Last Updated on 12/01/2022
General overview on Turkey important facts
Turkey occupies a prominent geographical position being on the edge of Asia and Europe, where you can discover different civilizations and admire various landscapes which is one of the most important facts. It constitutes at the same time a barrier and a bridge between the two continents.
Turkey is considered a large country with 297,146 sq mi. It also has a very dense population of 84,020,000 in 2021, with a high literacy rate of 93.6%.
The country has a multiparty republic government with one legislative parliament situated in Ankara, the capital city. Istanbul, the country’s biggest city, is considered a touristic city.
Situation and Geography
It is situated at the crossroads of the Balkans, the Caucasus, the Middle East, and therefore the Eastern Mediterranean.
Most of the territory is in Asia, including the oval peninsula of Asia Minor known as Anatolia. The black sea borders it on the north, Georgia and Armenia in the northeast, Iraq, and Syria on the southwest, the Mediterranean sea on the West, and Greece and Bulgaria on the northwest.
75% of the boundaries are maritime, including three different seas; the Mediterranean, the Black, and Aegean. It also includes the prominent Turkish straits, including the iconic Bosphorus, the sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles.
Turkey has mostly a mountainous topography. In fact, 25% of the surface has an elevation of at least 1200m. Most of the mountains are mainly situated in the east, where we find the highest peak in the country called Ağrı, with 5165m in height.
Climate
Turkey’s climate is a mixed climate tending to be commonly a dry semi-continental Mediterranean climate. The sea and the mountains influence the climate generating thus a contrast. Actually, the country’s topography elevation engenders cold winters with a remarkable difference between summer and winter temperatures.
Generally, January is the coldest month of the year, with intensely low temperatures reaching – 5 degrees Celsius. However, snow coverage lasts between 2 weeks to 5 months, depending on the area. 
Fauna and Flora
According to the soil natüre, the climate, and the relief, Turkey’s vegetation is divided into two main categories; Plain
grasslands spread mostly in central Anatolia and Southeast. And Forests covering the most considerable land of Turkey. Turkey has many wild animals and birds including wolves, foxes, hyenas, and gazelles.
Population
Ethnic groups
Turkey’s rich history and cultural background originated from different ethnic origins. Although the Turkish constitution determines Turks as all Turkish citizens without discrimination or references to certain races or religions, we still can find a minority of various ethnic groups as Tatars and Azerbaijanis. It is possible to categorize Turkey’s population according to their initially spoken language. Thus, we can identify three main groups:
– Turkish speaking group forms 65% of the population.
– Kurds comprise 18.9% of the population, especially in eastern Anatolia and cities like Bitlis, Bingöl, and Diyarbakır.
– Arabic speakers form 7.2% and mainly exist in Hatay, Mardin, and Adana.
Religion
Turkey is a 98% Muslim country. However, it has been a secular country since 1928. There is also a small Jewish and christian communities that does not exceed 0.5%. Turkey is characterized by its assertive secularism compared to all the other Muslim countries.
Age
In general, Turkey has a young population with about 50% under the age of 30. It also presents a relatively high life expectancy rate between 73 and 78 years.
Economy
Turkey has a mixed economy with both state and private contributions. Turkey has a diverse economy based on predominately industrial and service sectors considered fast-growing ones. In fact, the service sector consists of 50% of the workforce while industry and agriculture hold 25% each.
Ressources
Turkey has a significant variety of natural resources. Other than Iran, Turkey is the only country in the Middle East with significant coal deposits. Also, it has an important production of oil which leads to an important electricity regeneration.
Agriculture
About 35% of Turkey’s land is used for agricultural production, with the most important one being cereals occupying 50% of the cultivation land.
Turkey has important vineyards and olive oil cultivation with excellent quality. It also has essential cultivation of hazelnuts which makes the country responsible for 75% of the world’s hazelnuts exports. In addition, extensive cultivation of tea is spread in Rize region. It is important in Turkey, being the most consumed drink in Turkish culture.
Society
Education
Turkey has a very developed educational system. It starts with primary education that is free and compulsory beginning from the age of 6 years old and lasts 8 years, including 4 years of middle school education. Then comes secondary education that lasts 4 years.
The country also has a very developed High education system with more than 200 universities by 2021. Recently, Turkey has become a very important destination for international students worldwide thanks to many prominent universities such as Istanbul Technical University, the Middle East Technical University in Izmir, and Hacettepe University in Ankara.
Turkey Healthcare system
Turkey gives great importance to the healthcare system operated by both the public and private sectors. Important fact that It has a sufficient number of doctors and medical staff in addition to high quality equipment. All Turkish citizens and legally working foreigners are covered by the Turkish universal health system that provides strong health insurance in Turkey.
To summarize, Turkey is an attractive country to discover its important facts with rich culture and outstanding landscapes. It is also a pleasant country for living with its strong social system and important economic sectors.
