29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)
19 June 1961 (from UK)
Religions
Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)
Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shia 30%), other (includes Christian, Hindu, Parsi) 15%
Languages
Turkish (official), Kurdish, Dimli (or Zaza), Azeri, Kabardian note: there is also a substantial Gagauz population in the European part of Turkey
Arabic (official), English widely spoken
Exports
apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment
oil and refined products, fertilizers
External Debt
$306,600,000,000 $
$41,730,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
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
Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar - 0.2679 (2008 est.), 0.2844 (2007), 0.29 (2006), 0.292 (2005), 0.2947 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
5.300%
5.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
8
0
Location
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
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia
Area
783,562 km sq
17,818 km sq
Coastline
7,200 km
499 km
Climate
temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior
dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters
