2. LOCATION
The Republic of Turkey is an
Eurasian country that stretches
across the Anatolian peninsula in
western Asia and Thrace in the
Balkan region of southeastern
Europe.
It is bordered by eight
countries: Bulgaria to the
northwest, Greece to the west,
Georgia to the northeast,
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran to
the east, and Iraq and Syria to
the southeast. The capital of
Turkey is Ankara, but the most
populated is Istanbul.
3.
4. HISTORY
Antiquity
The Anatolian peninsula (also called
Minor Asia), comprising most of
modern Turkey, is one of the
oldest continually inhabited regions
in the world due to its location at
the intersection of Asia and
Europe.
Göbekli Tepe, the first
evidence of man presence in
the world.
Portion of the legendary walls
Troy (VII), identified as the
site of the Trojan War
5. The Turks and the Ottoman Empire
In the 10th century, the Seljuks
started migrating from their ancestral
homelands towards the eastern regions
of Anatolia, which eventually became
the new homeland of Oğuz Turkic
tribes following the Battle of
Manzikert (Malazgirt) in 1071.
Map from Mahmud al-Kashgari's
Diwanu Lughat at-Turk, showing
the 11th century distribution of
Turkic tribes.
The Republic Era
The occupation of İstanbul and İzmir by
the Allies at the end of World War I
prompted the establishment of the
Turkish national movement.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk,
founder and first President of
the Republic of Turkey
6. LANGUAGE
Turkish is the sole official language throughout Turkey.
RELIGION
Turkey is officially a secular Republic.
The Turkish Constitution provides the
freedom of religion and conscience, but
does not represent or promote a religion.
The population of Turkey is predominantly
Muslim (99%), the majority are Sunni
(75%) and a large minority are Alevi (15-
25%).The remainder of the population are
mainly Christians (mostly Greek Orthodox
and Armenian Apostolic) and Jews (96%
Sephardi and 4% Ashkenazi). According
to a nationwide survey in 2007, 96.8% of
Turkish citizens have a religion, while
3.2% are irreligious and atheists. 56% of
male Muslim citizens regularly attend
Friday prayers.
Blue Mosque
7. TYPE OF CURRENCY
New Turkish Lira:100 kuruş
1,00 €= 2,107 new Turkish lira
CULTURE
MUSIC
Turkish folk music has combined the distinct
cultural values of all those civilisations which
have lived in Anatolia and the Ottoman
territories in Europe and Asia.
11. Popular figures
Nasrettin Hoca
He is a medieval legendary
satirical Sufi figure.]
Nasreddin
was a populist philosopher and
wise man, remembered for his
funny stories and anecdotes.
Much of Nasreddin's actions
can be described as illogical yet
logical, rational yet irrational,
bizarre yet normal, foolish yet
sharp, and simple yet profound.
What adds even further to his
uniqueness is the way he gets
across his messages in
unconventional yet very
effective methods in a profound
simplicity.
13. Yunus Emre one of
the most important
Turkish poets. He was a
Sufi Muslim ascetic of
Anatolia. He probably
lived in the Karaman area.
His poetry expresses a
deep personal mysticism
and humanism and love
for God.
14. Köroğlu the hero "son of
the blind man", defending his
clan against threats from
outside. Köroğlu earns his
name from the wrongful
blinding of his father, an act
for which the son takes his
revenge and which initiates
his series of adventures. He
is portrayed as a bandit and a
poet.
A number of songs and
melodies attributed to
Köroğlu survives in the folk
tradition.
21. İskender kebap It is a kind of döner
kebab prepared from
thinly cut grilled lamb
or beef basted with
tomato sauce over
pieces of pide bread
and generously
slathered with melted
butter and yogurt.
Tomato sauce and
boiling butter are
sometimes poured over
the dish, at the table.
23. SPORT
Yagli is a Turkish fight and a national
sport. It is commonly known as flight in
oil because flighters grease themselves
in oil.
CURIOSITIES
Many names of cities as Philadelphia, Paris, Troy
originated in Anatolia.
Two of seven marvels of the world were in Anatolia:
Artemis's temple in Efesus and the mausoleum in
Halicarnasus (Bodrum).
24. CURIOSITIES
Anatolia was the main site for Christianity.
Abraham was born in Sanliurfa, the city we are
working on our European project.
Seven churches of the Apocalypsis are placed in
Anatolia: Efesus, Ismirna, Pergamundo, Tiatira, Sardis,
Philadelphia and Laodicea.
Mount Ararat is in
Anatolia. Ararat is the
place where Noe's ark
remains are.
