Welcome to Turkey

About Turkey

Arriving in gallop from far Asia pulled forward like a mare‘s head into the great Mediterranean Sea - this is our country." Note that this is the way Nazim Hikmet described Turkey and a glance on the map reveals to you instantly that the country is completely surrounded on three sides by the sea: It is noted that the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the west coast, the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in the south and the Black Sea in the north.

Turkey is known to be at the northeast end of the Mediterranean Sea in southeast Europe and southwest Asia. To the north is the Black Sea and to the west is the Aegean Sea. Its neighbors are and have always been Bulgaria and Greece to the west, Russia, Ukraine, and Romania to the north and northwest (through the Black Sea), Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran to the east, and Syria and Iraq to the south. Did you know that the Dardanelles, the Sea of Marmara, and the Bosporus divide the country. Turkey in Europe comprises an location about equal to the state of Massachusetts. Turkey in Asia is known to be about the size of Texas. Its core center is known to be a treeless plateau rimmed by mountains.

Climate

It is noted that the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts have very warm and dry summers, and wet, mild winters during the time the coastal towns more or less shut down in the range of October and April. Winter in Istanbul and Cappadocia can be very cold with a dusting of snow. Did you know that the peak tourist and vacationers season is around the time during high summer, roughly in the range of July and September. From June the mosquitoes can be a problem. Spring and autumn are and have always been the top times to visit, as the climate is still warm, but not unbearable. Eastern Turkey should be visited around the time during summer as roads and mountain passes may close due to winter ice and snow.

Population

Population (2006 est.): 70,413,958 (growth rate: 1.1%)
Birth rate: 16.6/1000
Infant mortality rate: 39.7/1000
Life expectancy: 72.6
Density per sq mi: 237