Our country

YES

Our country

Capital City: Ankara

Largest city: Istanbul

Official languages: Turkish

Government: Parliamentary republic

Currency: Turkish lira

Geography

The lands of Turkey are located at a point where the three continents making up the old world, Asia, Africa and Europe are closest to each other.
Turkey is situated on an area where Europe meets Asia, creating a link between these two continents. The European part of the country is called Thrace, while the Asian part is known as Anatolia (or Asia Minor). It is bordered to the northwest by Greece and Bulgaria, to the east by the former USSR (Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaican Republics) and Iran, and to the south by Iraq and Syria.

The Turkish peninsula is bathed by four seas: the Mediterranean to the south, the Aegean to the west, the Sea of Marmara between the European and Asian land masses, and the Black Sea to the north. The entire coastline spans more than 8,000 kilometers (approximately 5,000 miles) in length.

Because of its geographical location the mainland of Anatolia has always found favour throughout history, and is the birthplace of many great civilizations. It has also been prominent as a center of commerce because of its land connections to three continents and the sea surrounding it on three sides.

History

Throughout history, Anatolia (Asia Minor), has hosted and produced many centers of culture and the legacy of various civilizations attests to that fact. Today, this heritage also determines the cultural life of Turkey. The culture of tolerance for all religions and languages living together in peace, spread from Istanbul (which was the capital of 3 empires) to Anatolia. This tradition of tolerance is one of the most important inheritances that Turkey can share with the world.

Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic and its first President, stands as a towering figure of the 20th Century. Among the great leaders of history, few have achieved so much in so short period, transformed the life of a nation decisively, and given such profound inspiration to the world at large.

Emerging as a military hero at the Dardanelles in 1915, he became the charismatic leader of the Turkish national liberation struggle in 1919. He blazed across the world scene in the early 1920s as a triumphant commander who crushed the invaders of his country. Following a series of impressive victories against all odds, he led his nation to full independence. He put an end to the antiquated Ottoman dynasty whose tale had lasted more than six centuries - and created the Republic of Turkey in 1923, establishing a new government truly representative of the nation's will.
As President for 15 years, until his death in 1938, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk introduced abroad range of swift and sweeping reforms - in the political, social, legal, economic, and cultural spheres - virtually unparalleled in any other country.