Overview
Once the centre of the Ottoman Empire, the modern secular republic was established in the 1920s by nationalist leader Kemal Ataturk. Straddling the continents of Europe and Asia, Turkey's strategic location has given it major influence in the region - and control over the entrance to the Black Sea.
Map
Facts
| Full name | Republic of Turkey |
|---|---|
| Population: | 75.8 million (UN, 2008) |
| Capital: | Ankara |
| Largest city: | Istanbul |
| Area: | 779,452 sq km (300,948 sq miles) |
| Major language: | Turkish |
| Major religion: | Islam |
| Life expectancy: | 69 years (men), 74 years (women) (UN) |
| Monetary unit: | Turkish lira |
| Main exports: | Clothing and textiles, fruit and vegetables, iron and steel, motor vehicles and machinery, fuels and oils |
| GNI per capita | US $8,020 (World Bank, 2007) |
| Internet domain: | .tr |
| International dialling code: | +90 |
Sport
Sport Articles
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Turkish Grand Prix as it happened07 Jun 09Excellent result for Jenson - right on the Button - a real Turkish Delight." Jenson Button, meanwhile, has stretched his lead over Mark Webber to 17.9 seconds, who himsel...
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Turkey GP practice as it happened05 Jun 09That would mean only Ferrari and McLaren will have Kers in Turkey. If you asked me who will be on the Turkish grid this time next year, I think you would see 90% of today's teams."
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International football as it happened28 Mar 09Stephen Hunt's cross is not dealt with by the Bulgaria keeper and the ball falls to Aiden McGeady.
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African goals in Europe: 02-03 May16 Mar 09TURKEY The DR Congo striker Patiyo Tambwe scored early in the second-half for Hacettepe Spor who shocked giants Galatasaray 2-0.
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Internationals as they happened19 Nov 08Elsewhere, goal fans, enjoy these friendly scores - Slovenia 3-4 Bosnia-Herzegovina and Austria 2-4 Turkey."
Sport Clips
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Alonso admits Turkey is critical race05 Jun 09Renault's Fernando Alonso says the Turkish Grand Prix comes at a crucial point in the season, where if his team and the rest of the chasing pack cannot compete with Brawn GP at Istanbul Park, they may ...
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Zoom into the Turkey Grand Prix track04 Jun 09Check out the location for this weekend's Turkish Grand Prix and ride a virtual lap of the Istanbul circuit.
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Turkish penalty delight in Vienna20 Jun 08Turkey provide yet another moment of high drama, pulling off one more last-gasp comeback to beat Croatia 3-1 on penalties and qualify for the semi-finals.
Watch "Turkish penalty delight in Vienna" now -
Hamilton takes to the sky in Turkey09 May 08Lewis Hamilton is suspended from the ceiling as part of a bizarre musical enactment ahead of the Turkish Grand Prix on Sunday.
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Souness lashes out at 'pointless friendlies'19 Aug 05Graeme Souness is furious that Newcastle will be without midfielder Emre for the match against West Ham. ...
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Coming Up
Radio
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A Good ReadBBC Radio 4, 17 Jul 09 23:00
One book takes us for a walk in the woods, one to 1950s small-town America and the other to war-torn Turkey.
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World RoutesBBC Radio 3, 18 Jul 09 15:00
Plus a session by the Cretan lyra virtuoso Ross Daly, who is joined by Israeli percussionist Zohar Fresco and Yurdal Tokcan from Turkey on oud. ...
News
News Articles
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Media ponder 'energy chess game'15 Jul 09 | BusinessThis strengthens Turkey's hand in international relations, particularly regarding Europe. That's why the Turkish prime minister emphasised Iran's presence during the signing ceremony.
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Armenia-Turkey thaw tinged with pain04 Jul 09 | Europe
I think it is important that Armenia and Turkey become friends again." Turkey and Armenia have set themselves a tight timetable for their path to friendship.
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Red tape fails to stop fans' trip22 May 09 | WalesThe 25 fans leave on Friday for a World Cup qualifier in Azerbaijan on 6 June. Other visits will be made to orphanages in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan itself.
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Wales fans hit by visa problems20 May 09 | WalesThe trip, which has been planned for months, involves fans visiting more than 20 orphanages in Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan itself.
News Clips
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Hotel fire in Turkey injures eight30 Jun 09Eight people, including seven Britons, have been injured in a hotel fire in the Turkish resort of Marmaris.
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Briton 'killed in air balloon crash'29 May 09A British man has been killed and nine other tourists injured in a hot-air balloon crash during a trip in central Turkey, local media reports have said.
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Balloon crash witness describes scene29 May 09A British man has been killed and nine other tourists injured in a hot-air balloon crash during a trip in central Turkey, local media reports have said.
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Many die in Turkey wedding attack05 May 09Mike Wooldridge reports on an attack on a wedding party in south-eastern Turkey which has left 44 people dead.
Watch "Many die in Turkey wedding attack" now -
May Day protests around the world01 May 09May Day protests have being held in dozens of countries, many protesting about the handling of the global economic crisis. ...
Watch "May Day protests around the world" now
Weather
Weather for Istanbul
| Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conditions |  light showers | light showers |  sunny |
| Max Temperature | Max:28°C/82°F | Max:28°C/82°F | Max:30°C/86°F |
| Min Temperature | Min:21°C/70°F | Min:21°C/70°F | Min:21°C/70°F |
Knowledge
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History - Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938)History
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was born in 1881 in Salonika (now Thessaloniki) in what was then the Ottoman Empire. He launched a programme of revolutionary social and political reform to modernise Turkey.
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Religion & Ethics - Ottoman Empire (1301-1922): IntroductionReligion & Ethics
The Ottoman Empire was an empire inspired and sustained by Islam. One legacy of the Islamic Ottoman Empire is the robust secularism of modern Turkey.
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Religion & Ethics - Ottoman Empire (1301-1922): DeclineReligion & Ethics
The Ottoman Empire was an empire inspired and sustained by Islam. The empire officially ended on the 1st November 1922, when the Ottoman sultanate was abolished and Turkey was declared a republic.
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History - President Truman and the Origins of the Cold WarHistory
Soon Great Britain announced that it was halting aid to Greece and Turkey - aid that had long been afforded these countries, in order to protect vital British interests in the Mediterranean region.
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Radio 4 In Our Time - Have Your SayRadio 4 In Our Time
The mid to late 19th century saw an upsurge of economic activity in Southern Syria [today's Israel...
Blogs
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Talking Turkey31 Jul 08 | Alistair Burnett - The Editors
The World Tonight has given prominence to Turkey this week. The Turkish republic was founded by an army officer, Mustafa Kamal Ataturk, as the Ottoman Empire collapsed after the First World War. ...
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Crisis in Turkey?04 Jul 08 | Robin Lustig - World Tonight
Remember, Turkey wants to join the EU (it already belongs to NATO). But neither should you under-estimate the importance of the debate now under way in Turkey. ...
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