1.THE TURKISH REPUBLIC Turkey is a transcontinental country, located mostly in Western Asia, and in Southeastern Europe. Turkey is bordered by eight countries: Bulgaria and Greece to the west; Georgia, Armenia, Iran and Nakhchivan to the east; and Iraq and Syria to the southeast.

2. HISTORY Turkey has been inhabited since the paleolithic age including various Ancient Anatolian civilizations such as the Trojans. 3. It was also home to the Byzantine Empire. 4. The Seljuk Turks began migrating into the area in the 11th century. After the decline of the Byzantine, the Ottomans ruled Anatolia and created a powerful empire. 5. The empire lived 623 years. Here are some photos of the Ottoman signs in Istanbul. The Topkap Palace 6. After the Ottoman Empire collapsed following its defeat in World War I,The Turkish War of Independence was initiated by Mustafa Kemal Atatrk and his colleagues. It resulted in the establishment of the modern Republic of Turkey in 1923, with Atatrk as its first president . He is referred as the father of Turks. He modernized the young country with his reforms and revolutions. 7. Ankara is the capital of Turkey since the empire's fall in 1923 and the country's second largest city. 8. Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. 9. Turkey has a total population of 76 million, with half of that under the age of 30. This photo is from the Istiklal Street which is most crowded place in Turkey. 10. The country's official language is Turkish. Turks constitute 75% of the population. Kurds (18%) and others (712%) Turkey began full membership negotiations with the European Union in 2005. Abdullah Gl is the president. Recep Tayyip Erdoan is the prime minister. 11. Climate The coastal areas of Turkey bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea have a temperate Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild to cool, wet winters. 12. Winters on the eastern part of the counrty are especially severe. Temperatures of 30 to 40 C can occur in eastern Anatolia. Snow may remain at least 120 days of the year. Summers are hot and dry, with temperatures often above 30 C 13. Economy Turkey is one of the world's newly industrialized countries. The country is among the world's leading producers of agricultural products; textiles; motor vehicles, ships and other transportation equipment; construction materials; consumer electronics and home appliances. 14. Education Education is governed by a national system. Primary and secondary education is financed by the state and free of charge in public schools, between the ages of 6 and 18. Primary and high school education are mandatory. After the national university entrance examination students, if they succeed, continue with their studies at a university. 15. Tourism Tourism in Turkey is focused largely on a variety of historical sites, and on seaside resorts along its Aegean and Mediterranean Sea coasts. In the recent years, Turkey has also become a popular destination for culture, spa, and health care tourism. In 2011, Turkey attracted more than 31.5 million foreign tourists, ranking as the 6th most popular tourist destination in the world and the number rises every year. 16. Year Arrivals 1998 9,750,000 1999 7,460,000 2000 8,000,000 2001 10,400,000 2002 12,800,000 2003 13,300,000 2004 16,800,000 2005 21,200,000 2006 18,500,000 2007 23,340,911 2008 26,336,677 2009 27,077,114 2010 28,632,204 2011 31,456,076 Country Number (2012) Germany 5.0 million Russia 3.5 million United Kingdom 2.4 million Bulgaria 1.5 million Georgia 1.4 million Netherlands 1.2 million Iran 1.1 million France 1.0 million United States 0.8 million Syria 0.7 million 17. Ephesus theatre 18. Ephesus 19. Aspendos Theatre 20. The temple of Apollo 21. Rumelian Castle in Istanbul 22. The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the oldest closed bazaars in the world. 23. Another view inside of it 24. A hotel in Antalya 25. Cappodocia 26. The statues of the kings in Nemrut Mountain 27. It is believed to be the place where the prophet Abraham was put into fire in anlurfa 28. The Smela Monastery 29. Sport Among all sports in Turkey, the most popular one is football. Turkey's top teams are Fenerbahe, Galatasaray and Beikta. In 2000, Galatasaray won the UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup. Other mainstream sports such as basketball and volleyball are also popular. Anadolu Efes S.K is one of the successful basketball teams in Europe. 30. Athletics is another fast improving sport. Sreyya Ayhan set the 1500m world record in 2003. 31. Different types of houses in Turkey