About Turkey

Turkey is a country renowned for its history and the hospitality that it shows to visitors from all over the world. Many people, however, do not know much about this ancient nation, and as such we have provided a general outline of the country for your benefit.

Please be advised that the information contained below is for reference purposes only and may change without prior warning. For more insight into Turkey it is suggested that you consult an expert before your trip.

Official Name: The Republic of Turkey, also known simply as Turkey. Turkish nationals will call the country Turkiye, or Turkiye Cumhuriyeti.

Capital: The Capital of Turkey is Ankara. Located east of the Bosporus Ankara is situated roughly in the middle of the country towards Asia Minor.

Location: Turkey straddles the Bosporus and is located in South East Europe and North West Asia. The country shares land borders with Greece, Bulgaria, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. Turkey has ports in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, making the country a vital link for European and Asian shipping routes.

Size: Turkey occupies a total area of approximately 780,580 square kilometers. In comparative terms this means that Turkey is slightly larger than the US state of Texas.

Climate: Turkey is located in the temperate zone and its climate is characterized by hot summers and mildly cold, wet winters. The weather in the country's interior can shift dramatically and be much hotter, or colder, than the weather on the coast.

Population: With a total population of 71,158,647, Turkey has the 17 th largest population in the world and is the 81 st most densely populated country in the world.

Life expectancy at birth: Turks can expect to live approximately 72.88 years from birth. Women will live significantly longer than men (75.46 years as compared to 70.43). Turkey ranks 98 th in the world for longest life expectancy.

Prevalence of HIV/AIDS: As of 2001 it was estimated that less than 0.1% of the Turkish population was living with HIV/Aids. However, no major studies on the HIV/Aids rates in the country have been performed and as such most figures available on the spread of the disease in Turkey are speculation.

Major illnesses: Potential health risks in Turkey include Malaria, Cholera, Hepatitis A, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Dengue fever, and Bird Flu.

Ethnic Groups: Turkey is a fairly homogenous country with only two major ethnic groups. 80% of the country is of Turkish ethnicity while the other 20% identifies as being Kurdish.

Languages: Turkish is the official language of Turkey however, Kurdish, Dimli, Azeri, and Kabardian are all spoken there as well.

Religion: Approximately 99% of the Turkish population is Muslim with the majority identifying as Sunni Muslims. 0.2% of the population practice Judaism or Christianity with the remainder observing a number of other religions.

Government: Turkey is a Republican Parliamentary Democracy. As such the nation practices free and open elections whereby the political party that secures the most votes, or seats in parliament, will often have the party leader become the nations Prime Minister.

Head of State: The Head of State in Turkey is President Abdullah Gul. The office of the president is largely ceremonial and holds no real executive power. The president of Turkey is elected by the nations parliament, although he is not required to hold a seat in the house.

Head of Government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is the head of the Turkish government and leader of the majority parity in parliament. The Turkish prime minister holds all executive power; however his nomination as the head of the government must be ratified by parliament.

Military: As a member of NATO Turkey has a relatively large military. In the early 1990's this was a badly understaffed and underpowered force, however in 2005 there was a modernization of the Turkish military and now it meets NATO standards.

Economy: Turkey has a rapidly developing economy and due to its proposed inclusion in the European Union and as a bridge between Asia and Europe the amount of foreign investment realized in the country has grown significantly in recent years. With a number of economic initiatives including a massive oil pipeline, increased privatization of major enterprises, and tighter fiscal policies, the Turkish government is starting to overcome the high inflation and large debt that have characterized the Turkish economy in recent years.

GDP: Turkey has a purchasing power parity of US$ 640.4 billion and an actual GDP of US$ 361.1 billion.

For more information about Turkey expat insurance, the international health insurance plans that we can offer there, or to receive a free quote, please contact one of our expert advisers today.

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