29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)
Religions
Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%
Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)
Languages
Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
Turkish (official), Kurdish, Dimli (or Zaza), Azeri, Kabardian note: there is also a substantial Gagauz population in the European part of Turkey
Exports
petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%
apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment
External Debt
$4,699,000,000 $
$306,600,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Algerian dinars (DZD) per US dollar - 63.25 (2008 est.), 69.9 (2007), 72.647 (2006), 73.276 (2005), 72.061 (2004)
Turkish liras (TRY) per US dollar - 1.3179 (2008 est.), 1.319 (2007), 1.4286 (2006), 1.3436 (2005), 1.4255 (2004) 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; on 1 January 2009 the Turkish government dropped the word "new" and the currency is now called simply the Turkish lira
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
3.300%
5.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
2
8
Location
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia
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
Area
2,381,741 km sq
783,562 km sq
Coastline
998 km
7,200 km
Climate
arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer
temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior
