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About Turkey
Turkey (Turkish: Türkiye), known officially as the Republic
of Turkey (Türkiye Cumhuriyeti (help·info)), is a Eurasian
country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in western
Asia and Thrace (Rumelia) in the Balkan region of southeastern
Europe. Turkey borders eight countries: Bulgaria to the
northwest; Greece to the west, Georgia to the northeast;
Armenia, Azerbaijan (the exclave of Nakhichevan), and Iran to
the east; and Iraq and Syria to the southeast. The Mediterranean
Sea and Cyprus are to the south; the Aegean Sea and Archipelago
are to the west; and the Black Sea is to the north.
Separating Anatolia and Thrace are the Sea of Marmara and the
Turkish Straits (the Bosporus and the Dardanelles), which are
commonly reckoned to delineate the border between Asia and
Europe, thereby making Turkey transcontinental.
Due to its strategic location astride two continents, Turkey's
culture has a unique blend of Eastern and Western tradition. A
powerful regional presence in the Eurasian landmass with strong
historic, cultural and economic influence in the area between
the European Union in the west and Central Asia in the east,
Russia in the north and the Middle East in the south, Turkey has
come to acquire increasing strategic significance.
Turkey, classified as a developed country by the CIA, is a
democratic, secular, unitary, constitutional republic whose
political system was established in 1923 under the leadership of
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, following the fall of the Ottoman Empire
in the aftermath of World War I. Since then, Turkey has become
increasingly integrated with the West while continuing to foster
relations with the Eastern world.
Discover Turkey
Turkey is a paradise of sun, sea, mountains, and lakes that offers
the vacationer a complete change from the stress and routine of everyday
life. From April to October, most places in Turkey have an ideal climate
that is perfect for relaxing on sandy beaches or enjoying the
tranquility of mountains and lakes. Turkey also has a magnificent past,
and is a land full of historic treasures from 13 successive
civilizations spanning 10,000 years.
Even if you spend only a short time in Turkey, you can see a lot
of this great heritage. There is no doubt that one visit will not be
enough, and you will want to come back again and again as you discover
one extraordinary place after another. All of them, no matter how
different, have one thing in common: the friendly and hospitable people
of this unique country.
Turkey is a rapidly modernizing country with
one foot in Europe and one in the Middle East. It's not all
oriental splendor, mystery, intrigue and whirling dervishes but it is a
spicy maelstrom of history knocking up against a pacy present.
The Turkish people have an unrivalled reputation for
hospitality, the cuisine is to die for, the coastline is a dream, and
many Turkish cities are dotted with spectacular mosques and castles. And
while costs are rising, Turkey remains the Mediterranean's
bargain-basement destination.
There's an enormous variety of things to see and do ranging from
water sports to mountain trekking, archaeology to night-clubbing and
river rafting to raki drinking. Whether you leave Turkey with
magnificent carpets, amulets to ward off evil, belly-dancing tips, an
appreciation of its history, or just a tan, you're likely to want to go
back for more.