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Turkey (Türkiye Cumhuriyeti) is a parliamentarian republic of western Asia that comprises also an European part (Thrace). Between the cities the state capital is Ankara, but it's Istanbul (the old Costantinople), the greatest city of the country, and the most important historical town of Turkey; other important cities are Izmir, Adrianople (Edirne), Bursa, Manisa, Antalya, Adana, İskenderun (Alexandretta), Antakya, Konya, Erzurum. Turkey confines to the northeast with Georgia and Armenia, east with Iran, south with Iraq and Syria, to the north-west with Greece and Bulgaria.

The country is formed in great part from an immense plateau, crossed from numerous chains, that finish towards north with Mounts of the Pontus, whose eastern side exceeds in more points 3,000 metres of altitude and where the maximum summit, the Kaçkar Dagi, reaches the 3,937 meters; and towards south with the chain of the Taurus, the more imposing chain that reaches the maximum height of 3,585 m in the Bolkar Daglari and of 3,734 m in the Wing Daglari. In the oriental side are some mountain complexes that form an high region to a medium altitude of 1,800 meters, are here a series of chains that reaches the maximum elevation with the Bingöl Daglari (3,250 m), separated from valleys and from wide depressions, like which it accommodates, at 1.646 m of high, the Lake of Van. In this zone remarkable are the volcanos, the more imposing are the Süphan Dagi (4,434 m), near the northern side of the Lake of Van, the largest Turkish lake (3,738 sqkm), and the famous Mount Ararat, situated over the Aras Valley, to the border between Armenia and Iran. The Ararat is the highest mountain of Turkey with 5,165 meters of height.  

Because of the scarce precipitations, the hydrographical development of the Turkish territory is rather poor; rivers lack of importance for length and amplitude of river basin. The main rivers are: the Kizilirmak, the Yesilirmak and the Sakarya (that flows in the Black Sea); the Gediz and the Büyük Menderes that flows in the Aegean Sea; the Euphrates and Tigris, that flows in the Persian Gulf. The Anatolia is rich of generally salt lakes: the bigger are the Lake of Van, the Tuz, the Beysehir.  

  

Climate: Although Turkey is situated in a geographical location where climatic conditions are quite temperate, the diverse nature of the landscape, and the existence in particular of the mountains that run parallel to the coasts cause significant differences in climatic conditions between regions. While the coastal areas enjoy milder climates, the inland Anatolian plateau experiences extremes of hot summers and cold winters with limited rainfall.

Tourist attractions: A country of sun and history, Turkey straddles the point where Europe and Asia meet. Surrounded by the crystal clear waters, Turkey generously offers her 8000km long shores. Twenty fascinating civilizations render Turkey the heir of 10.000 years old history, these civilization have left temples, theaters, agoras, churches, mosques, medresseh, palaces and caravanserais. A travel in Turkey can space from the visit to the most important archaeological centers of the ancient civilizations Hittites, Persian, Greek, Roman, Bizanthium, Selgiuchids, Ottoman. Places not to lack are Istanbul, the Cappadocia, Efeso, Smirne, the wonderful Mediterranean coast with the historical and bathing centers of Antalya, Bodrum, Alanya. Wonderful are also the natural landscapes of mountains of the Tauro and the Anatolic plateau.

Unesco has inscribed 9 Turkish sites in the World Heritage List: the Archaeological Site of Troy (1998), the City of Safranbolu (1994), the Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği (1985), Hattusha: the Hittite Capital (1986), the Historic Areas of Istanbul (1985), Nemrut Dağ (1987), Xanthos-Letoon (1988), Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia (1985), Hierapolis-Pamukkale (1988). Between the properties submitted on the Tentative List are: Ephesus (1994), Karain Cave (1994), Sümela Monastery (The Monastery of Virgin Mary) (2000), Alahan Monastery (2000), St. Nicholas Church (2000), Harran and Sanliurfa (2000), The Tombstones of Ahlat the Urartian and Ottoman citadel (2000), The Citadel and the Walls of Diyarbakir (2000), Seljuk Caravanserais on the route from Denizli to Dogubeyazit (2000), Konya-A capital of Seljuk Civilization (2000), Alanya (2000), Mardin Cultural Landscape (2000), Bursa and Cumalikizik Early Ottoman urban and rural settlements (2000), Edirne Selimiye Mosque (2000), St.Paul Church, St.Paul's Well and surrounding historic quarters (2000), Ishak Pasha Palace (2000), Kekova (2000), Güllük Dagi-Termessos National Park (2000).

Travel Documents: U.S. citizens must have a visa to enter Turkey. U.S. citizens may obtain a visa upon entry into Turkey or in prior to departure from one of the five Turkish Consulates in the United States.  Valid Passport. Nationals of EU-member states and of some other states only need an official identification card or, in special cases, a passport that has expired within less than five years.

Health: The sanitary situation of the Country can be defined satisfactory, even if deficiencies in infrastructures are recorded; some publics hospitals are in bad status while of better level are the private clinics. In the small centers are still present endemic diseases (internal infections, hepatitis, amoebas etc.). In summer and in particular in the Turkish south-east, particular attention must be done to the purchase of beverages (the water is not drinkable) and foods to avoid gastrointestinal affections that could give origin to more serious infectious pathologies. In particular, it is adviced against the purchase of milled meat and various types of mixed appetizers and salades already manifactured. It is advised to stipulate, before undertaking the travel, a sanitary assurance that previews, beyond to the cover of medical expenses, also the eventual medical repatriation with aircraft or the transfer in other Country.

Shopping hours: Monday-Saturday (9,30-13,00), (14,00-19,00) Sunday (closed). Istanbul Covered market: Monday-Saturday (8,00-19,00) Sunday (closed).

Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz. The Continental two-round-pin plug is standard.

Cuisine: For those who travel engaged in culinary pursuits, the Turkish Cuisine is a very curious one. The Turkish Cuisine is based on ingredients like fruit, vegetables, meat and fish, cooked in typically Mediterranean way. The typical plates are made up of lamb and ram. Famous are the sis kebap, spit of meat of lamb or ram with onions, tomatoes and capsicum. Between the specialties one finds also the mantles, stuffed pasta with milled meat, yogurt, garlic and chili pepper; the cig köfte, meatball of raw meat worked with grain and chili pepper; the kuzu kapama, stew of lamb with onions; the cerkez tavugu, circassa chiken, in stock with walnuts and capsicum. TURKISH CUISINE RECIPES.

Typical Products: Fine apparel of silk, cotton, leather and wool; artful jewelry; leather accessories; brilliant faience (colored tiles); vessels of copper, brass, marble, meerschaum and alabaster worked by master artisans; and of course heirloom-quality Turkish carpets and kilims, are among the most popular purchases. Traditional Turkish handicrafts crafts including carpets, ceramics and pottery, tiles, copper items, woodcarvings, decorative glass, and embroidery. The Grand Bazaar, or "Kapalicarsi," in Istanbul is a unique combination of fantastic merchandise and a memorable shopping experience. The Grand Bazaar is a maze of some 4,000 shops, selling treasures of every type. Still the commercial center of the old city, the Grand Bazaar's 80 roads and streets form the original shopping mall.

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Airports and Flights: Turkish Airlines (THY): has regular flights for Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Antalya, Adana, Trabzon and Dalaman from the principal capitals and major cities of the world. Virtually every major city in Turkey has air service and Turkish Airlines offers nationwide services. Most flights connect through Istanbul or Ankara, both of which have domestic and international terminals. International airlines: most international airlines have regular flights from all major cities of the world to Turkey's international airports.

 

Area: 779,452 sqkm

Population: 72,600,000

State Capital: Ankara

Language: Turkish.

Religion: Islam.

Currency: New Turkish Lira.

Time: Turkey is in the Eastern European Time Zone. Eastern European Standard Time (EET) is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2). GMT+3 hours (April-September) GMT+2 hours (October-March) .

 

 

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