29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)
Religions
Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)
Languages
Greek 99% (official), other 1% (includes English and French)
Turkish (official), Kurdish, Dimli (or Zaza), Azeri, Kabardian note: there is also a substantial Gagauz population in the European part of Turkey
Exports
food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles
apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment
External Debt
$583,300,000,000 $
$306,600,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (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
4.300%
5.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
4
8
Location
Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
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
131,957 km sq
783,562 km sq
Coastline
13,676 km
7,200 km
Climate
temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior
