Turkey  
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This page was last updated on 4 September 2008


Map of Turkey



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Turkey Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk or "Father of the Turks." Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopted wide-ranging social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950 election victory of the opposition Democratic Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of political power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then Islamic-oriented government. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984 by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - now known as the People's Congress of Kurdistan or Kongra-Gel (KGK) - has dominated the Turkish military's attention and claimed more than 30,000 lives. After the capture of the group's leader in 1999, the insurgents largely withdrew from Turkey mainly to northern Iraq. In 2004, KGK announced an end to its ceasefire and attacks attributed to the KGK increased. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. In 1964, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community; over the past decade, it has undertaken many reforms to strengthen its democracy and economy enabling it to begin accession membership talks with the European Union.
   Geography    Turkey Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
39 00 N, 35 00 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Middle East
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 780,580 sq km
land: 770,760 sq km
water: 9,820 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly larger than Texas
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 2,648 km
border countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km, Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
7,200 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea; 12 nm in Black Sea and in Mediterranean Sea
exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary agreed upon with the former USSR
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several mountain ranges
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone, magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable land, hydropower
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 29.81%
permanent crops: 3.39%
other: 66.8% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
52,150 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
Definition Field Listing
234 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Definition Field Listing
total: 39.78 cu km/yr (15%/11%/74%)
per capita: 544 cu m/yr (2001)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's ark, is in the far eastern portion of the country
   People    Turkey Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
71,892,808 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 24.4% (male 8,937,515/female 8,608,375)
15-64 years: 68.6% (male 25,030,793/female 24,253,312)
65 years and over: 7% (male 2,307,236/female 2,755,576) (2008 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 29 years
male: 28.8 years
female: 29.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
1.013% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
16.15 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.02 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 0.9825 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 36.98 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 40.44 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 33.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 73.14 years
male: 70.67 years
female: 75.73 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.87 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
less than 0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Turk(s)
adjective: Turkish
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20% (estimated)
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Turkish (official), Kurdish, Dimli (or Zaza), Azeri, Kabardian
note: there is also a substantial Gagauz population in the European part of Turkey
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 87.4%
male: 95.3%
female: 79.6% (2004 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
Definition Field Listing
total: 11 years
male: 12 years
female: 11 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4% (2004)
   Government    Turkey Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Republic of Turkey
conventional short form: Turkey
local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti
local short form: Turkiye
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
republican parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
name: Ankara
geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 32 52 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
81 provinces (iller, singular - ili); Adana, Adiyaman, Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol, Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Icel (Mersin), Igdir, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir (Smyrna), Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon (Trebizond), Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Republic Day, 29 October (1923)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
7 November 1982
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
civil law system derived from various European continental legal systems; note - member of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), although Turkey claims limited derogations on the ratified European Convention on Human Rights; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: President Abdullah GUL (since 28 August 2007)
head of government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (since 14 March 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Cemil CICEK (since 29 August 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Hayati YAZICI (since 29 August 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Nazim EKREN (since 29 August 2007)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for one seven-year terms; prime minister appointed by the president from among members of parliament
election results: Abdullah GUL received 339 votes in the third round of voting on 28 August 2007, after failing to garner the two thirds vote required by law in the first two rounds
note: president-elect must have a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly on the first two ballots and a simple majority on the third ballot
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 22 July 2007 (next to be held on November 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 46.7%, CHP 20.8%, MHP 14.3%, independents 5.2%, and other 13.0%; seats by party - AKP 341, CHP 112, MHP 71, independents 26; note - seats by party as of 17 December 2007 - AKP 340, CHP 87, MHP 70, DTP 20, DSP 13, independents 6, other 12, vacant 2 (DTP entered parliament as independents; DSP entered parliament on CHP's party list); only parties surpassing the 10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Constitutional Court; High Court of Appeals (Yargitay); Council of State (Danistay); Court of Accounts (Sayistay); Military High Court of Appeals; Military High Administrative Court
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Anavatan Partisi (Motherland Party) or Anavatan [Erkan MUMCU]; Democratic Left Party or DSP [Mehmet Zeki SEZER]; Democratic Society Party or DTP [Nurettin DEMIRTAS]; Felicity Party or SP [Recai KUTAN] (sometimes translated as Contentment Party); Justice and Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]; Nationalist Action Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI] (sometimes translated as Nationalist Movement Party); People's Rise Party (Halkin Yukselisi Partisi) or HYP [Yasar Nuri OZTURK]; Republican People's Party or CHP [Deniz BAYKAL]; Social Democratic People's Party or SHP [Murat KARAYALCIN]; True Path Party or DYP [Mehmet AGAR] (sometimes translated as Correct Way Party); Young Party or GP [Cem Cengiz UZAN]
note: the parties listed above are some of the more significant of the 49 parties that Turkey had on 1 December 2004
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Ismail Hakki TOMBUL]; Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK [Suleyman CELEBI]; Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or MUSIAD [Omer BOLAT]; Moral Rights Workers Union or Hak-Is [Salim USLU]; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions or TISK [Tugurl KUDATGOBILIK]; Turkish Confederation of Labor or Turk-Is [Salih KILIC]; Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen or TESK [Dervis GUNDAY]; Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or TUSIAD [Omer SABANCI]; Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. Rifat HISARCIKLIOGLU]
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ADB (nonregional members), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Nabi SENSOY
chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700
FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Ross WILSON
embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara
mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823
telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555
FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019
consulate(s) general: Istanbul
consulate(s): Adana; note - there is a Consular Agent in Izmir
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening
   Economy    Turkey Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
Turkey's dynamic economy is a complex mix of modern industry and commerce along with a traditional agriculture sector that still accounts for more than 35% of employment. It has a strong and rapidly growing private sector, yet the state still plays a major role in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. The largest industrial sector is textiles and clothing, which accounts for one-third of industrial employment; it faces stiff competition in international markets with the end of the global quota system. However, other sectors, notably the automotive and electronics industries, are rising in importance within Turkey's export mix. Real GNP growth has exceeded 6% in many years, but this strong expansion has been interrupted by sharp declines in output in 1994, 1999, and 2001. The economy is turning around with the implementation of economic reforms, and 2004 GDP growth reached 9%, followed by roughly 5% annual growth from 2005-07. Inflation fell to 7.7% in 2005 - a 30-year low - but climbed back to 8.5% in 2007. Despite the strong economic gains from 2002-07, which were largely due to renewed investor interest in emerging markets, IMF backing, and tighter fiscal policy, the economy is still burdened by a high current account deficit and high external debt. Further economic and judicial reforms and prospective EU membership are expected to boost foreign direct investment. The stock value of FDI currently stands at about $85 billion. Privatization sales are currently approaching $21 billion. Oil began to flow through the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline in May 2006, marking a major milestone that will bring up to 1 million barrels per day from the Caspian to market. In 2007, Turkish financial markets weathered significant domestic political turmoil, including turbulence sparked by controversy over the selection of former Foreign Minister Abdullah GUL as Turkey's 11th president. Economic fundamentals are sound, marked by strong economic growth and foreign direct investment. Turkey's high current account deficit leaves the economy vulnerable to destabilizing shifts in investor confidence, however.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$888 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$663.4 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$12,900 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 8.9%
industry: 28.3%
services: 62.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
23.53 million
note: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 35.9%
industry: 22.8%
services: 41.2% (3rd quarter)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9.9% plus underemployment of 4% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
20% (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 34.1% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Definition Field Listing
43.6 (2003)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8.8% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
21.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $145.5 billion
expenditures: $156.1 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
38.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulse, citrus; livestock
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
textiles, food processing, autos, electronics, mining (coal, chromite, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
154.2 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
129 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
1.798 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
636 million kWh (2005)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
45,460 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
660,800 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
112,600 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
724,400 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
300 million bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
860.3 million cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
26.25 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
25.48 billion cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8.147 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
-$38.03 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$115.3 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Germany 11.2%, UK 8.1%, Italy 7%, France 5.6%, Russia 4.4%, Spain 4.3% (2006)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$162.1 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport equipment
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Russia 13.8%, Germany 10.3%, China 7.8%, Italy 5.9%, US 4.8%, France 4.6% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
ODA, $464 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$76.51 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$247.2 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$106.3 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$11.36 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$162.4 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
Turkish lira (TRY); old Turkish lira (TRL) before 1 January 2005
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Turkish liras per US dollar - 1.319 (2007), 1.4286 (2006), 1.3436 (2005), 1.4255 (2004), 1.5009 (2003)
note: on 1 January 2005 the old Turkish lira (TRL) was converted to new Turkish lira (TRY) at a rate of 1,000,000 old to 1 new Turkish lira
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    Turkey Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
18.978 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
52.663 million (2006)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: undergoing rapid modernization and expansion especially with cellular telephones
domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay, is facilitating communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobile-cellular telephone service is growing rapidly
international: country code - 90; international service is provided by the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable and by submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black Seas that link Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia; satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat; mobile satellite terminals - 328 in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 16, FM 107, shortwave 6 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
635 (plus 2,934 repeaters) (1995)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.tr
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
217,887 (2007)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
12.284 million (2006)
   Transportation    Turkey Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
117 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 90
over 3,047 m: 15
2,438 to 3,047 m: 33
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 19
under 914 m: 4 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 27
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 17 (2007)
Heliports:
Definition Field Listing
18 (2007)
Pipelines:
Definition Field Listing
gas 7,511 km; oil 3,636 km (2007)
Railways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 8,697 km
standard gauge: 8,697 km 1.435-m gauge (1,920 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 426,906 km
paved: 177,550 km (includes 1,892 km of expressways)
unpaved: 249,356 km (2004)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1,200 km (2005)
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 602 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,763,591 GRT/7,070,126 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 101, cargo 278, chemical tanker 64, combination ore/oil 1, container 34, liquefied gas 7, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 49, petroleum tanker 32, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 29, specialized tanker 2
foreign-owned: 9 (China 1, Cyprus 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Italy 3, UAE 1)
registered in other countries: 559 (Albania 1, Antigua and Barbuda 6, Bahamas 8, Belize 12, Cambodia 24, Comoros 9, Dominica 4, Georgia 19, Greece 1, Isle of Man 2, Italy 1, Kiribati 1, Liberia 8, Malta 169, Marshall Islands 45, Moldova 1, Netherlands 1, Netherlands Antilles 9, Panama 87, Russia 72, Sierra Leone 12, Slovakia 10, St Kitts and Nevis 32, St Vincent and the Grenadines 20, Tuvalu 1, UK 2, unknown 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Aliaga, Diliskelesi, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit), Mercin Limani, Nemrut Limani
   Military    Turkey Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Turkish Land Forces (Turk Kara Kuvvetleri, TKK), Turkish Naval Forces (Turk Deniz Kuvvetleri, TDK; includes naval air and naval infantry), Turkish Air Force (Turk Hava Kuvvetleri, THK) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing
20 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 20,213,205
females age 16-49: 19,432,688 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 17,011,635
females age 16-49: 16,433,364 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 660,452
females age 16-49: 638,527 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.3% (2005 est.)
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
a "National Security Policy Document" adopted in October 2005 increases the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) role in internal security, augmenting the General Directorate of Security and Gendarmerie General Command (Jandarma); the TSK leadership continues to play a key role in politics and considers itself guardian of Turkey's secular state; in April 2007, it warned the ruling party about any pro-Islamic appointments; despite on-going negotiations on EU accession since October 2005, progress has been limited in establishing required civilian supremacy over the military; primary domestic threats are listed as fundamentalism (with the definition in some dispute with the civilian government), separatism (the Kurdish problem), and the extreme left wing; Ankara strongly opposed establishment of an autonomous Kurdish region; an overhaul of the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) taking place under the "Force 2014" program is to produce 20-30% smaller, more highly trained forces characterized by greater mobility and firepower and capable of joint and combined operations; the TLFC has taken on increasing international peacekeeping responsibilities, and took charge of a NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) command in Afghanistan in April 2007; the Turkish Navy is a regional naval power that wants to develop the capability to project power beyond Turkey's coastal waters; the Navy is heavily involved in NATO, multinational, and UN operations; its roles include control of territorial waters and security for sea lines of communications; the Turkish Air Force adopted an "Aerospace and Missile Defense Concept" in 2002 and has initiated project work on an integrated missile defense system; Air Force priorities include attaining a modern deployable, survivable, and sustainable force structure, and establishing a sustainable command and control system (2008)
   Transnational Issues    Turkey Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in the Aegean Sea; status of north Cyprus question remains; Syria and Iraq protest Turkish hydrological projects to control upper Euphrates waters; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in Iraq; border with Armenia remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
Definition Field Listing
IDPs: 1-1.2 million (fighting 1984-99 between Kurdish PKK and Turkish military; most IDPs in southeastern provinces) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field Listing
key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe and, to a lesser extent, the US - via air, land, and sea routes; major Turkish and other international trafficking organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert imported morphine base into heroin exist in remote regions of Turkey and near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and over output of poppy straw concentrate; lax enforcement of money-laundering controls

This page was last updated on 4 September 2008


 

Source : The World Factbook