenia's capital. This photo was snapped after take off from the Yerevan airport.
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The Sultan Ahmed Mosque (also known as the Blue Mosque) in Istanbul is the national mosque of Turkey.
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"Fairy chimneys" create a surreal landscape in the Cappadocia region of Turkey. Created by volcanic eruptions and shaped by centuries of wind and rain erosion, each of these structures consists of a soft cone topped by a layer of harder rock. They reach heights of up to 40 m (130 ft).
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Distinctively shaped volcanic cones in the Cappadocia region of Turkey were shaped by centuries of wind and rain erosion. The soft rock is easily carved and hardens like concrete when exposed to the air. Many of these structures have been transformed into domestic dwellings.
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Seagulls come to rest on one of the colorful fishing boats anchored on the shore of the Bosporus Strait in the heart of historic Istanbul.
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The Topkapi Palace courtyard in Istanbul. The Palace was the official residence of the Ottoman Sultans for 400 years. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and contains many holy relics of the Muslim world. Construction was begun in 1459, and at its height, the complex housed 4,000 people. In 1924, a governmental decree transformed the Palace into a museum of the imperial era.
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- Introduction :: Turkey
- Background: This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends.

  Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk or "Father of the Turks." Under his leadership, the country adopted radical social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950 election victory of the opposition Democrat Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of formal political power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then Islamic-oriented government. A coup attempt was made in July 2016 by a faction of the Turkish Armed Forces.

  Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984 by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a US-designated terrorist organization, has long dominated the attention of Turkish security forces and claimed more than 40,000 lives. In 2013, the Turkish Government and the PKK conducted negotiations aimed at ending the violence, however intense fighting resumed in 2015. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. In 1963, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community; it began accession talks with the EU in 2005. Over the past decade, economic reforms, coupled with some political reforms, have contributed to a growing economy, although economic growth slowed in recent years.

  From 2015 and continuing through 2016, Turkey witnessed an uptick in terrorist violence, including major attacks in Ankara, Istanbul, and throughout the predominantly Kurdish southeastern region of Turkey. On 15 July 2016, elements of the Turkish Armed forces attempted a coup that ultimately failed following widespread popular resistance. More than 240 people were killed and over 2,000 injured when Turkish citizens took to the streets en masse to confront the coup forces. In response, Turkish Government authorities arrested, suspended, or dismissed more than 100,000 security personnel, journalists, judges, academics, and civil servants due to their alleged connection with the attempted coup. The government accused followers of an Islamic transnational religious and social movement for allegedly instigating the failed coup and designates the followers as terrorists. Following the failed coup, the Turkish Government instituted a State of Emergency from July 2016 to July 2018. The Turkish Government conducted a referendum on 16 April 2017 in which voters approved constitutional amendments changing Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential system. The amendments went into effect fully following the presidential and parliamentary elections in June 2018.

- Geography :: Turkey
- Location: This entry identifies the country's regional location, neighboring countries, and adjacent bodies of water.
  Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria
  Geographic coordinates: This entry includes rounded latitude and longitude figures for the centroid or center point of a country expressed in degrees and minutes; it is based on the locations provided in the Geographic Names Server (GNS), maintained by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency on behalf of the US Board on Geographic Names.
  39 00 N, 35 00 E
  Map references: This entry includes the name of the Factbook reference map on which a country may be found. Note that boundary representations on these maps are not necessarily authoritative. The entry on Geographic coordinates may be helpful in finding some smaller countries.
  Middle East
  Area: This entry includes three subfields. Total area is the sum of all land and water areas delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines. Land area is the aggregate of all surfaces delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines, excluding inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). Water area is the sum of the surfaces of all inland water bodies, such as lakes, reservoirs, or rivers, as delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines.
  total: 783,562 sq km
  land: 769,632 sq km
  water: 13,930 sq km
  country comparison to the world: 38
  Area - comparative: This entry provides an area comparison based on total area equivalents. Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states based on area measurements (1990 revised) provided by the US Bureau of the Census. The smaller entities are compared with Washington, DC (178 sq km, 69 sq mi) or The Mall in Washington, DC (0.59 sq km, 0.23 sq mi, 146 acres).
  slightly larger than Texas
  Area comparison map:
  The World Factbook Field Image Modal
  Middle East :: Turkey Print
  Image Description

  slightly larger than Texas

  Land boundaries: This entry contains the total length of all land boundaries and the individual lengths for each of the contiguous border countries. When available, official lengths published by national statistical agencies are used. Because surveying methods may differ, country border lengths reported by contiguous countries may differ.
  total: 2,816 km
  border countries (8): Armenia 311 km, Azerbaijan 17 km, Bulgaria 223 km, Georgia 273 km, Greece 192 km, Iran 534 km, Iraq 367 km, Syria 899 km
  Coastline: This entry gives the total length of the boundary between the land area (including islands) and the sea.
  7,200 km
  Maritime claims: This entry includes the following claims, the definitions of which are excerpted from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which alone contains the full and definitive descriptions: territorial sea - the sovereignty of a coastal state extends beyond its land territory and internal waters to an adjacent belt of sea, described as the territorial sea in the UNCLOS (Part II); this sovereignty extends to the air space over the territorial sea as well as its . . . more
  territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea
  exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary agreed upon with the former USSR
  12 nm in Black Sea and in Mediterranean Sea
  Climate: This entry includes a brief description of typical weather regimes throughout the year.
  temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior
  Terrain: This entry contains a brief description of the topography.
  high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several mountain ranges
  Elevation: This entry includes both the mean elevation and the elevation extremes.
  mean elevation: 1,132 m
  elevation extremes: 0 m lowest point: Mediterranean Sea
  5137 highest point: Mount Ararat
  Natural resources: This entry lists a country's mineral, petroleum, hydropower, and other resources of commercial importance, such as rare earth elements (REEs). In general, products appear only if they make a significant contribution to the economy, or are likely to do so in the future.
  coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone, magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable land, hydropower
  Land use: This entry contains the percentage shares of total land area for three different types of land use: agricultural land, forest, and other; agricultural land is further divided into arable land - land cultivated for crops like wheat, maize, and rice that are replanted after each harvest, permanent crops - land cultivated for crops like citrus, coffee, and rubber that are not replanted after each harvest, and includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, and permane . . . more
  agricultural land: 49.7% (2011 est.)
  arable land: 26.7% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 4% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 19% (2011 est.)
  forest: 14.9% (2011 est.)
  other: 35.4% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land: This entry gives the number of square kilometers of land area that is artificially supplied with water.
  52,150 sq km (2012)
  Population distribution: This entry provides a summary description of the population dispersion within a country. While it may suggest population density, it does not provide density figures.
  the most densely populated area is found around the Bosporus in the northwest where 20% of the population lives in Istanbul; with the exception of Ankara, urban centers remain small and scattered throughout the interior of Anatolia; an overall pattern of peripheral development exists, particularly along the Aegean Sea coast in the west, and the Tigris and Euphrates River systems in the southeast
  Natural hazards: This entry lists potential natural disasters. For countries where volcanic activity is common, a volcanism subfield highlights historically active volcanoes.

  severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van; landslides; flooding

  volcanism: limited volcanic activity; its three historically active volcanoes; Ararat, Nemrut Dagi, and Tendurek Dagi have not erupted since the 19th century or earlier

  Environment - current issues: This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry: Acidification - the lowering of soil and water pH due to acid precipitation and deposition usually through precipitation; this process disrupts ecosystem nutrient flows and may kill freshwater fish and plants dependent on more neutral or alkaline conditions (see acid rain). Acid rain - characterized as containing harmful levels of sulfur dioxi . . . more
  water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; land degradation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic; conservation of biodiversity
  Environment - international agreements: This entry separates country participation in international environmental agreements into two levels - party to and signed, but not ratified. Agreements are listed in alphabetical order by the abbreviated form of the full name.
  party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
  Geography - note: This entry includes miscellaneous geographic information of significance not included elsewhere.
  strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link the Black and Aegean Seas; the 3% of Turkish territory north of the Straits lies in Europe and goes by the names of European Turkey, Eastern Thrace, or Turkish Thrace; the 97% of the country in Asia is referred to as Anatolia; Mount Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's ark, is in the far eastern portion of the country
- People and Society :: Turkey
- Population: This entry gives an estimate from the US Bureau of the Census based on statistics from population censuses, vital statistics registration systems, or sample surveys pertaining to the recent past and on assumptions about future trends. The total population presents one overall measure of the potential impact of the country on the world and within its region. Note: Starting with the 1993 Factbook, demographic estimates for some countries (mostly African) have explicitly taken into account t . . . more
  81,257,239 (July 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 18
  Nationality: This entry provides the identifying terms for citizens - noun and adjective.
  noun: Turk(s)
  adjective: Turkish
  Ethnic groups: This entry provides an ordered listing of ethnic groups starting with the largest and normally includes the percent of total population.
  Turkish 70-75%, Kurdish 19%, other minorities 7-12% (2016 est.)
  Languages: This entry provides a listing of languages spoken in each country and specifies any that are official national or regional languages. When data is available, the languages spoken in each country are broken down according to the percent of the total population speaking each language as a first language. For those countries without available data, languages are listed in rank order based on prevalence, starting with the most-spoken language.
  Turkish (official), Kurdish, other minority languages
  Religions: This entry is an ordered listing of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population. The core characteristics and beliefs of the world's major religions are described below. Baha'i - Founded by Mirza Husayn-Ali (known as Baha'u'llah) in Iran in 1852, Baha'i faith emphasizes monotheism and believes in one eternal transcendent God. Its guiding focus is to encourage the unity of all peoples on the earth so that justice and peace m . . . more
  Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)
  Age structure: This entry provides the distribution of the population according to age. Information is included by sex and age group as follows: 0-14 years (children), 15-24 years (early working age), 25-54 years (prime working age), 55-64 years (mature working age), 65 years and over (elderly). The age structure of a population affects a nation's key socioeconomic issues. Countries with young populations (high percentage under age 15) need to invest more in schools, while countries with older population . . . more
  0-14 years: 24.26% (male 10,085,558 /female 9,627,967)
  15-24 years: 15.88% (male 6,589,039 /female 6,311,113)
  25-54 years: 43.26% (male 17,798,864 /female 17,349,228)
  55-64 years: 8.82% (male 3,557,329 /female 3,606,120)
  65 years and over: 7.79% (male 2,825,738 /female 3,506,283) (2018 est.)
  population pyramid:
  The World Factbook Field Image Modal
  Middle East :: Turkey Print
  Image Description
  This is the population pyramid for Turkey. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.
  For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.
  Dependency ratios: Dependency ratios are a measure of the age structure of a population. They relate the number of individuals that are likely to be economically "dependent" on the support of others. Dependency ratios contrast the ratio of youths (ages 0-14) and the elderly (ages 65+) to the number of those in the working-age group (ages 15-64). Changes in the dependency ratio provide an indication of potential social support requirements resulting from changes in population age structures. As fertility lev . . . more
  total dependency ratio: 50.1 (2015 est.)
  youth dependency ratio: 38.4 (2015 est.)
  elderly dependency ratio: 11.7 (2015 est.)
  potential support ratio: 8.5 (2015 est.)
  Median age: This entry is the age that divides a population into two numerically equal groups; that is, half the people are younger than this age and half are older. It is a single index that summarizes the age distribution of a population. Currently, the median age ranges from a low of about 15 in Niger and Uganda to 40 or more in several European countries and Japan. See the entry for "Age structure" for the importance of a young versus an older age structure and, by implication, a low versus a high . . . more
  total: 31.4 years
  male: 30.9 years
  female: 31.9 years (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 110
  Population growth rate: The average annual percent change in the population, resulting from a surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths and the balance of migrants entering and leaving a country. The rate may be positive or negative. The growth rate is a factor in determining how great a burden would be imposed on a country by the changing needs of its people for infrastructure (e.g., schools, hospitals, housing, roads), resources (e.g., food, water, electricity), and jobs. Rapid population growth can be seen as . . . more
  0.49% (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 155
  Birth rate: This entry gives the average annual number of births during a year per 1,000 persons in the population at midyear; also known as crude birth rate. The birth rate is usually the dominant factor in determining the rate of population growth. It depends on both the level of fertility and the age structure of the population.
  15.4 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 119
  Death rate: This entry gives the average annual number of deaths during a year per 1,000 population at midyear; also known as crude death rate. The death rate, while only a rough indicator of the mortality situation in a country, accurately indicates the current mortality impact on population growth. This indicator is significantly affected by age distribution, and most countries will eventually show a rise in the overall death rate, in spite of continued decline in mortality at all ages, as declining . . . more
  6 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 165
  Net migration rate: This entry includes the figure for the difference between the number of persons entering and leaving a country during the year per 1,000 persons (based on midyear population). An excess of persons entering the country is referred to as net immigration (e.g., 3.56 migrants/1,000 population); an excess of persons leaving the country as net emigration (e.g., -9.26 migrants/1,000 population). The net migration rate indicates the contribution of migration to the overall level of population chan . . . more
  -4.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 185
  Population distribution: This entry provides a summary description of the population dispersion within a country. While it may suggest population density, it does not provide density figures.
  the most densely populated area is found around the Bosporus in the northwest where 20% of the population lives in Istanbul; with the exception of Ankara, urban centers remain small and scattered throughout the interior of Anatolia; an overall pattern of peripheral development exists, particularly along the Aegean Sea coast in the west, and the Tigris and Euphrates River systems in the southeast
  Urbanization: This entry provides two measures of the degree of urbanization of a population. The first, urban population, describes the percentage of the total population living in urban areas, as defined by the country. The second, rate of urbanization, describes the projected average rate of change of the size of the urban population over the given period of time. Additionally, the World entry includes a list of the ten largest urban agglomerations. An urban agglomeration is defined as comprising th . . . more
  urban population: 75.1% of total population (2018)
  rate of urbanization: 2.04% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
  Major urban areas - population: This entry provides the population of the capital and up to six major cities defined as urban agglomerations with populations of at least 750,000 people. An urban agglomeration is defined as comprising the city or town proper and also the suburban fringe or thickly settled territory lying outside of, but adjacent to, the boundaries of the city. For smaller countries, lacking urban centers of 750,000 or more, only the population of the capital is presented.
  14.751 million Istanbul, 4.919 million ANKARA (capital), 2.937 million Izmir, 1.916 million Bursa, 1.73 million Adana, 1.632 million Gaziantep (2018)
  Sex ratio: This entry includes the number of males for each female in five age groups - at birth, under 15 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over, and for the total population. Sex ratio at birth has recently emerged as an indicator of certain kinds of sex discrimination in some countries. For instance, high sex ratios at birth in some Asian countries are now attributed to sex-selective abortion and infanticide due to a strong preference for sons. This will affect future marriage patterns and fertilit . . . more
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  Mother's mean age at first birth: This entry provides the mean (average) age of mothers at the birth of their first child. It is a useful indicator for gauging the success of family planning programs aiming to reduce maternal mortality, increase contraceptive use – particularly among married and unmarried adolescents – delay age at first marriage, and improve the health of newborns.
  22.3 years (2010 est.)
  Maternal mortality rate: The maternal mortality rate (MMR) is the annual number of female deaths per 100,000 live births from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management (excluding accidental or incidental causes). The MMR includes deaths during pregnancy, childbirth, or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, for a specified year.
  16 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 134
  Infant mortality rate: This entry gives the number of deaths of infants under one year old in a given year per 1,000 live births in the same year. This rate is often used as an indicator of the level of health in a country.
  total: 16.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  male: 18.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  female: 15.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 92
  Life expectancy at birth: This entry contains the average number of years to be lived by a group of people born in the same year, if mortality at each age remains constant in the future. Life expectancy at birth is also a measure of overall quality of life in a country and summarizes the mortality at all ages. It can also be thought of as indicating the potential return on investment in human capital and is necessary for the calculation of various actuarial measures.
  total population: 75.3 years (2018 est.)
  male: 72.9 years (2018 est.)
  female: 77.7 years (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 109
  Total fertility rate: This entry gives a figure for the average number of children that would be born per woman if all women lived to the end of their childbearing years and bore children according to a given fertility rate at each age. The total fertility rate (TFR) is a more direct measure of the level of fertility than the crude birth rate, since it refers to births per woman. This indicator shows the potential for population change in the country. A rate of two children per woman is considered the replaceme . . . more
  2 children born/woman (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 118
  Contraceptive prevalence rate: This field gives the percent of women of reproductive age (15-49) who are married or in union and are using, or whose sexual partner is using, a method of contraception according to the date of the most recent available data. The contraceptive prevalence rate is an indicator of health services, development, and women’s empowerment. It is also useful in understanding, past, present, and future fertility trends, especially in developing countries.
  73.5% (2013)
  Health expenditures: This entry provides the total expenditure on health as a percentage of GDP. Health expenditures are broadly defined as activities performed either by institutions or individuals through the application of medical, paramedical, and/or nursing knowledge and technology, the primary purpose of which is to promote, restore, or maintain health.
  5.4% of GDP (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 131
  Physicians density: This entry gives the number of medical doctors (physicians), including generalist and specialist medical practitioners, per 1,000 of the population. Medical doctors are defined as doctors that study, diagnose, treat, and prevent illness, disease, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans through the application of modern medicine. They also plan, supervise, and evaluate care and treatment plans by other health care providers. The World Health Organization estimates that f . . . more
  1.75 physicians/1,000 population (2014)
  Hospital bed density: This entry provides the number of hospital beds per 1,000 people; it serves as a general measure of inpatient service availability. Hospital beds include inpatient beds available in public, private, general, and specialized hospitals and rehabilitation centers. In most cases, beds for both acute and chronic care are included. Because the level of inpatient services required for individual countries depends on several factors - such as demographic issues and the burden of disease - there is . . . more
  2.7 beds/1,000 population (2013)
  Drinking water source: This entry provides information about access to improved or unimproved drinking water sources available to segments of the population of a country. Improved drinking water - use of any of the following sources: piped water into dwelling, yard, or plot; public tap or standpipe; tubewell or borehole; protected dug well; protected spring; or rainwater collection. Unimproved drinking water - use of any of the following sources: unprotected dug well; unprotected spring; cart with small tank or . . . more
  improved: urban: 100% of population
  rural: 100% of population
  total: 100% of population
  unimproved: urban: 0% of population
  rural: 0% of population
  total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access: This entry provides information about access to improved or unimproved sanitation facilities available to segments of the population of a country. Improved sanitation - use of any of the following facilities: flush or pour-flush to a piped sewer system, septic tank or pit latrine; ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrine; pit latrine with slab; or a composting toilet. Unimproved sanitation - use of any of the following facilities: flush or pour-flush not piped to a sewer system, septic tank . . . more
  improved: urban: 98.3% of population (2015 est.)
  rural: 85.5% of population (2015 est.)
  total: 94.9% of population (2015 est.)
  unimproved: urban: 1.7% of population (2015 est.)
  rural: 14.5% of population (2015 est.)
  total: 5.1% of population (2015 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: This entry gives an estimate of the percentage of adults (aged 15-49) living with HIV/AIDS. The adult prevalence rate is calculated by dividing the estimated number of adults living with HIV/AIDS at yearend by the total adult population at yearend.
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: This entry gives an estimate of all people (adults and children) alive at yearend with HIV infection, whether or not they have developed symptoms of AIDS.
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - deaths: This entry gives an estimate of the number of adults and children who died of AIDS during a given calendar year.
  NA
  Obesity - adult prevalence rate: This entry gives the percent of a country's population considered to be obese. Obesity is defined as an adult having a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater to or equal to 30.0. BMI is calculated by taking a person's weight in kg and dividing it by the person's squared height in meters.
  32.1% (2016)
  country comparison to the world: 17
  Children under the age of 5 years underweight: This entry gives the percent of children under five considered to be underweight. Underweight means weight-for-age is approximately 2 kg below for standard at age one, 3 kg below standard for ages two and three, and 4 kg below standard for ages four and five. This statistic is an indicator of the nutritional status of a community. Children who suffer from growth retardation as a result of poor diets and/or recurrent infections tend to have a greater risk of suffering illness and death.
  1.9% (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 113
  Education expenditures: This entry provides the public expenditure on education as a percent of GDP.
  4.4% of GDP (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 99
  Literacy: This entry includes a definition of literacy and Census Bureau percentages for the total population, males, and females. There are no universal definitions and standards of literacy. Unless otherwise specified, all rates are based on the most common definition - the ability to read and write at a specified age. Detailing the standards that individual countries use to assess the ability to read and write is beyond the scope of the Factbook. Information on literacy, while not a perfect measu . . . more
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)
  total population: 95.6% (2015 est.)
  male: 98.6% (2015 est.)
  female: 92.6% (2015 est.)
  School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): School life expectancy (SLE) is the total number of years of schooling (primary to tertiary) that a child can expect to receive, assuming that the probability of his or her being enrolled in school at any particular future age is equal to the current enrollment ratio at that age. Caution must be maintained when utilizing this indicator in international comparisons. For example, a year or grade completed in one country is not necessarily the same in terms of educational content or qualit . . . more
  total: 16 years (2013)
  male: 17 years (2013)
  female: 16 years (2013)
  Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: This entry gives the percent of the total labor force ages 15-24 unemployed during a specified year.
  total: 20.5% (2017 est.)
  male: 17.7% (2017 est.)
  female: 25.6% (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 63
- Government :: Turkey
- Country name: This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
  conventional long form: Republic of Turkey
  conventional short form: Turkey
  local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti
  local short form: Turkiye
  etymology: the name means "Land of the Turks"
  Government type: This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.): Absolute monarchy - a form of government where the monarch rules unhindered, i.e., without any laws, constitution, or legally organized opposition. Anarchy - a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority. Authoritarian - a form of government in whic . . . more
  parliamentary republic
  Capital: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  name: Ankara
  geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 32 52 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
  Administrative divisions: This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by the BGN are noted. Geographic names conform to spellings approved by the BGN with the exception of the omission of diacritical marks and special characters.
  81 provinces (iller, singular - ili); Adana, Adiyaman, Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol, Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Igdir, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir (Smyrna), Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon (Trebizond), Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak
  Independence: For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. For a number of countries, the establishment of statehood . . . more
  29 October 1923 (republic proclaimed succeeding the Ottoman Empire)
  National holiday: This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually independence day.
  Republic Day, 29 October (1923)
  Constitution: This entry provides information on a country’s constitution and includes two subfields. The history subfield includes the dates of previous constitutions and the main steps and dates in formulating and implementing the latest constitution. For countries with 1-3 previous constitutions, the years are listed; for those with 4-9 previous, the entry is listed as “several previous,” and for those with 10 or more, the entry is “many previous.” The amendments subfield summarizes the process of am . . . more
  history: several previous; latest ratified 9 November 1982 (2018)
  amendments: proposed by written consent of at least one-third of Grand National Assembly (GNA) members; adoption of draft amendments requires two debates in plenary GNA session and three-fifths majority vote of all GNA members; the president of the republic can request GNA reconsideration of the amendment and, if readopted by two-thirds majority GNA vote, the president may submit the amendment to a referendum; passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote; amended several times, last in 2017 (2018)
  Legal system: This entry provides the description of a country's legal system. A statement on judicial review of legislative acts is also included for a number of countries. The legal systems of nearly all countries are generally modeled upon elements of five main types: civil law (including French law, the Napoleonic Code, Roman law, Roman-Dutch law, and Spanish law); common law (including United State law); customary law; mixed or pluralistic law; and religious law (including Islamic law). An addition . . . more
  civil law system based on various European legal systems, notably the Swiss civil code
  International law organization participation: This entry includes information on a country's acceptance of jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and of the International Criminal Court (ICCt); 59 countries have accepted ICJ jurisdiction with reservations and 11 have accepted ICJ jurisdiction without reservations; 122 countries have accepted ICCt jurisdiction. Appendix B: International Organizations and Groups explains the differing mandates of the ICJ and ICCt.
  has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
  Citizenship: This entry provides information related to the acquisition and exercise of citizenship; it includes four subfields: citizenship by birth describes the acquisition of citizenship based on place of birth, known as Jus soli, regardless of the citizenship of parents. citizenship by descent only describes the acquisition of citizenship based on the principle of Jus sanguinis, or by descent, where at least one parent is a citizen of the state and being born within the territorial limits of the . . . more
  citizenship by birth: no
  citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Turkey
  dual citizenship recognized: yes, but requires prior permission from the government
  residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
  Suffrage: This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.
  18 years of age; universal
  Judicial branch: This entry includes three subfields. The highest court(s) subfield includes the name(s) of a country's highest level court(s), the number and titles of the judges, and the types of cases heard by the court, which commonly are based on civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional law. A number of countries have separate constitutional courts. The judge selection and term of office subfield includes the organizations and associated officials responsible for nominating and appointing j . . . more
  highest courts: Constitutional Court or Anayasa Mahkemesi (consists of the president, 2 vice presidents, and 12 judges); Court of Cassation (consists of about 390 judges and is organized into civil and penal chambers); Council of State (organized into 15 divisions - 14 judicial and 1 consultative - each with a division head and at least 5 members)
  judge selection and term of office: Constitutional Court members - 3 appointed by the Grand National Assembly and 12 by the president of the republic; court president and 2 deputy court presidents appointed from among its members for 4-year terms; judges serve 12-year, nonrenewable terms with mandatory retirement at age 65; Court of Cassation judges appointed by the Board of Judges and Prosecutors, a 13-member body of judicial officials; Court of Cassation judges seve until retirement at age 65; Council of State members appointed by the Board and by the president of the republic; members serve renewable, 4-year terms
  subordinate courts: regional appeals courts; basic (first instance) courts; peace courts; military courts; state security courts; specialized courts, including administrative and audit; note - a constitutional amendment in 2017 abolished military courts unless established to investigate military personnel actions during war conditions
  Executive branch: This entry includes five subentries: chief of state; head of government; cabinet; elections/appointments; election results. Chief of state includes the name, title, and beginning date in office of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes the name, title of the top executive designated to manage the executive branch of the government, a . . . more
  chief of state: President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (since 10 August 2014); Vice President Fuat OKTAY (since 9 July 2018)
  head of government: President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (since 10 August 2014); note - a 2017 constitutional referendum eliminated the post of prime minister after the 2018 general election
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president (until the next parliamentary or presidential election following the April 2017 referendum)
  elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president from among members of parliament; note - a 2007 constitutional amendment changed the presidential electoral process to direct popular vote; prime minister appointed by the president from among members of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey; election last held on 24 June 2018 (next to be held in June 2022)
  election results: Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN reelected president in the first round; Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (AKP) 52.6%, Muharrem INCE (CHP) 30.6%, Salahattin DIMIRTAS (HDP) 8.4%, Meral AKSENER (IYI) 7.3%, other 1.1%
  Legislative branch: This entry has three subfields. The description subfield provides the legislative structure (unicameral – single house; bicameral – an upper and a lower house); formal name(s); number of member seats; types of constituencies or voting districts (single seat, multi-seat, nationwide); electoral voting system(s); and member term of office. The elections subfield includes the dates of the last election and next election. The election results subfield lists percent of vote by party/coalition an . . . more
  description: unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi (600 seats - increased from 560 seats beginning with June 2018 election; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms - increased from 4 to 5 years beginning with June 2018 election)
  elections: last held on 24 June 2018 (next to be held on June 2023)
  election results: percent of vote by party - People's Alliance (AKP and MHP) 53.7%, National Alliance (CHP, SP, IVI) 33.9%, HDP 11.7%, other 0.7%; seats by party - People's Alliance 344, National Alliance 189, HDP 67; composition - men 496, women 104, percent of women 17.3%; note - only parties surpassing a 10% threshold can win parliamentary seats
  Political parties and leaders: This entry includes a listing of significant political parties, coalitions, and electoral lists as of each country's last legislative election, unless otherwise noted.
  Democrat Party or DP [Gultekin UYSAL]
  Democratic Left Party or DSP [Onder AKSAKAL]
  Felicity Party or SP [Temel KARAMOLLAOGLU]
  Good Party or IYI [Meral AKSENER]
  Grand Unity Party or BBP [Mustafa DESTICI]
  Justice and Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]
  Nationalist Movement Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI]
  Patriotic Party or VP [Dogu PERINCEK]
  People's Democratic Party or HDP [Selahattin DEMIRTAS and Serpil KEMALBAY]; note - DEMIRTAS was detained by Turkish authorities in November 2016 over his alleged links to the PKK
  Republican People's Party or CHP [Kemal KILICDAROGLU]
  True Path Party or DYP [Cetin OZACIRGOZ]
  International organization participation: This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.
  ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CERN (observer), CICA, CPLP (associate observer), D-8, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EU (candidate country), FAO, FATF, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF (partner), SCO (dialogue member), SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
  Diplomatic representation in the US: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery address, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations. The use of the annotated title Appointed Ambassador refers to a new ambassador who has presented his/her credentials to the secretary of state but not the US president. Such ambassadors fulfill all diplomatic functions except meeting with or appearing at functions attended by the president until such time as they formally present their credentials at a White Hou . . . more
  chief of mission: Ambassador Serdar KILIC (since 21 May 2014)
  chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700
  FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
  Diplomatic representation from the US: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affairs Philip KOSNETT (since 16 October 2017)
  embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara
  mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823
  telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555
  FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019
  consulate(s) general: Istanbul
  consulate(s): Adana
  Flag description: This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
  red with a vertical white crescent moon (the closed portion is toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening; the flag colors and designs closely resemble those on the banner of the Ottoman Empire, which preceded modern-day Turkey; the crescent moon and star serve as insignia for Turkic peoples; according to one interpretation, the flag represents the reflection of the moon and a star in a pool of blood of Turkish warriors
  National symbol(s): A national symbol is a faunal, floral, or other abstract representation - or some distinctive object - that over time has come to be closely identified with a country or entity. Not all countries have national symbols; a few countries have more than one.
  star and crescent; national colors: red, white
  National anthem: A generally patriotic musical composition - usually in the form of a song or hymn of praise - that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions, or struggles of a nation or its people. National anthems can be officially recognized as a national song by a country's constitution or by an enacted law, or simply by tradition. Although most anthems contain lyrics, some do not.
  name: "Istiklal Marsi" (Independence March)
  lyrics/music: Mehmet Akif ERSOY/Zeki UNGOR

  note: lyrics adopted 1921, music adopted 1932; the anthem's original music was adopted in 1924; a new composition was agreed upon in 1932

- Economy :: Turkey
- Economy - overview: This entry briefly describes the type of economy, including the degree of market orientation, the level of economic development, the most important natural resources, and the unique areas of specialization. It also characterizes major economic events and policy changes in the most recent 12 months and may include a statement about one or two key future macroeconomic trends.

  Turkey's largely free-market economy is driven by its industry and, increasingly, service sectors, although its traditional agriculture sector still accounts for about 25% of employment. The automotive, petrochemical, and electronics industries have risen in importance and surpassed the traditional textiles and clothing sectors within Turkey's export mix. However, the recent period of political stability and economic dynamism has given way to domestic uncertainty and security concerns, which are generating financial market volatility and weighing on Turkey’s economic outlook.

  Current government policies emphasize populist spending measures and credit breaks, while implementation of structural economic reforms has slowed. The government is playing a more active role in some strategic sectors and has used economic institutions and regulators to target political opponents, undermining private sector confidence in the judicial system. Between July 2016 and March 2017, three credit ratings agencies downgraded Turkey’s sovereign credit ratings, citing concerns about the rule of law and the pace of economic reforms.

  Turkey remains highly dependent on imported oil and gas but is pursuing energy relationships with a broader set of international partners and taking steps to increase use of domestic energy sources including renewables, nuclear, and coal. The joint Turkish-Azerbaijani Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline is moving forward to increase transport of Caspian gas to Turkey and Europe, and when completed will help diversify Turkey's sources of imported gas.

  After Turkey experienced a severe financial crisis in 2001, Ankara adopted financial and fiscal reforms as part of an IMF program. The reforms strengthened the country's economic fundamentals and ushered in an era of strong growth, averaging more than 6% annually until 2008. An aggressive privatization program also reduced state involvement in basic industry, banking, transport, power generation, and communication. Global economic conditions and tighter fiscal policy caused GDP to contract in 2009, but Turkey's well-regulated financial markets and banking system helped the country weather the global financial crisis, and GDP growth rebounded to around 9% in 2010 and 2011, as exports and investment recovered following the crisis.

  The growth of Turkish GDP since 2016 has revealed the persistent underlying imbalances in the Turkish economy. In particular, Turkey’s large current account deficit means it must rely on external investment inflows to finance growth, leaving the economy vulnerable to destabilizing shifts in investor confidence. Other troublesome trends include rising unemployment and inflation, which increased in 2017, given the Turkish lira’s continuing depreciation against the dollar. Although government debt remains low at about 30% of GDP, bank and corporate borrowing has almost tripled as a percent of GDP during the past decade, outpacing its emerging-market peers and prompting investor concerns about its long-term sustainability.

  GDP (purchasing power parity): This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States in the year noted. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per-capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measur . . . more
  $2.186 trillion (2017 est.)
  $2.034 trillion (2016 est.)
  $1.972 trillion (2015 est.)

  note: data are in 2017 dollars

  country comparison to the world: 13
  GDP (official exchange rate): This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at official exchange rates (OER) is the home-currency-denominated annual GDP figure divided by the bilateral average US exchange rate with that country in that year. The measure is simple to compute and gives a precise measure of the value of output. Many economists prefer this measure when gauging the economic power an economy maintains vis- . . . more
  $851.5 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate: This entry gives GDP growth on an annual basis adjusted for inflation and expressed as a percent. The growth rates are year-over-year, and not compounded.
  7.4% (2017 est.)
  3.2% (2016 est.)
  6.1% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 16
  GDP - per capita (PPP): This entry shows GDP on a purchasing power parity basis divided by population as of 1 July for the same year.
  $27,000 (2017 est.)
  $25,500 (2016 est.)
  $25,000 (2015 est.)

  note: data are in 2017 dollars

  country comparison to the world: 77
  Gross national saving: Gross national saving is derived by deducting final consumption expenditure (household plus government) from Gross national disposable income, and consists of personal saving, plus business saving (the sum of the capital consumption allowance and retained business profits), plus government saving (the excess of tax revenues over expenditures), but excludes foreign saving (the excess of imports of goods and services over exports). The figures are presented as a percent of GDP. A negative . . . more
  25.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
  24.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
  24.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 57
  GDP - composition, by end use: This entry shows who does the spending in an economy: consumers, businesses, government, and foreigners. The distribution gives the percentage contribution to total GDP of household consumption, government consumption, investment in fixed capital, investment in inventories, exports of goods and services, and imports of goods and services, and will total 100 percent of GDP if the data are complete. household consumption consists of expenditures by resident households, and by nonprofit insti . . . more
  household consumption: 59.1% (2017 est.)
  government consumption: 14.5% (2017 est.)
  investment in fixed capital: 29.8% (2017 est.)
  investment in inventories: 1.1% (2017 est.)
  exports of goods and services: 24.9% (2017 est.)
  imports of goods and services: -29.4% (2017 est.)
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin: This entry shows where production takes place in an economy. The distribution gives the percentage contribution of agriculture, industry, and services to total GDP, and will total 100 percent of GDP if the data are complete. Agriculture includes farming, fishing, and forestry. Industry includes mining, manufacturing, energy production, and construction. Services cover government activities, communications, transportation, finance, and all other private economic activities that do not prod . . . more
  agriculture: 6.8% (2017 est.)
  industry: 32.3% (2017 est.)
  services: 60.7% (2017 est.)
  Agriculture - products: This entry is an ordered listing of major crops and products starting with the most important.
  tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, hazelnuts, pulses, citrus; livestock
  Industries: This entry provides a rank ordering of industries starting with the largest by value of annual output.
  textiles, food processing, automobiles, electronics, mining (coal, chromate, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper
  Industrial production growth rate: This entry gives the annual percentage increase in industrial production (includes manufacturing, mining, and construction).
  9.1% (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 18
  Labor force: This entry contains the total labor force figure.
  31.3 million (2017 est.)

  note: this number is for the domestic labor force only; number does not include about 1.2 million Turks working abroad, nor refugees

  country comparison to the world: 19
  Labor force - by occupation: This entry lists the percentage distribution of the labor force by sector of occupation. Agriculture includes farming, fishing, and forestry. Industry includes mining, manufacturing, energy production, and construction. Services cover government activities, communications, transportation, finance, and all other economic activities that do not produce material goods. The distribution will total less than 100 percent if the data are incomplete and may range from 99-101 percent due to rounding. more
  agriculture: 18.4%
  industry: 26.6%
  services: 54.9% (2016)
  Unemployment rate: This entry contains the percent of the labor force that is without jobs. Substantial underemployment might be noted.
  10.9% (2017 est.)
  10.9% (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 147
  Population below poverty line: National estimates of the percentage of the population falling below the poverty line are based on surveys of sub-groups, with the results weighted by the number of people in each group. Definitions of poverty vary considerably among nations. For example, rich nations generally employ more generous standards of poverty than poor nations.
  21.9% (2015 est.)
  Household income or consumption by percentage share: Data on household income or consumption come from household surveys, the results adjusted for household size. Nations use different standards and procedures in collecting and adjusting the data. Surveys based on income will normally show a more unequal distribution than surveys based on consumption. The quality of surveys is improving with time, yet caution is still necessary in making inter-country comparisons.
  lowest 10%: 30.3% (2008)
  highest 10%: 30.3% (2008)
  Distribution of family income - Gini index: This index measures the degree of inequality in the distribution of family income in a country. The index is calculated from the Lorenz curve, in which cumulative family income is plotted against the number of families arranged from the poorest to the richest. The index is the ratio of (a) the area between a country's Lorenz curve and the 45 degree helping line to (b) the entire triangular area under the 45 degree line. The more nearly equal a country's income distribution, the closer its . . . more
  40.2 (2010)
  43.6 (2003)
  country comparison to the world: 65
  Budget: This entry includes revenues, expenditures, and capital expenditures. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
  revenues: 172.8 billion (2017 est.)
  expenditures: 185.8 billion (2017 est.)
  Taxes and other revenues: This entry records total taxes and other revenues received by the national government during the time period indicated, expressed as a percent of GDP. Taxes include personal and corporate income taxes, value added taxes, excise taxes, and tariffs. Other revenues include social contributions - such as payments for social security and hospital insurance - grants, and net revenues from public enterprises. Normalizing the data, by dividing total revenues by GDP, enables easy comparisons acr . . . more
  20.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 151
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): This entry records the difference between national government revenues and expenditures, expressed as a percent of GDP. A positive (+) number indicates that revenues exceeded expenditures (a budget surplus), while a negative (-) number indicates the reverse (a budget deficit). Normalizing the data, by dividing the budget balance by GDP, enables easy comparisons across countries and indicates whether a national government saves or borrows money. Countries with high budget deficits (relat . . . more
  -1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 91
  Public debt: This entry records the cumulative total of all government borrowings less repayments that are denominated in a country's home currency. Public debt should not be confused with external debt, which reflects the foreign currency liabilities of both the private and public sector and must be financed out of foreign exchange earnings.
  28.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
  28.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 169
  Fiscal year: This entry identifies the beginning and ending months for a country's accounting period of 12 months, which often is the calendar year but which may begin in any month. All yearly references are for the calendar year (CY) unless indicated as a noncalendar fiscal year (FY).
  calendar year
  Inflation rate (consumer prices): This entry furnishes the annual percent change in consumer prices compared with the previous year's consumer prices.
  11.1% (2017 est.)
  7.8% (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 204
  Central bank discount rate: This entry provides the annualized interest rate a country's central bank charges commercial, depository banks for loans to meet temporary shortages of funds.
  5.25% (31 December 2011)
  15% (22 December 2009)
  country comparison to the world: 79
  Commercial bank prime lending rate: This entry provides a simple average of annualized interest rates commercial banks charge on new loans, denominated in the national currency, to their most credit-worthy customers.
  15.77% (31 December 2017 est.)
  14.74% (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 33
  Stock of narrow money: This entry, also known as "M1," comprises the total quantity of currency in circulation (notes and coins) plus demand deposits denominated in the national currency held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy, measured at a specific point in time. National currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate for the date of the information. Because of exchange rate moveme . . . more
  $119.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $108.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 33
  Stock of broad money: This entry covers all of "Narrow money," plus the total quantity of time and savings deposits, credit union deposits, institutional money market funds, short-term repurchase agreements between the central bank and commercial deposit banks, and other large liquid assets held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy. National currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange r . . . more
  $119.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $108.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 33
  Stock of domestic credit: This entry is the total quantity of credit, denominated in the domestic currency, provided by financial institutions to the central bank, state and local governments, public non-financial corporations, and the private sector. The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information.
  $610.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $549.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 23
  Market value of publicly traded shares: This entry gives the value of shares issued by publicly traded companies at a price determined in the national stock markets on the final day of the period indicated. It is simply the latest price per share multiplied by the total number of outstanding shares, cumulated over all companies listed on the particular exchange.
  $188.9 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
  $219.8 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $195.7 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 36
  Current account balance: This entry records a country's net trade in goods and services, plus net earnings from rents, interest, profits, and dividends, and net transfer payments (such as pension funds and worker remittances) to and from the rest of the world during the period specified. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
  -$47.44 billion (2017 est.)
  -$33.14 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 202
  Exports: This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise exports on an f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
  $166.2 billion (2017 est.)
  $150.2 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 30
  Exports - partners: This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
  Germany 9.6%, UK 6.1%, UAE 5.9%, Iraq 5.8%, US 5.5%, Italy 5.4%, France 4.2%, Spain 4% (2017)
  Exports - commodities: This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued exported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
  apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment
  Imports: This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise imports on a c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) or f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
  $225.1 billion (2017 est.)
  $191.1 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 22
  Imports - commodities: This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued imported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
  machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport equipment
  Imports - partners: This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
  China 10%, Germany 9.1%, Russia 8.4%, US 5.1%, Italy 4.8% (2017)
  Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: This entry gives the dollar value for the stock of all financial assets that are available to the central monetary authority for use in meeting a country's balance of payments needs as of the end-date of the period specified. This category includes not only foreign currency and gold, but also a country's holdings of Special Drawing Rights in the International Monetary Fund, and its reserve position in the Fund.
  $107.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $106.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 24
  Debt - external: This entry gives the total public and private debt owed to nonresidents repayable in internationally accepted currencies, goods, or services. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
  $452.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $404.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 26
  Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments in the home country made directly by residents - primarily companies - of other countries as of the end of the time period indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of shares.
  $180.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $133.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 35
  Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments in foreign countries made directly by residents - primarily companies - of the home country, as of the end of the time period indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of shares.
  $47.44 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $38.31 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 45
  Exchange rates: This entry provides the average annual price of a country's monetary unit for the time period specified, expressed in units of local currency per US dollar, as determined by international market forces or by official fiat. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 4217 alphabetic currency code for the national medium of exchange is presented in parenthesis. Closing daily exchange rates are not presented in The World Factbook, but are used to convert stock values - e.g., the . . . more
  Turkish liras (TRY) per US dollar -
  3.628 (2017 est.)
  3.0201 (2016 est.)
  3.0201 (2015 est.)
  2.72 (2014 est.)
  2.1885 (2013 est.)
- Energy :: Turkey
- Electricity access: This entry provides information on access to electricity. Electrification data – collected from industry reports, national surveys, and international sources – consists of four subfields. Population without electricity provides an estimate of the number of citizens that do not have access to electricity. Electrification – total population is the percent of a country’s total population with access to electricity, electrification – urban areas is the percent of a country’s urban population w . . . more
  electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
  Electricity - production: This entry is the annual electricity generated expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.
  261.9 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 16
  Electricity - consumption: This entry consists of total electricity generated annually plus imports and minus exports, expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.
  231.1 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 18
  Electricity - exports: This entry is the total exported electricity in kilowatt-hours.
  1.442 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 49
  Electricity - imports: This entry is the total imported electricity in kilowatt-hours.
  6.33 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 31
  Electricity - installed generating capacity: This entry is the total capacity of currently installed generators, expressed in kilowatts (kW), to produce electricity. A 10-kilowatt (kW) generator will produce 10 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity, if it runs continuously for one hour.
  78.5 million kW (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 15
  Electricity - from fossil fuels: This entry measures the capacity of plants that generate electricity by burning fossil fuels (such as coal, petroleum products, and natural gas), expressed as a share of the country's total generating capacity.
  53% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 144
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels: This entry measures the capacity of plants that generate electricity through radioactive decay of nuclear fuel, expressed as a share of the country's total generating capacity.
  0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 199
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: This entry measures the capacity of plants that generate electricity by water-driven turbines, expressed as a share of the country's total generating capacity.
  33% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 64
  Electricity - from other renewable sources: This entry measures the capacity of plants that generate electricity by using renewable energy sources other than hydroelectric (including, for example, wind, waves, solar, and geothermal), expressed as a share of the country's total generating capacity.
  14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 64
  Crude oil - production: This entry is the total amount of crude oil produced, in barrels per day (bbl/day).
  245,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 32
  Crude oil - exports: This entry is the total amount of crude oil exported, in barrels per day (bbl/day).
  0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 208
  Crude oil - imports: This entry is the total amount of crude oil imported, in barrels per day (bbl/day).
  521,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 17
  Crude oil - proved reserves: This entry is the stock of proved reserves of crude oil, in barrels (bbl). Proved reserves are those quantities of petroleum which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions.
  341.6 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 51
  Refined petroleum products - production: This entry is the country's total output of refined petroleum products, in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of refined petroleum products produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.
  657,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 27
  Refined petroleum products - consumption: This entry is the country's total consumption of refined petroleum products, in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of refined petroleum products produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.
  989,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 21
  Refined petroleum products - exports: This entry is the country's total exports of refined petroleum products, in barrels per day (bbl/day).
  141,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 37
  Refined petroleum products - imports: This entry is the country's total imports of refined petroleum products, in barrels per day (bbl/day).
  560,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 16
  Natural gas - production: This entry is the total natural gas produced in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.
  368.1 million cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 75
  Natural gas - consumption: This entry is the total natural gas consumed in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.
  53.6 billion cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 15
  Natural gas - exports: This entry is the total natural gas exported in cubic meters (cu m).
  622.9 million cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 42
  Natural gas - imports: This entry is the total natural gas imported in cubic meters (cu m).
  55.13 billion cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 6
  Natural gas - proved reserves: This entry is the stock of proved reserves of natural gas in cubic meters (cu m). Proved reserves are those quantities of natural gas, which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions.
  5.097 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 92
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy: This entry is the total amount of carbon dioxide, measured in metric tons, released by burning fossil fuels in the process of producing and consuming energy.
  379.5 million Mt (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 17
- Communications :: Turkey
- Telephones - fixed lines: This entry gives the total number of fixed telephone lines in use, as well as the number of subscriptions per 100 inhabitants.
  total subscriptions: 11,308,444 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 17
  Telephones - mobile cellular: This entry gives the total number of mobile cellular telephone subscribers, as well as the number of subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Note that because of the ubiquity of mobile phone use in developed countries, the number of subscriptions per 100 inhabitants can exceed 100.
  total subscriptions: 77,800,170 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 96 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 21
  Telephone system: This entry includes a brief general assessment of the system with details on the domestic and international components. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry: Arabsat - Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). Autodin - Automatic Digital Network (US Department of Defense). CB - citizen's band mobile radio communications. Cellular telephone system - the telephones in this system are radio transceivers, with each instrument having its o . . . more
  general assessment: comprehensive telecommunications network undergoing rapid modernization and expansion, especially in mobile-cellular services (2016)
  domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay, is facilitating communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a domestic satellite system; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 105 telephones per 100 persons (2016)
  international: country code - 90; international service is provided by the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable and by submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black Seas that link Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia; satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat; mobile satellite terminals - 328 in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2016)
  Broadcast media: This entry provides information on the approximate number of public and private TV and radio stations in a country, as well as basic information on the availability of satellite and cable TV services.
  Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) operates multiple TV and radio networks and stations; multiple privately owned national television stations and up to 300 private regional and local television stations; multi-channel cable TV subscriptions available; more than 1,000 private radio broadcast stations (2009)
  Internet country code: This entry includes the two-letter codes maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the ISO 3166 Alpha-2 list and used by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) to establish country-coded top-level domains (ccTLDs).
  .tr
  Internet users: This entry gives the total number of individuals within a country who can access the Internet at home, via any device type (computer or mobile) and connection. The percent of population with Internet access (i.e., the penetration rate) helps gauge how widespread Internet use is within a country. Statistics vary from country to country and may include users who access the Internet at least several times a week to those who access it only once within a period of several months.
  total: 46,838,412 (July 2016 est.)
  percent of population: 58.3% (July 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 15
  Broadband - fixed subscriptions: This entry gives the total number of fixed-broadband subscriptions, as well as the number of subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Fixed broadband is a physical wired connection to the Internet (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber) at speeds equal to or greater than 256 kilobits/second (256 kbit/s).
  total: 11,924,905 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 15
- Transportation :: Turkey
- National air transport system: This entry includes four subfields describing the air transport system of a given country in terms of both structure and performance. The first subfield, number of registered air carriers, indicates the total number of air carriers registered with the country’s national aviation authority and issued an air operator certificate as required by the Convention on International Civil Aviation. The second subfield, inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers, lists the total number . . . more
  number of registered air carriers: 15 (2015)
  inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 531 (2015)
  annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 96,604,665 (2015)
  annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 2,882,162,000 mt-km (2015)
  Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: This entry provides the one- or two-character alphanumeric code indicating the nationality of civil aircraft. Article 20 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention), signed in 1944, requires that all aircraft engaged in international air navigation bear appropriate nationality marks. The aircraft registration number consists of two parts: a prefix consisting of a one- or two-character alphanumeric code indicating nationality and a registration suffix of one to fi . . . more
  TC (2016)
  Airports: This entry gives the total number of airports or airfields recognizable from the air. The runway(s) may be paved (concrete or asphalt surfaces) or unpaved (grass, earth, sand, or gravel surfaces) and may include closed or abandoned installations. Airports or airfields that are no longer recognizable (overgrown, no facilities, etc.) are not included. Note that not all airports have accommodations for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control.
  98 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 58
  Airports - with paved runways: This entry gives the total number of airports with paved runways (concrete or asphalt surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m (over 10,000 ft), (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m (8,000 to 10,000 ft), (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m (5,000 to 8,000 ft), (4) 914 to 1,523 m (3,000 to 5,000 ft), and (5) under 914 m (under 3,000 ft). Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all . . . more
  total: 91 (2013)
  over 3,047 m: 16 (2013)
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 38 (2013)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 (2013)
  914 to 1,523 m: 16 (2013)
  under 914 m: 4 (2013)
  Airports - with unpaved runways: This entry gives the total number of airports with unpaved runways (grass, dirt, sand, or gravel surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m (over 10,000 ft), (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m (8,000 to 10,000 ft), (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m (5,000 to 8,000 ft), (4) 914 to 1,523 m (3,000 to 5,000 ft), and (5) under 914 m (under 3,000 ft). Only airports with usable runways are included in this listin . . . more
  total: 7 (2013)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)
  914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2013)
  under 914 m: 2 (2013)
  Heliports: This entry gives the total number of heliports with hard-surface runways, helipads, or landing areas that support routine sustained helicopter operations exclusively and have support facilities including one or more of the following facilities: lighting, fuel, passenger handling, or maintenance. It includes former airports used exclusively for helicopter operations but excludes heliports limited to day operations and natural clearings that could support helicopter landings and takeoffs.
  20 (2013)
  Pipelines: This entry gives the lengths and types of pipelines for transporting products like natural gas, crude oil, or petroleum products.
  12603 km gas, 3038 km oil (2016)
  Railways: This entry states the total route length of the railway network and of its component parts by gauge, which is the measure of the distance between the inner sides of the load-bearing rails. The four typical types of gauges are: broad, standard, narrow, and dual. Other gauges are listed under note. Some 60% of the world's railways use the standard gauge of 1.4 m (4.7 ft). Gauges vary by country and sometimes within countries. The choice of gauge during initial construction was mainly in resp . . . more
  total: 12,008 km (2014)
  standard gauge: 12,008 km 1.435-m gauge (3,216 km electrified) (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 21
  Roadways: This entry gives the total length of the road network and includes the length of the paved and unpaved portions.
  total: 385,754 km (2012)
  paved: 352,268 km (includes 2,127 km of expressways) (2012)
  unpaved: 33,486 km (2012)
  country comparison to the world: 19
  Waterways: This entry gives the total length of navigable rivers, canals, and other inland bodies of water.
  1,200 km (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 60
  Merchant marine: Merchant marine may be defined as all ships engaged in the carriage of goods; or all commercial vessels (as opposed to all nonmilitary ships), which excludes tugs, fishing vessels, offshore oil rigs, etc. This entry contains information in four fields - total, ships by type, foreign-owned, and registered in other countries. Total includes the number of ships (1,000 GRT or over), total DWT for those ships, and total GRT for those ships. DWT or dead weight tonnage is the total weight of ca . . . more
  total: 1,285 (2017)
  by type: bulk carrier 78, container ship 50, general cargo 432, oil tanker 121, other 604 (2017)
  country comparison to the world: 22
  Ports and terminals: This entry lists major ports and terminals primarily on the basis of the amount of cargo tonnage shipped through the facilities on an annual basis. In some instances, the number of containers handled or ship visits were also considered. Most ports service multiple classes of vessels including bulk carriers (dry and liquid), break bulk cargoes (goods loaded individually in bags, boxes, crates, or drums; sometimes palletized), containers, roll-on/roll-off, and passenger ships. The listing le . . . more
  major seaport(s): Aliaga, Ambarli, Diliskelesi, Eregli, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit), Mersin (Icel), Limani, Yarimca
  container port(s) (TEUs): Ambarli (2,803,133), Mersin (Icel) (1,453,000) (2016)
  LNG terminal(s) (import): Izmir Aliaga, Marmara Ereglisi
- Military and Security :: Turkey
- Military expenditures: This entry gives spending on defense programs for the most recent year available as a percent of gross domestic product (GDP); the GDP is calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP). For countries with no military forces, this figure can include expenditures on public security and police.
  1.73% of GDP (2016)
  1.85% of GDP (2015)
  1.9% of GDP (2014)
  1.96% of GDP (2013)
  2.05% of GDP (2012)
  country comparison to the world: 63
  Military branches: This entry lists the service branches subordinate to defense ministries or the equivalent (typically ground, naval, air, and marine forces).
  Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Turkish Land Forces (Turk Kara Kuvvetleri), Turkish Naval Forces (Turk Deniz Kuvvetleri; includes naval air and naval infantry), Turkish Air Forces (Turk Hava Kuvvetleri) (2013)
  Military service age and obligation: This entry gives the required ages for voluntary or conscript military service and the length of service obligation.
  21-41 years of age for male compulsory military service (in case of mobilization, up to 65 years of age); 18 years of age for voluntary service; 12-month conscript obligation for non-university graduates, 6-12 months for university graduates (graduates of higher education may perform 6 months of military service as short-term privates, or 12 months as reserve officers); conscripts are called to register at age 20, for service at 21; women serve in the Turkish Armed Forces only as officers; reserve obligation to age 41; Turkish citizens with a residence or work permit who have worked abroad for at least 3 years (1095 days) can be exempt from military service in exchange for 6,000 EUR or its equivalent in foreign currencies; a law passed in December 2014 introduced a one-time payment scheme which exempted Turkish citizens 27 and older from conscription in exchange for a payment of $8,150 (2013)
  Military - note: This entry includes miscellaneous military information of significance not included elsewhere.
  the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has actively pursued the goal of asserting civilian control over the military since first taking power in 2002; the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) role in internal security has been significantly reduced; the TSK leadership continues to be an influential institution within Turkey, but plays a much smaller role in politics; the Turkish military remains focused on the threats emanating from the Syrian civil war, Russia's actions in Ukraine, and the PKK insurgency; primary domestic threats are listed as fundamentalism (with the definition in some dispute with the civilian government), separatism (Kurdish discontent), and the extreme left wing; Ankara strongly opposed establishment of an autonomous Kurdish region in Iraq; an overhaul of the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) taking place under the "Force 2014" program is to produce 20-30% smaller, more highly trained forces characterized by greater mobility and firepower and capable of joint and combined operations; the TLFC has taken on increasing international peacekeeping responsibilities including in Afghanistan; the Turkish Navy is a regional naval power that wants to develop the capability to project power beyond Turkey's coastal waters; the Navy is heavily involved in NATO, multinational, and UN operations; its roles include control of territorial waters and security for sea lines of communications; the Turkish Air Force adopted an "Aerospace and Missile Defense Concept" in 2002 and has initiated project work on an integrated missile defense system; Air Force priorities include attaining a modern deployable, survivable, and sustainable force structure, and establishing a sustainable command and control system; Turkey is a NATO ally and hosts NATO's Land Forces Command in Izmir, as well as the AN/TPY-2 radar as part of NATO Missile Defense (2014)
- Terrorism :: Turkey
- Terrorist groups - home based: This entry provides information on the US State Department's designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations headquartered in a specific country, which may or may not be a group's country of origin. Details on each organization's aim(s) and area(s) of operation are provided.
  Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) networks in Turkey:
  aim(s): replace the Turkish Government with an Islamic state and implement ISIS's strict interpretation of sharia
  area(s) of operation: moves fighters and supplies across the Turkey-Syria border; has periodically conducted attacks against civilian and government security targets (April 2018)
  Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C):
  aim(s): install a Marxist-Leninist government in Turkey
  area(s) of operation: membership centered in Turkey, leadership primarily spread throughout Europe; in recent years has revived its attacks against Turkish Government elements, primarily in Istanbul; outlawed in Turkey (April 2018)
  Terrorist groups - foreign based: This entry provides information on the US State Department's designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations operating in countries other than where a particular group is headquartered. Details on each organization's aim(s) and area(s) of operation are provided.
  al-Nusrah Front:
  aim(s): overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-ASAD's regime, absorb like-minded Syrian rebel groups, and ultimately, establish a regional Islamic caliphate
  area(s) of operation: some facilitation networks (April 2018)
  al-Qa'ida (AQ):
  aim(s): radicalize the Turkish populace and eventually overthrow the Turkish Government as part of a long-term plan to establish a pan-Islamic caliphate under a strict Salafi Muslim interpretation of sharia
  area(s) of operation: maintains facilitation networks (April 2018)
  Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK):
  aim(s): advance Kurdish autonomy, political, and cultural rights in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria
  area(s) of operation: operational predominantly in the southeast; the group's primary targets include government, military, and security personnel and facilities; majority of members inside Turkey are Turkish Kurds, along with Kurds from Iran, Iraq, and Syria; the group is outlawed in Turkey (April 2018)
- Transnational Issues :: Turkey
- Disputes - international: This entry includes a wide variety of situations that range from traditional bilateral boundary disputes to unilateral claims of one sort or another. Information regarding disputes over international terrestrial and maritime boundaries has been reviewed by the US Department of State. References to other situations involving borders or frontiers may also be included, such as resource disputes, geopolitical questions, or irredentist issues; however, inclusion does not necessarily constitute . . . more
  complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in the Aegean Seastatus of north Cyprus question remainsTurkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in Iraqin 2009, Swiss mediators facilitated an accord reestablishing diplomatic ties between Armenia and Turkey, but neither side has ratified the agreement and the rapprochement effort has falteredTurkish authorities have complained that blasting from quarries in Armenia might be damaging the medieval ruins of Ani, on the other side of the Arpacay valley
  Refugees and internally displaced persons: This entry includes those persons residing in a country as refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), or stateless persons. Each country's refugee entry includes only countries of origin that are the source of refugee populations of 5,000 or more. The definition of a refugee according to a UN Convention is "a person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a . . . more
  refugees (country of origin): 3,622,366 (Syria), 170,000 (Afghanistan), 142,000 (Iraq), 39,000 (Iran), 5,700 (Somalia) (2018)
  IDPs: 1.113 million (displaced from 1984-2005 because of fighting between the Kurdish PKK and Turkish military; most IDPs are Kurds from eastern and southeastern provinces; no information available on persons displaced by development projects) (2017)
  stateless persons: 117 (2017)
  Illicit drugs: This entry gives information on the five categories of illicit drugs - narcotics, stimulants, depressants (sedatives), hallucinogens, and cannabis. These categories include many drugs legally produced and prescribed by doctors as well as those illegally produced and sold outside of medical channels. Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is the common hemp plant, which provides hallucinogens with some sedative properties, and includes marijuana (pot, Acapulco gold, grass, reefer), tetrahydroca . . . more
  key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe and, to a lesser extent, the US - via air, land, and sea routes; major Turkish and other international trafficking organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert imported morphine base into heroin exist in remote regions of Turkey and near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and over output of poppy straw concentrate; lax enforcement of money-laundering controls

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