Surrounded by the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean Turkey boasts 8000km of coastline including the best beach in the world – the 13km stretch of golden sand of Patara - according to tour operators in a 1998 Sunday Times survey.

Twenty civilizations and 10,000 years of history have left Turkey with an awe-inspiring legacy of ancient ruins and archaeological sites, many of which are still under excavation.

The Turkish landscape may yet still reveal more secrets of our ancestors – more statues of gods and goddesses, more temples, theatres and mosques.
No matter what your interests, it would be difficult to tire of Turkey.

Myths and Legends
History and mythology bring the shores of the Mediterranean to life. The ancient ruins and hidden coves to the South of the Taurus Mountains are rich in legend and folklore.
The fire-breathing monster Chimera, so the story goes, lived among the mountains to the West of Antalya. That was until Bellerofontes, the Lydian hero, sliced his head from his body in one blow. The fire, which rises from the ground on the southeastern slopes of Mount Olympus today, is said to come from the mouth of Chimera.

Another myth tells the story of Apollo, the god of the fine arts, who was one day chasing Daphne, the beautiful but elusive object of his affections – close to Antakya. Daphne’s feet became tree roots and her hands and arms, branches and limbs of the laurel tree, or ‘defne’ in Turkish.

Few people may know that Santa Claus, or St Nicholas, was born in the town of Patara in Turkey and died in Kale. Turkey’s Tarsus was also the birthplace of St Paul.

History and Civilizations

Turkey is one of the most ancient settlement areas of the world. Archaeological excavations in the Karain cave near Antalya have yielded material dating from the lower, intermediate and upper periods of Palaeolithic Age – the earliest finds, some two million years old. The most developed Neolithic Age settlement centre is Çatalhöyük, 52 km southeast of the Konya Province. Anatolia entered the Ancient Bronze Age between the end of 4000BC and the beginning of 3000BC.

The Hittites in 1750BC founded the first state governed by the central system in Anatolia. Archaeological excavations in Boğazköy, Alacahöyük, Eskiyapar, İnandık, Maşathöyük, Kargamış, Zincirli, Arslantepe, Karatepe, Sakçagözü all unearthed artefacts from the reign of the Hittites.

After the Hittites came the Frigs (1200-700BC) with their headquarters at Gordion, near Ankara. Urartus, who founded a state around Van Lake with Tuşba (Van) as the capital in 1000BC, contributed important works of art to Turkish heritage.

The end of 2000BC saw the first Hellenist colonies begin to settle in the western areas of Anatolia as a result of the Dorian migrations. The effect of Ion civilization had significantly increased in Western Anatolia after the year 1050BC. Karia, Lycia and Lydian Civilizations had their most advanced periods between 700BC and 600BC.
The Lydians were the first to use currency in the form of coins. They founded a state in the middle of the Aegean Region with the capital city of Sardes but were destroyed by Persians in 546BD. The combination of Persian and Greek cultures gave rise to the first Greco- Persian Style art works.

The Hellenistic Period (333-30BC) began after the invasion of Anatolia by Alexander the Great. Much of the ornamental architecture in the cities of the Aegean dates from this period. The ensuing Roman Empire saw major cultural improvement. After 395, the Empire was divided in two with the beginning of the Byzantium period and corresponding art works.

In 1453, the Turks who had begun to settle in Anatolia during the period of Great Seljuk’s Empire in the 11th Century conquered Istanbul. Architecture began to be influenced by Islam with emphasis on building educational institutions and hospitals.

The Ottomans, who founded a state in 1299 and later, an Empire, secured the unification of Anatolia during Fatih Sultan Mehmet’s reign. The borders of the empire reached to the inner parts of Iran to Central Europe and from Crimea to Northern Africa carrying Ottoman culture to these newly conquered lands and bringing back ideas from across the borders.
The Republic of Turkey was founded in 29 October 1923 after the Turkish War of Independence under the command of the leader Atatürk. Atatürk took great pains to conserve the rich cultural heritage of the Ottoman Empire. He founded Turkish Language and History Institutions and converted Topkapı Palace and Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia) into museums.

With such a rich cultural heritage from so many different civilizations, Turkey has learned to preserve its past for the benefit of future generations. Thousands of works of art and ancient remains draw tourists to Turkey every year. The Ephesus Arthemis Temple and Halikarnas Bodrum Mausoleum, counted among the Seven Wonders of the World, were once part of Turkey. The remains of these, along with many other exhibits from Turkey's cultural legacy are housed in major museums worldwide.

Cities and Sites
Antalya is one of the Mediterranean’s most important cities and surrounded by beautiful beaches, such as Konyalti to the west and Lara beach to the east, enjoys a reputation as Turkey’s hottest holiday destinations. Antalya offers sophistication and entertainment with its palm-lined streets, picturesque marina and ebullient nightlife. The symbol of Antalya, founded in the 2nd century BC is the Yivli Minaret, which dates from the Selçuk era.
To the west of Antalya is the pretty holiday town of Kemer surrounded by pine forests and mountains. East of Antalya, the Asağı Düden Waterfall flows over huge boulders into the sea. Also to the east is Alanya, a bustling port on the southern slopes of the majestic Taurus Mountains, flanked by orange, lemon and banana groves with a 9th Century castle. One of the most impressive castles in Turkey can be found on the coast close to Anamur, perched between two beaches. The road from Anamur to Silifke offers breathtaking views along the coast.

Near Narlikuyu are the Heaven and Hell caves (Cennet ve Cehennem). Heaven, the larger of the two, houses a small church. A must-see is Kizkalesi castle, which rises from the water across the sea from the medieval castle of Korykos.

Mersin, with well-groomed parks, beach boulevards, commercial port and free trade zone, is one of the most up-beat cities on the Mediterranean. By contrast, close to Mersin are the old Roman cities of Kanlidivane and Viransehir.

The Cukuroya plain, cotton growing agricultural region east of Tarsus, is home to the wealthy city of Adana with its large textile industry. Further east again, is the Dortyol (Issos) plain where Alexander the Great defeated the Persian king Darius.

Turkey's Land and Climate
Land:
Area: 779,452 sq km (300,948 sq mi)
Highest Point: Mount Ararat - 5137 m (16,854 ft) above sea level
Lowest Point: Sea level along the coast

Climate

Average Temperatures:
Antalya January 10° C () / July 50° C
Ankara January 0° C (32° F) / July 23° C (73° F)
Istanbul January 5° C (41° F) / July 23° C (73° F)

Government of Turkey
Form of Government: Republic - Parliamentary System

Head of State: President - Chosen by the legislature for a 7 year term

Head of Government: Prime minister

Legislature: Unicameral legislature; National Assembly - 550 Deputies

Voting Qualifications: All citizens age 20 and older

Highest Court: Constitutional Court

Armed Forces: Conscription service - Army, Navy, and Air Force - approximately 500,000 troops - conscription for 12 to 16 months for men 20 - 32

Political Divisions: 80 provinces

Population of Turkey

Population: 63,528,225 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 31%
(male 10,180,631; female 9,820,505)
15-64 years: 63%
(male 20,326,169; female 19,648,647)
65 years and over: 6%
(male 1,638,048; female 1,914,225)

Population growth rate: 1.64%

Birth rate: 21.83 births/1,000 population

Death rate: 5.43 deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years : 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female

Nationality:
noun: Turk(s)
adjective: Turkish

Ethnic groups: Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20%

Religions: Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (Christian and Jews)

Languages: Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.3%
male: 91.7%
female: 72.4%

Population Density: 80 persons/sq km; (208 persons/sq mi)

Urban/Rural Breakdown: 69% Urban; 31% Rural

Largest Cities:
Istanbul - 6,620,241 (1990 census)
Ankara - 2,559,471 (1990 census)
Izmir - 1,757,414 (1990 census)