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Turkey (Turkiye) Images
Courtyard of the Sultan's Consorts and Concubines in the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.
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.
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.
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.
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 and 1978.
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.
![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."](https://dev.me/media/factbook/tu/TU_022_large.jpg "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."")
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
![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.](https://dev.me/media/factbook/tu/TU_020_large.jpg "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.")
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
"Fairy chimneys" (also called hoodoos, tent rocks, or earth pyramids) create a surreal landscape in the Cappadocia region of Turkey. These structures are created over many centuries in areas where relatively soft rock is overlain by a layer of harder rock. Wind and rain erode the softer rock at a faster pace, creating a cone shaped "body" with a "cap." These chimneys can reach heights of up to 40 m (130 ft).
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.
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.
Rugs and ceramics for sale at an Istanbul shop.
The Basilica Cistern is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul; built in the 6th century A.D., it acquired its name from a great basilica that used to stand over the location. The cathedral-size cistern is an underground chamber approximately 138 m (453 ft) by 65 m (213 ft) capable of holding 80,000 cu m (2,800,000 cu ft) of water. The ceiling is supported by a forest of 336 marble columns, each 9 m (30 ft) high, arranged in 12 rows of 28 columns each spaced 5 m (16 ft) apart. The majority of the columns in the cistern appear to have been recycled from the ruins of older buildings from throughout the Byzantine Empire. They are carved and engraved out of various types of marble and granite.
The Basilica Cistern is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul; built in the 6th century A.D., it acquired its name from a great basilica that used to stand over the location. The cathedral-size cistern is an underground chamber approximately 138 m (453 ft) by 65 m (213 ft) capable of holding 80,000 cu m (2,800,000 cu ft) of water. The ceiling is supported by a forest of 336 marble columns, each 9 m (30 ft) high, arranged in 12 rows of 28 columns each spaced 5 m (16 ft) apart. The majority of the columns in the cistern appear to have been recycled from the ruins of older buildings from throughout the Byzantine Empire. They are carved and engraved out of various types of marble and granite.
The "Hen's Eye" column in the Basilica Cistern beneath Istanbul.
One of two Medusa head pillars in the Basilica Cistern beneath Istanbul. The Medusa heads heads were removed from a building of the late Roman period and brought to the cistern to be reused as pillar bases.
View of Istanbul from the Topkapi Palace.
The Gate of the Sultan at the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul. Built between 1843 and 1856, the Palace served as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire through most of the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The imposing Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul. Built between 1843 and 1856, the Palace served as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire through most of the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Hagia Sofia (Church of the Holy Wisdom) in Istanbul is a former Christian Greek Orthodox cathedral, later an Ottoman imperial mosque, and now a museum. Completed in A.D. 537, it was the world's largest building and an engineering marvel of its time, chiefly renowned for its vast dome. It is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture.
A view of the interior of the Hagia Sophia.
The Basilica of Hagia Sophia is actually the third church to be built at the site. A second church on the site was was inaugurated in A.D. 415 but burned to the ground in 532. Several marble blocks from the second church survive including this one showing lambs.
he fountain for ritual ablutions was added to the Hagia Sophia in 1740.
An Islamic stained glass window in the Hagia Sophia.
The blue-tipped minarets and blue roof tiles of the of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, along with many blue decorative tiles in the interior, give this national mosque in Istanbul its Blue Mosque nickname.
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque (also known as the Blue Mosque) in Istanbul is the national mosque of Turkey. Built between 1609 and 1617, during the rule of Sultan Ahmed I, the mosque stands next to the former Hippodrome of Constantinople (now Sultanahmet Square) and across from the Hagia Sophia. The mosque reflects the classical Ottoman layout with a central dome surrounded by four semi-domes over the prayer hall, except it has six minarets instead of the standard four, and can hold 10,000 worshipers. It is known as the “Blue Mosque” due to the thousands of blue Iznik tiles and painted floral motifs decorating its interior. The unique carved marble minbar (pulpit) is positioned so that the imam can be heard from anywhere in the mosque. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
A view of the Blue Mosque from the Hagia Sophia.
Minaret at the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.
Ancient pottery shards at the Istanbul Archeological Museum.
The Tiled Kiosk Museum is one of the three museums that make up the Istanbul Archeology Museums.
Glazed brick panels from a Babylonian processional way in the Istanbul Archeological Museum.
The Lycian Sarcophagus of Sidon at the Istanbul Archeological Museum dates to about 430-420 B.C.
Tiled mihrab at the the Istanbul Archeology Museums.
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.
The Imperial Hall in the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.
Chandelier in the Queen Mother's Apartments in the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.
The main harem entrance at Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.
The Crown Prince's Quarters in the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.
Tile work in the harem of the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.
The Gate of Felicity at the Third Courtyard of the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.
The Baghdad Kiosk in the Fourth Courtyard of the Topkapi Palace.
Courtyard of the Sultan's Consorts and Concubines in the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.
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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Turkey (Turkiye) Factbook Data
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: 1480 Sokak No. 1, Cukurambar Mahallesi, 06530 Cankaya, Ankara
mailing address: 7000 Ankara Place, Washington DC 20512-7000
telephone: [90] (312) 294-0000
FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019
email address and website:
Ankara-ACS@state.gov
https://tr.usembassy.gov/
consulate(s) general: Istanbul
consulate(s): Adana
Age structure
15-64 years: 68.58% (male 29,023,477/female 28,301,263)
65 years and over: 9.31% (2023 est.) (male 3,512,598/female 4,267,572)
For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page.
Geographic coordinates
Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Heliports
Natural hazards
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
Area - comparative
slightly larger than Texas
Military service age and obligation
note 1: in 2019, a new law cut the men’s mandatory military service period in half, as well as making paid military service permanent; with the new system, the period of conscription was reduced from 12 months to 6 months for privates and non-commissioned soldiers (the service term for reserve officers chosen among university or college graduates remained 12 months); after completing 6 months of service, if a conscripted soldier wants to and is suitable for extending his military service, he may do so for an additional 6 months in return for a monthly salary; under the new law, all male Turkish citizens over the age of 20 are required to undergo a 1 month military training period, but they can obtain an exemption from the remaining 5 months of their mandatory service by paying a fee
note 2: as of 2020, women made up about 0.3% of the military's full-time personnel
Background
Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the remnants of the Ottoman Empire by reformer and national hero Mustafa KEMAL, known as Ataturk or "Father of the Turks." One-party rule ended in 1950, and the multiparty democracy has since been fractured by periods of instability and military coups (1960, 1971, 1980, 1997, 2016).
Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and NATO in 1952. In 1963, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community; it began accession talks with the EU in 2005. 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. In 2013, the Turkish Government and the PKK conducted negotiations aimed at ending the violence, but intense fighting resumed in 2015.
The Turkish Government conducted a referendum in 2017 in which voters approved constitutional amendments changing Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential system.
Environment - current issues
Environment - international agreements
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Environmental Modification
Population below poverty line
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Household income or consumption by percentage share
highest 10%: 31.6% (2019 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Exports - commodities
Exports - partners
Administrative divisions
Agricultural products
Military and security forces
Ministry of Interior: Gendarmerie of the Turkish Republic (aka Gendarmerie General Command), Turkish Coast Guard Command, National Police (2023)
note: the Gendarmerie (Jandarma) is responsible for the maintenance of the public order in areas that fall outside the jurisdiction of police forces (generally in rural areas); in wartime, the Gendarmerie and Coast Guard would be placed under the operational control of the Land Forces and Naval Forces, respectively
Budget
expenditures: $249.268 billion (2020 est.)
Capital
geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 32 52 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: Ankara has been linked with a second millennium B.C. Hittite cult center of Ankuwash, although this connection is uncertain; in classical and medieval times, the city was known as Ankyra (meaning "anchor" in Greek and reflecting the city's position as a junction for multiple trade and military routes); by about the 13th century the city began to be referred to as Angora; following the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, the city's name became Ankara
Imports - commodities
Climate
Coastline
Constitution
amendments: proposed by written consent of at least one third of Grand National Assembly (GNA) of Turkey (TBMM) members; adoption of draft amendments requires two debates in plenary TBMM session and three-fifths majority vote of all GNA members; the president of the republic can request TBMM reconsideration of the amendment and, if readopted by two-thirds majority TBMM vote, the president may submit the amendment to a referendum; passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote; amended several times, last in 2017
Exchange rates
Exchange rates:
16.549 (2022 est.)
8.85 (2021 est.)
7.009 (2020 est.)
5.674 (2019 est.)
4.828 (2018 est.)
Executive branch
head of government: President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (head of government since 9 July 2018; chief of state since 28 August 2014)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
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); election last held on 14 May 2023 with a runoff on 28 May 2023 (next to be held in 2028)
election results:
2023: Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN reelected president in second round - Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (AKP) 52.2%, Kemal KILICDAROGLU (CHP) 47.8%
2018: Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN reelected president in first round - Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (AKP) 52.6%, Muharrem INCE (CHP) 30.6%, Selahattin DEMIRTAS (HDP) 8.4%, Meral AKSENER (IYI) 7.3%, other 1.1%
Fiscal year
Flag description
Illicit drugs
a significant transit country for illicit drug trafficking; an increase of heroin and methamphetamine seizures along the Turkiye-Iran border; Syrian drug traffickers play a significant role in Turkiye’s drug trade; domestic Illegal drug use relatively low compared to countries in the region
Independence
Industries
Judicial branch
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 serve 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; aggravated crime 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
Land boundaries
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
Land use
arable land: 26.7% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 4% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 19% (2018 est.)
forest: 14.9% (2018 est.)
other: 35.4% (2018 est.)
Legal system
Legislative branch
elections: last held on 14 May 2023 (next to be held in 2028)
election results:
percent of vote by party/coalition - People's Alliance 49.9% (AKP 35.6%, MHP 10.1%, YRP 2.8%, BBP 1%), Nation Alliance 35.4% (CHP 25.3%, IYI 9.7%), Labor and Freedom Alliance 10.7% (YSGP 8.9%, TIP 1.8%); seats by party/coalition - People's Alliance 323 (AKP 268, MHP 50, YRP 5), Nation Alliance 212 (CHP 169, IYI 43), Labor and Freedom Alliance 65 (YSGP 61, TIP 4); composition as of February 2024 - men 480, women 119, percent of women 19.9%
Literacy
total population: 96.7%
male: 99.1%
female: 94.4% (2019)
Maritime claims
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
International organization participation
note: Turkey is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership
National holiday
Nationality
adjective: Turkish
Natural resources
Geography - note
Economic overview
Pipelines
Political parties and leaders
Democrat Party or DP [Gultekin UYSAL]
Democratic Regions Party or DBP [Saliha AYDENIZ, Keskin BAYINDIR]
Felicity Party (Saadet Party) or SP [Temel KARAMOLLAOGLU]
Free Cause Party or HUDA PAR [Zekeriya YAPICIOGLU]
Future Party (Gelecek Partisi) or GP [Ahmet DAVUTOGLU]
Good Party or IYI [Meral AKSENER]
Grand Unity Party or BBP [Mustafa DESTICI]
Justice and Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]
Labor and Freedom Alliance (electoral alliance includes YSGP, HDP, TIP)
Nation Alliance [collective leadership] (electoral alliance includes CHP, DEVA, DP, GP, IYI, SP) (dissolved 1 June 2023)
Nationalist Movement Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI]
New Welfare Party or YRP [Fatih ERBAKAN]
Party of Greens and the Left Future or YSGP [Cigfrm Kilicgun UCAR and Ibrahim AKIN]
People's Alliance (electoral alliance includes AKP, BBP, MHP, YRP)
Peoples' Democratic Party or HDP [Pervin BULDAN, Mithat SANCAR]
Republican People's Party or CHP [Kemal KILICDAROGLU]
Workers' Party of Turkey or TIP [Erkan BAS]
note: as of September 2021, 116 political parties were legally registered
Ports and terminals
container port(s) (TEUs): Ambarli (2,942,550), Mersin (Icel) (2,106,937), Izmet (1,967,946) (2021)
LNG terminal(s) (import): Aliaga, Dortyol, Ekti (Izmir), Marmara Ereglisi
Suffrage
Telecommunication systems
domestic: fixed-line nearly 14 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity is 106 telephones per 100 persons (2022)
international: country code - 90; landing points for the SeaMeWe-3 & -5, MedNautilus Submarine System, Turcyos-1 & -2 submarine cables providing connectivity to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia ; satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat; mobile satellite terminals - 328 in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2020)
Terrain
Government type
Military - note
Turkey has been a member of NATO since 1952 and hosts a considerable NATO and US military presence, including the headquarters for a NATO Land Command and a Rapid Deployment Corps, multiple airbases for NATO and US aircraft, NATO air/missile defense systems, and training centers; the TAF is the second-largest military in NATO behind the US and exercises regularly with NATO partners
the TAF is a large, well-equipped force comprised of a mix of professionals and conscripts; it has considerable operational experience; in addition to peacekeeping and military assistance operations in recent years in such places as Afghanistan (NATO), Bosnia and Herzegovina (EU), Kosovo (NATO), Lebanon (UN), and Somalia (bilateral), it has conducted combat missions of varying duration and scale in Iraq, Libya, and Syria; since the 1980s, the TAF has been involved in a protracted counterinsurgency campaign against the US-designated terrorist group the Kurdistan Worker’s Party or PKK, a Kurdish militant political organization and armed guerrilla movement, which historically operated throughout Kurdistan but is now primarily based in the mountainous Kurdish-majority regions of southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq; other key areas of concern for the TAF include tensions with fellow NATO member Greece over territorial disputes and Cyprus, tensions between neighboring Armenia and Azerbaijan, threats from the terrorist groups al-Qa’ida and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham, and the Russia-Ukraine war; under a long-range (2033) strategic plan, the TAF continues a considerable effort to modernize its equipment and force structure
the TAF is led by a General Staff headed by a Chief of the General Staff; the Land Forces are organized into four army- and eight corps-level commands; these include an army command for the Aegean and a corps command for northern Cyprus (“Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”); subordinate units include a few armored, mechanized infantry, or motorized infantry divisions, but most of the Land Force’s combat forces are formed into more than 30 armored, commando, light infantry, mechanized infantry, and motorized infantry brigades; the Land Forces also have an aviation command; the TAF has a Special Forces Command that is directly subordinate to the General Staff and independent of the other services
the Naval Forces’ role includes securing control of Turkey’s territorial waters and sea lines of communications; it is one of the largest maritime forces in the region and is seeking to develop greater blue water capabilities to protect Turkey’s broader regional interests with plans to acquire new frigates, submarines, and a light aircraft carrier in the next few years; the backbone of its warship inventory is a recently acquired large landing helicopter dock (LHD) amphibious assault ship, which is the fleet’s largest warship and serves as its flagship, and a sizeable force of frigates and attack-type submarines, which are supported by dozens of corvettes, fast-attack craft, and patrol vessels of varying sizes and capabilities
the Air Force is organized into commands for combat, training, and logistics, with the combat command further divided into two regional (east and west) tactical commands; it has about 200 US-made fighter and multirole fighter aircraft organized into squadrons; Air Force priorities include acquiring more advanced aircraft, boosting ground-based air defenses, and establishing a sustainable command and control system
Turkey’s military has a rich history that it traces back to 200 B.C., although the modern TAF was formed following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire at the conclusion of the Turkish War of Independence (1919-1923); the TAF has traditionally had a significant influence in the country as the “guardian” of Turkish politics, but its political role was largely lost after the failed 2016 coup attempt; the military has a substantial stake in Turkey's economy through a holding company that is involved in the automotive, energy, finance, and logistics sectors, as well as iron and steel production (2023)
Country name
conventional short form: Turkey
local long form: Turkey Cumhuriyeti
local short form: Turkey
etymology: the name means "Land of the Turks"
note: Turkiye is an approved English short-form name for Turkey
Location
Map references
Irrigated land
Diplomatic representation in the US
chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700
FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744
email address and website:
embassy.washingtondc@mfa.gov.tr
T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı - Turkish Embassy In Washington, D.C. (mfa.gov.tr)
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
Internet country code
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 1.099 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) (2022)
stateless persons: 117 (2018)
GDP (official exchange rate)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Credit ratings
Moody's rating: B2 (2020)
Standard & Poors rating: B+ (2018)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Total renewable water resources
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male: 19 years
female: 18 years (2020)
Urbanization
rate of urbanization: 1.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Broadcast media
Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) operates multiple TV and radio networks and stations; multiple privately owned national television stations and 567 private regional and local television stations; multi-channel cable TV subscriptions available; 1,007 private radio broadcast stations
(2019)Drinking water source
rural: 98.7% of population
total: 99% of population
unimproved: urban: 0.9% of population
rural: 1.3% of population
total: 1% of population (2020 est.)
National anthem
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
Major urban areas - population
International law organization participation
Physicians density
Hospital bed density
National symbol(s)
Mother's mean age at first birth
Contraceptive prevalence rate
GDP - composition, by end use
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.)
Dependency ratios
youth dependency ratio: 34.5
elderly dependency ratio: 12.3
potential support ratio: 8.1 (2021 est.)
Citizenship
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
Population distribution
Electricity access
National air transport system
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 618
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 115,595,495 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 5,949,210,000 (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Sanitation facility access
rural: 98.7% of population
total: 99.6% of population
unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population
rural: 1.3% of population
total: 0.4% of population (2020 est.)
Ethnic groups
Religions
Languages
major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, temel bilgi edinmek için vazgeçilmez bir kaynak. (Turkish)
ڕاستییەکانی جیهان، باشترین سەرچاوەیە بۆ زانیارییە بنەڕەتییەکان (Kurdish)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Imports - partners
Disputes - international
Turkey-Armenia: as of 2023, Turkey and Armenia were discussing normalizing relations
Turkey-Azerbaijan: none identified
Turkey-Bulgaria: none identified
Turkey-Cyprus: status of northern Cyprus question remains
Turkey-Georgia: none identified
Turkey-Greece: complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in the Aegean Sea, including rights to explore oil and gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean and illegal migrants transiting from Turkey into Greece; the Aegean Maritime Boundary is complicated by the close proximity of Greek islands to the western shores of the Turkish Anatolian peninsula, representing the primary source of conflict between the two countries
Turkey-Iran: none identified
Turkey-Iraq: Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in Iraq
Turkey-Syria: Turkey completed building a wall along its border with Syria in 2018 to prevent illegal border crossings and smuggling
Elevation
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
mean elevation: 1,132 m
Current health expenditure
Military and security service personnel strengths
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
Military deployments
note 1: between 2016 and 2020, Turkey conducted four significant military ground campaigns in northern Syria with the stated purpose of securing its southern border; Turkey also has deployed troops into northern Iraq on numerous occasions to combat the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK), including large operations involving thousands of troops in 2007, 2011, and 2018, and smaller-scale operations in 2021 and 2022; Turkey has also conducted numerous air strikes in both Iraq and Syria
Terrorist group(s)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
Total water withdrawal
industrial: 1.03 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 54.27 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
Average household expenditures
on alcohol and tobacco: 3.4% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
Air pollutants
carbon dioxide emissions: 372.72 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 57.53 megatons (2020 est.)
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Major lakes (area sq km)
salt water lake(s): Lake Van - 3,740 sq km; Lake Tuz - 1,640 sq km;
Major rivers (by length in km)
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
National heritage
selected World Heritage Site locales: Archaeological Site of Troy (c); Ephesus (c); Diyarbakır Fortress and Hevsel Gardens Cultural Landscape (c); Hierapolis-Pamukkale (m); Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia (m); Göbekli Tepe (c); Historic Areas of Istanbul (c); Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex (c); Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük (c); Bursa and Cumalıkızık: the Birth of the Ottoman Empire (c); Gordion (c)
Child marriage
women married by age 18: 14.7% (2018 est.)
Coal
consumption: 108.271 million metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 54,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 40.919 million metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 11.525 billion metric tons (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 3.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 8.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 26.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 3.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 1.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Natural gas
consumption: 44,605,473,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
exports: 759.372 million cubic meters (2019 est.)
imports: 45,091,248,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
proven reserves: 3.794 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 987,300 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 423,500 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 366 million barrels (2021 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
Remittances
0.09% of GDP (2021 est.)
0.11% of GDP (2020 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Nuclear energy
Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 4 (2023)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 0GW
Percent of total electricity production: 0%
Percent of total energy produced: 0%
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 0
Space program overview
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S
Space launch site(s)
Space agency/agencies
Geoparks
global geoparks and regional networks: Kula-Salihli (2023)
Labor force
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male: 21.4%
female: 29.9%
Net migration rate
Median age
male: 33 years
female: 34.1 years
Debt - external
$454.251 billion (2018 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$109.535 billion (2021 est.)
$93.512 billion (2020 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Waterways
Refined petroleum products - imports
Public debt
42.58% of GDP (2021 est.)
41.8% of GDP (2020 est.)
note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Total fertility rate
Military expenditures
1.4% of GDP (2022)
1.6% of GDP (2021)
1.9% of GDP (2020)
1.9% of GDP (2019)
Unemployment rate
11.98% (2021 est.)
13.11% (2020 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
Population
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
Internet users
percent of population: 81% (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
from coal and metallurgical coke: 172.298 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 133.587 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 85.907 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Area
land: 769,632 sq km
water: 13,930 sq km
Taxes and other revenues
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$2.669 trillion (2021 est.)
$2.395 trillion (2020 est.)
note: data in 2017 dollars
Roadways
paved: 24,082 km (2018) (includes 2,159 km of expressways)
unpaved: 43,251 km (2018)
Airports
Infant mortality rate
male: 20.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Telephones - mobile cellular
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106 (2022 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
19.6% (2021 est.)
12.28% (2020 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Refined petroleum products - exports
Current account balance
-$7.232 billion (2021 est.)
-$31.888 billion (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Real GDP per capita
$31,700 (2021 est.)
$28,700 (2020 est.)
note: data in 2017 dollars
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2020 est.)
Tobacco use
male: 42.1% (2020 est.)
female: 19.2% (2020 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
Energy consumption per capita
Death rate
Birth rate
Electricity
consumption: 263.952 billion kWh (2020 est.)
exports: 2.484 billion kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 1.888 billion kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 29.275 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Merchant marine
by type: bulk carrier 43, container ship 43, general cargo 223, oil tanker 134, other 727
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
Imports
$283.595 billion (2021 est.)
$230.136 billion (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports
$286.094 billion (2021 est.)
$206.621 billion (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Telephones - fixed lines
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2022 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer: 0.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
male: 74.1 years
female: 78.9 years
Real GDP growth rate
11.44% (2021 est.)
1.86% (2020 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Industrial production growth rate
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Railways
standard gauge: 11,497 km (2018) 1.435-m gauge (1.435 km high speed train)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry: 32.3% (2017 est.)
services: 60.7% (2017 est.)