29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Religions
Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)
Roman Catholic 58.5%, Evangelical 21.6%, Moravian 1.6%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 1.7%, none 15.7% (2005 census)
Languages
Turkish (official), Kurdish, Dimli (or Zaza), Azeri, Kabardian note: there is also a substantial Gagauz population in the European part of Turkey
Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995 census) note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast
Exports
apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment
coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold, peanuts
External Debt
$306,600,000,000 $
$4,073,000,000 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
gold cordobas (NIO) per US dollar - 19.374 (2008 est.), 18.457 (2007), 17.582 (2006), 16.733 (2005), 15.937 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
5.300%
0.600%
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
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
Area
783,562 km sq
130,370 km sq
Coastline
7,200 km
910 km
Climate
temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior
