Turkey (Turkish: Türkiye), known officially as the Republic of
Turkey (Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, 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
Europe 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 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 through
membership in organizations such as the Council of Europe
(1949), NATO (1952), OECD (1961), OSCE (1973) and the G20
industrial nations (1999). Turkey began full membership
negotiations with the European Union in 2005, having been an
associate member of the EEC since 1963, and having reached a
customs union agreement in 1995. Meanwhile, Turkey has continued
to foster close political, economic and industrial relations
with the Eastern world, particularly with the states of
Southwest, Central and East Asia. Turkey is classified as a
developed country[8] by the CIA and as a regional power by
political scientists and economists worldwide.
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Tourism
Tourism in Turkey is focused largely on a variety of
archaeological and historical sites, and on seaside resorts
along its Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. In the recent years,
Turkey has also become a popular destination for spa and
healthcare tourism. Turkey is the 9th most visited country in
the world and 7th in Europe.
Istanbul is one of the most important tourism spots of Turkey.
There are thousands of hotels and other tourist oriented
industries in the city, catering to both vacationers and
visiting professionals. Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, has a
number of major attractions derived from its huge historical
status as the capital of the Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman
Empires. These include the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the Hagia Sophia,
the Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern, the Dolmabahçe Palace,
the Galata Tower, and the Grand Bazaar. Istanbul has also
recently become one of the major centers shopping, retail and
trade centers of Europe by hosting shopping malls like Metrocity,
Akmerkez and Cevahir Mall (which is the largest mall in Europe
and seventh largest shopping center in the world). Sporting
events and pilgrimage sites (such as Eyüp) are also among the
major tourist attractions in the city. Istanbul has many museums
and hosts numerous cultural events. Miniatürk, the world's
largest park of scaled down miniature models of landmark
buildings, is also in Istanbul. The park contains 105 building
models which are crafted in a scale of 1/25.
Beach vacations and Blue Cruise, particularly for Turkish city-dwellers
and visitors from Western Europe, are also central to the
Turkish tourism industry. Most beach resorts are located along
the southwestern and southern Aegean coast, especially along the
Mediterranean coast near Antalya. Antalya is also accepted as
the tourism capital of Turkey. Major resort towns include
Bodrum, Fethiye, Marmaris, Kuşadası, Çeşme, Didim and Alanya.
Major cultural and historical attractions elsewhere in the
country include the sites of Ephesus, Troy, Pergamon, the House
of Virgin Mary, Pamukkale, Hierapolis, Konya (where the poet
Rumi had spent most of his life), Didyma, the Church of Antioch,
the religious places in Mardin (such as the Deyrülzafarân
Monastery), and the ruined cities and landscapes of Cappadocia.
Ankara has an historic town center with numerous monuments and
ruins, and although the city is not exactly a tourism
destination, it serves as a major stop for travellers who go to
Cappadocia. The city enjoys an excellent cultural life, boasting
numerous museums and cultural events. The Anıtkabir is also in
Ankara. It is the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the
founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey.
İzmir is also a popular tourist destination with its beautiful
beaches and historical sites. The city has an ancient agora and
numerous landmarks such as the Izmir Clock Tower in the city
center. İzmir International Fair is the oldest trade show in
Turkey, considered the cradle of Turkey's fairs and expositions
industry, and is also notable for hosting a series of
simultaneous festival activities.
