Modern-day Turkey is a marriage of the character of ancient Anatolian civilizations, the progressive secular democracy and the reforms launched by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the father of Turkish Citizens. The country is a fusion of vibrant Mediterranean cultures and the enchantment of the East, a combination of the cosmopolitan atmosphere of the European cities and the beautiful simplicity of village life.
Turkey is a country that has begun the new century with a remarkable record of self transformation behind it and almost limitless opportunities ahead. It has made startling political, economical and social progress in the last 80 years since Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, embarked on a conscious quest to catch up with the most advanced countries of the world. Its market economy is successful and expanding at a rapid rate, creating a model for the emerging economies of the neighbouring countries.
Given the new world order, the geopolitical position of Turkey makes it a cultural crossroad today as important as it was in the times of Byzantine and Ottoman Empires once settled in Anatolia. Its vital position as a link between East and West gives also the country a great symbolic power.
Turkey at a Glance
Government Type: Republican Secular Parliamentary Democracy
Capital: Ankara
Population: app. 68 million
Area: 779,452 sq.km
Time Zone: GMT + 2 hours
Language: Turkish (an Ural-Altaic language) written in Latin Alphabet
