Turkey Facts

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What is the capital of Turkey?

Ankara

Who is the President of Turkey?

Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Where is Turkey located? Is Turkey part of Europe or Asia?

Turkey is located in western Asia and eastern Europe and is close to Africa. The Bosporus or Bosphorus is one of the Turkish Straits, which divides Europe from Asia. West of the Bosphorus is Europe, while east of the Bosphorus is Asia. Turkey’s location is considered to be highly strategic politically, as they have control of the straits between the Mediterranean, Aegean, and Black Seas.

What countries border Turkey?

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Syria

What was the Ottoman Empire?

The Ottoman Empire was a large territory across North Africa, western Asia, and Eastern Europe that lasted from July 27, 1299, to October 29, 1923. The capital of the Ottoman Empire was Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey). The Empire was the strongest power in the entire region, quickly conquering surrounding areas, and planning to conquer Rome, the capital of the West. The Ottoman Empire’s huge size contributed to its fall, and it was replaced with the Republic of Turkey in 1923, though its territory was only a portion of the Ottoman Empire.

When was Turkey founded?

The modern Republic of Turkey was founded on October 29, 1923, and is now celebrated as Republic Day, Turkey’s national holiday. Mustafa Kemal was the first president of the Republic of Turkey, and took on the name Atatürk, meaning “father of the Turks.” Atatürk is considered a national hero, for his service in helping Turkey undergo social, legal, and political reforms.

Is Turkey a member of the United Nations or NATO?

Yes, Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and NATO in 1952.

What is the status of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea?

Turkey has claimed Cyprus as a territory, but this matter is still in dispute with Greece. Turkey’s claims to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are not recognized by the United Nations.

What are Turkey’s major cities?

1. Istanbul
2. Ankara (capital)
3. Izmir
4. Bursa
5. Adana

Does Turkey have an official religion?

No, but an overwhelming majority of Turkey’s population is Muslim, mostly Sunni.

What is the official language of Turkey?

Turkish is the official language of Turkey, but Kurdish is spoken by Kurds, and Zazaki languages are spoken by the Zazas.

Who are the Kurds?

Kurds are indigenous people of the Middle East, in the region called Kurdistan. Kurdistan is located in parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey, though the Kurdish Diaspora brought Kurds to several other countries as well. Kurds speak Kurdish and comprise about 20% of Turkey’s population. They are the 4^th largest ethnic group in the Middle East.

Who are the Zaza people?

Zaza is another indigenous group of the Middle East, located primarily in the Anatolian region of eastern Turkey. Some speakers of the Zaza languages consider themselves Kurds.

Where is Anatolia?

Anatolia is the farthest west portion of Asia and a region of eastern Turkey.

Are turkeys (the birds) named after Turkey the country?

Yes. Though the origins of the name are not fully known, many historians believe that when Europeans first saw turkeys in America, they believed the birds were a type of guineafowl, which were imported into Europe via Turkey (from Africa). Thus, they associated the birds with Turkey. They also believed they were in the far East, adding to the belief that the birds were exotic eastern animals.

Where do people believe Noah’s ark landed?

Some people believe Noah’s ark landed at Mount Ararat, on Mount Masis which is the highest peak of the Ararat Mountains. Mount Ararat is located in far eastern Turkey.

Interesting facts about Turkey
Fact 1	You had to hear about Troy, a place where legendary Trojan Wars took place, and you’ve probably seen the movie ‘Troy’ with Brad Pitt. The famous Troy is located in Western Turkey.
Fact 2	Catalhoyuk (Çatalhöyük) in Central Anatolia in Turkey is the oldest known human settlement. It is estimated that it dates from the 7th Millenium B.C.
Fact 3	Two of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world are in Turkey: the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus.
Fact 4	St. Nicholas, also known as Santa Claus, was born in Patara. There is a church dedicated to him in Demre, on Turkey’s Mediterranean Coast, where he was a bishop.
Fact 5	The first signs of writing are found in ancient Anatolia. The first clay tablets in the ruins of Assyrian Karum date back to 1950 B.C.
Fact 6	The first Neolithic paintings on man-made walls are also found in Turkey, in a previously mentioned Catalhöyük.
Fact 7	The first ever Christian church built by a man was in Antioch, Turkey.
Fact 8	For more than 2000 years Istanbul was the capital of three empires: Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman
Fact 9	The first known university in human history is in Harran, in southeast Turkey.
Fact 10	Istanbul, or Constantinople at the time, was once the capital of the Roman Empire.
Fact 11	The first ever coins were made in Sfard, near Izmir, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia, at the end of the 7th century B.C.
Fact 12	The most precious silk carpet in the world is in Mevlana Museum in Konya.
Fact 13	The oldest known shipwreck is found in Kaş. That shipwreck could be seen now in the Submarine archaeology museum in Bodrum.
Fact 14	Turkey was the birthplace of historical figures such as Aesop, Homer, and St. Paul the Apostle. Aesop was a famous Greek storyteller, best known for his fables. Homer was born in Izmir, Western Turkey. He is best known for his description of Troy in his epic Iliad.
Fact 15	With its huge collection of 5000 works of art exhibited in the 13 halls, its open-air gallery, and almost 30000 artifacts that are not exhibited, Antalya museum (Antalya, Turkey) can rival world-class museums.
Fact 16	What tells the best about how artistic Turkey is, is the amazing calligraphy of the Ottoman Empire.
Fact 17	Carpets in Turkey are real artistic masterpieces. They serve a religious purpose and they are always used in mosques.
Fact 18	Turkish cuisine is one of the three most diverse cuisines in the world, along with French and Chinese. It’s not necessarily the most healthy one, but it’s certainly the tastiest! You should definitely try kebab, seafood, Turkish delights, halva, Efes beer…
Fact 19	The most famous drink that has spread across Europe from Turkey is famous Turkish coffee … But in Turkey, they consume much more tea than coffee.
Fact 20	More than 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites are located in Turkey.
Fact 21	Pamukkale (“Cotton Palace”) is an attractive natural complex of unique mineral springs near Denizli city in Turkey.
Fact 22	Even though Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey and the third most populated in Europe, Ankara is the capital of Turkey.
Fact 23	Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar has 64 streets, 4000 shops, and 25000 workers.
Fact 24	The number of new archaeological locations in Turkey is more than 150 every year.
Fact 25	Turkey’s Istanbul tunnel is the world’s second oldest underground railway – it began operation in 1875.
Fact 26	70% of hazelnuts come from Turkey.
Fact 27	Turkish Airlines flies to 245 destinations in 105 countries across 4 continents, making it the 4th in the world by a number of destinations.
Fact 28	Turkey is ranked the 6th most popular tourism destination in the world with 35.5 million foreign visitors in 2012.
Fact 29	Football is the most popular sport in Turkey. Galatasaray won the UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup in 2000. The Turkish national team finished 3rd in the 2002 FIFA World Cup Finals.
Fact 30	Efes is the beer of Turkey. Efes Beverage Group is the largest producer of beer in Turkey with approximately 80% market share and ranked 12 in the world beer market.
Fact 31	Turkey is one of the world’s 5 only transcontinental Eurasian countries. Asian Turkey comprises 97% while European Turkey comprises of 3% of the country. They are separated from each other by the Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles.
Interesting Facts for kids	Because of the young population of Turkey,  it is so common to see children playing social games on the street. Perhaps the three most popular games are Korebe, Saklambac, and Uzun esek. Korebe (blind catcher) is a game where “ebe” (it) tries to catch other kids while blindfolded. The kid that gets to be caught or touched by “ebe” becomes the next “ebe.” Saklambac is the Turkish version of hide-n-seek. Uzun Esek (long donkey) is played mostly by boys. In this game, simply players jump over the back of an ebe (it). In some different versions of the game, just like riding a donkey, players get to sit on the back of the ebe for a short while.