Turkey Area Guide

Turkey

Turkey known officially as theRepublic of Turkey considered as the gateway between Europe and Asia is a Eurasian country located on the Mediterranean stretching across the Anatolian peninsula in southwest Asia and the Balkan region of south-eastern Europe. It is bordered by the Black Sea, the Marmara Sea, the Aegean Sea and Mediterranean Sea.

Turkey is a fascinating country where many important civilizations have flourished since 9,000 BC. Turkey was home from the ancient Hittites, Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines to the Ottomans which have left behind them superb architectural, archaeological and historical heritage.

Since Turkey actually straddles two separate continents, the country's rich culture features strong elements and traditions from both east and west. The tourism scene in the country is thriving and cheap holidays to Turkey are fairly easy to come by. Tourist attractions here tend to be very much focused around Turkey's many sites of historical and archaeological interest; with the country actually being the world's ninth most visited.

Turkey boasts peaceful harbours, quiet gardens, golden sandy beaches and lively nightclubs and hectic bars, is also the perfect place for leisure and sports. Turkey also has an enviable Mediterranean climate, not for nothing it is said that you can find the four seasons simultaneously.

Turkey Facts and Figures

(long form) Republic of Turkey

Largest city: Istanbul
Population 69,660,559
Currency new Turkish Lira (YTL)
Country dialling code: + 90
Religions Muslim (99%) mostly Sunni, others

Map of Turkey

The Aegean and Mediterranean coastal regions experience cool, rainy winters, and warm (often hot) dry summers, with moderate precipitation. Spring and fall are considered ideal times to visit these areas as temperatures still approach the high 70s and rain fall amounts are low.

In contrast, the Black Sea coastal region is generally cooler throughout the year and has the heaviest rainfall in Turkey, averaging 55 inches per year.

The central Anatolian Plateau, blocked from the sea by high mountains, has very cold temperatures in the winter, and extreme, almost unbearable heat in summer. Rainfall is light here, but winter snowfalls are heavy.

The far-eastern highlands have hot, dry summers and very cold winters with heavy snowfall.