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Turkey Travel Resource

Geography

The lands of Turkey are located at a point where the three continents making up the old world, Asia, Africa and Europe are closest to each other. Turkey is situated on an area where Europe meets Asia, creating a link between these two continents. The European part of the country is called Thrace, while the Asian part is known as Anatolia (or Asia Minor). It is bordered to the northwest by Greece and Bulgaria, to the east by the former USSR (Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaican Republics) and Iran, and to the south by Iraq and Syria. The Turkish peninsula is bathed by four seas: the Mediterranean to the south, the Aegean to the west, the Sea of Marmara between the European and Asian land masses, and the Black Sea to the north. The entire coastline spans more than 8,000 kilometers (approximately 5,000 miles) in length.

Climate and Weather

Temperatures in Ankara vary between -4°C (25ºF) and 30°C (86ºF). Marmara and the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts have a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild, wet winters. The east of the country is mountainous with warm summers and very cold, snowy winters. The southeast has very hot summers and cold winters. The Black Sea coast is the wettest part of the country, especially in the northeast.

Population

The population of Turkey in 2006 is approximately 70 million people according to estimates. Ethnic Turks comprise roughly 80% of the population of Turkey while Kurds form nearly 20% of the rest. The only official language in Turkey is Turkish which is spoken by all of the population however there are minority languages which are spoken locally in the communities of ethnic minorities. These languages include Kurd, Azari, Dimly and Kabardian. Although Kurds form the largest minority they do share the same religion as the Turkish majority which is Islam. Officially Islam is the religion of 99.8% of the population of Turkey although there are some long established minorities in Turkey who have been living in Turkey for centuries. There is a small community of Turkish Jews who mostly live in Istanbul who have been living in Turkey since the 1500's when they were welcomed and settled after escaping from persecution in Spain.

Transportation

To get around Turkey, there are two feasible options: road or air transportation. Ferries and railways are almost obsolete in Turkey. Bus is the main public transportation mean in Turkey. It is cheap and frequent. Some bus companies have very modern buses in their fleet.

Top Attractions

1. Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya).
2. Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii).
3. Topkapi Palace Museum.
4. Turkish and Islamic Art Museum.
5. The Covered Bazaar (Kapali Çarsi).
6. Ephesus.
7. Pamukkale.
8. Olympos and the Fires of Chimaera.
9. Goreme Open-Air Museum.
10. The Underground Cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymakli.

Best Travel Time

The peak season is the national holiday time from July to mid-September. It’s best to visit before or after this period to avoid the crowds and also the mosquitoes. Snowfall between November–May could hamper tourism in eastern regions.

Food and Drink

National specialties:
• Meze (starters brought to your table on trays or chosen from glass-fronted refrigerators).
• Shish kebab (pieces of meat threaded on a skewer and grilled).
• Doner kebab (pieces of lamb packed tightly round a revolving spit).
• Dolma (vine leaves or vegetables stuffed with pine nuts and currants).
• Turkish Delight (originally made from dates, honey, roses and jasmine bound by Arabic gum and designed to sweeten the breath after coffee).

National drinks:
• Raki (anisette), known as ’lion’s milk’, which clouds when water is added. Drinking raki is a ritual and is traditionally accompanied by a variety of meze.
• Ayran (a refreshing yogurt drink).
• Tea.
• Strong black Turkish coffee.
• Turkish beer, red and white wines.

Local Products/Shopping

Istanbul’s Kapali Carsi Bazaar has jewelry, carpets and antiques for sale. Turkish handicrafts include a rich variety of textiles and embroideries, articles of copper, onyx and tile, mother-of-pearl, inlaid articles, leather and suede products, jewelry and, above all, carpets and kilims. Most of the other cities and larger resorts have a market area where visitors can buy souvenirs and handicrafts.

Travel Resource