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Turkey

Turkiye

Capital:Ankara
Population:85.4M
Currency:Yenmi Turk Lira (TRY)
Language:Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian, Greek
Sunset of the Blue Mosque, Instanbul

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Quick Look Factsheet

A multi-page overview of Turkey.

Turkey Factsheet

Customs and Culture

Cultural Attributes

Turkey has been interacting with Europe and Asia for many years, and have integrated qualities from both cultures. Wealth is mostly defined by cash; in country sites by gold and land. Poorest members of the society mostly dream about a life with more cash and in big cities.

They mostly believe that in big cities they can increase their life quality; however this is not always true. Most of the people are working for their children to have high level of education which is highly valued. Those who have high level education, work to gain leisure opportunities. In big cities “working for leisure opportunities” is increasing. Turks are proud of both past and present achievements. Turks value a good sense of humor, honesty, and intelligence.

Sunset of the Blue Mosque, Instanbul

Crossroads of Empires, Bridge of Cultures

Get More Customs and Culture

5 more cultural topics for members

Social Customs & Etiquette · Diet · Family · Dating Customs · Recreation

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Holidays

  • Independence Day

    10/29

    Independence Day

  • Christmas

    12/25

    Christmas

    Islam is Turkey’s primary religion with about 1 percent of the people being Christians who celebrate Christmas on the Julian Calendar day of January 7th. Christmas is a three day celebration. Typical foods include Coffee, sweetmeats, fruit, lebban (sour milk), baklava (honey cake), etli fasulye (broth with beans and lamb), ic pilar (rice with pine nuts), labmacun dolmasi (stuffed cabbage leaves), borek (fried pastry stuffed with meat or cheese) tomato and cucumber salad with olive oil and vinegar, and kadayif (fruit pastry)

Dates of Interest

  • April

    An annual festival that is held each April and features the blooming of millions of tulips in Istanbul's parks and gardens, along with cultural events and activities.

How do people greet each other in Turkey?

Greetings depend on the setting rather than age; "Merhaba" works with acquaintances, friends, and strangers respectfully, while formal situations call for handshakes and professional titles.

Do

  • Use "Merhaba" as a versatile, respectful greeting
  • Shake hands and use professional titles with formal contacts
  • Greet elders by kissing their hand and touching it to your forehead
  • Say "Pardon" or "affedersiniz" to get someone's attention

Don’t

  • Don't use "iyi günler" with close friends

Good to know

  • "Selamünaleyküm" is a religiously connoted greeting common in men's coffee shops (kahves) and rural areas
  • Friends and close family hug and kiss on both cheeks

What are dining customs like in Turkey?

Meals, especially dinner, are a family affair, often served on a large tray on a low table or floor with the family seated on cushions; many foods are eaten with the fingers.

Do

  • Keep your hands clean and above the table
  • Follow the continental style when utensils are used
  • Try dishes like sis kebab, doner kebab, fish and rice pilaf, and Turkish Delight (lokum)
  • Expect Turkish coffee (kahve) served with nearly every meal

Don’t

  • Don't rest your hands on the table
  • Don't expect meals during daytime in Ramadan, when food is served only in the evening and late at night

Good to know

  • Formal meals often begin with appetizers called meze
  • Popular drinks include tea, ayran (water, yogurt, and salt), and boza
  • It is believed healthier to eat while sitting on the floor; everyone usually has their own place at the table

What should I know about hospitality and social etiquette in Turkey?

Turks are highly hospitable, rarely turning away visitors and doing everything they can to welcome them, with socializing often centered on sharing food.

Do

  • Bring a small gift like candy, fruit, or flowers as a first-time home visitor
  • Respect personal space, which varies by setting

Good to know

  • Sharing food signals trust: "I share my food with you, I trust you"
  • When guests leave, each is hugged and watched as they depart
  • Personal space is smaller in rural areas and larger in towns; acquaintances value eye contact over personal space

How should I dress in Turkey?

Western-style clothing is the most common, and European fashions are popular among youth; many women cover their heads in either modern or traditional ways.

Good to know

  • Clothing worn in metropolitan areas like Ankara and Istanbul differs from seaside holiday spots like Antalya in summer
  • Traditional clothes are rarely worn today, except items like a new bride's red cloth with golden designs before the wedding

What gestures should I be aware of in Turkey?

Turks use their hands a great deal in conversation and value eye contact and attentive listening.

Don’t

  • Don't put your feet on a desk or table
  • Don't point the sole of your foot toward another person
  • Don't show public displays of affection
  • Don't put your hands in your pockets in informal conversation

Good to know

  • Formally, people stand close with eye contact; informally, about half an arm's distance

What is family life like in Turkey?

Individuals are loyal to and dependent on their family, and households often include extended family, sometimes with married sons living with their parents until independent.

Good to know

  • In larger cities, women frequently work outside the home
  • Education for children is highly valued
  • Dating like in Western countries is uncommon; young people tend to socialize in groups

What do people do for recreation in Turkey?

Sports are hugely popular, with many children starting as young as four and playing in groups and at school.

Good to know

  • Most games involve balls, and many boys start playing football early
  • Schools offer football, volleyball, basketball and other sports, though few continue professionally

Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Sources: CountryReports

Photos of Turkey

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Travel and Tourism

Travel Alert Status
Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Currency
Turkish lira (TRL)
Time Difference
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Climate
The climate varies a great deal across Turkey. Precipitation is highest on the Black Sea, where, in Rize, an average of 98 inches of rain falls each year. Ankara averages only 14 inches (chiefly accumulating from November to May), and Antalya on the south coast gets about 28 inches. Istanbul has an average of 25 inches of annual precipitation. The plateau region has hot with very dry summers and temperatures in July that range from the mid-70s to the low 90s. The skies are almost always clear and cloudless during the day and nights are cool. Winters in this region are generally windy and cold (the mean temperature for January is 30°F). Around the Sea of Marmara and Istanbul, the average temperature is 83°F in July and 35°F in January. The south coast has long summers that are often hot and humid both night and day in the midsummer months (the average temperature in mid-August is 94°F), but it is very pleasant in spring and autumn. Winters in the south are usually fairly mild. The north coast Black Sea region tends to have cooler summers and warmer winters than the other coastal areas.
Airports
120
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Recipes

Featured Dish

Turkish Coffee

Beverage

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History

Historical Eras

  1. Ancient Anatolia

    7500 BCE – 330

    From Neolithic settlements at Çatalhöyük to the rise and fall of the Hittite Empire, Anatolia hosted some of the ancient world's most sophisticated civilizations. Persian conquest under Cyrus in 547 BCE and Alexander the Great's campaigns in 334 BCE brought successive Hellenistic influences. Rome and then Byzantium eventually absorbed the peninsula, culminating in Constantine's dedication of Constantinople as the New Rome in 330 CE.

  2. Byzantine Era

    330 – 1071

    Constantinople served as the thriving capital of the Eastern Roman Empire for over seven centuries, preserving Greco-Roman culture and Orthodox Christianity. Byzantine Anatolia weathered Arab invasions, internal theological disputes, and persistent pressure from rival powers. The empire reached its apex under Justinian I but faced steady territorial erosion leading into the medieval period.

  3. Seljuk & Early Ottoman

    1071 – 1453

    The Seljuk Turks' decisive victory at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 opened Anatolia to Turkic settlement and Islamization. The Crusades disrupted but did not reverse this transformation, and Mongol invasions fractured the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum. From its small amirate near Bursa, founded around 1288, the Ottoman dynasty gradually absorbed rival principalities and advanced into the Balkans, setting the stage for the conquest of Constantinople.

  4. Ottoman Empire

    1453 – 1923

    Mehmed II's conquest of Constantinople in 1453 established the Ottomans as the preeminent Islamic world power. The empire reached its greatest territorial and cultural zenith under Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent (1520–1566), stretching from Hungary to the Arabian Peninsula. Centuries of subsequent decline were marked by losing wars against Russia, the traumatic Balkan Wars, and Ottoman defeat in World War I, which dissolved the empire and triggered the Turkish War of Independence.

  5. Turkish Republic

    1923 – present

    Mustafa Kemal Atatürk proclaimed the Republic of Turkey in 1923, replacing Ottoman imperial structures with a secular, nationalist state modeled on Western Europe. Sweeping Kemalist reforms abolished the caliphate, introduced the Latin alphabet, and modernized law, education, and governance. Turkey joined NATO in 1952 and navigated Cold War tensions, military coups, the Cyprus intervention of 1974, the PKK insurgency beginning in 1984, and ongoing negotiations for European Union membership into the twenty-first century.

Overview

TURKEY IS A NEW COUNTRY in an old land. The modern Turkish state--beginning with the creation of the Republic of Turkey in the years immediately after World War I--drew on a national consciousness that had developed only in the late nineteenth century. But the history of nomadic Turkish tribes can be traced with certainty to the sixth century A.D., when they wandered the steppes of central Asia.

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Timeline of Key Events

  1. 7500 BCE

    Earliest known human inhabitants of Turkey

    The earliest known human inhabitants of Turkey are believed to belong to the Neolithic period and the remains of their settlements still exist in a place called Catal Hoyuk which is near the modern day Turkish city of Konya. Archaeological artifacts from these people include statues, pottery and wall paintings.

  2. 1900 BCE – 1300 BCE

    Hittite Empire

    The Hittite Empire flourishes, battles Egypt. Patriarch Abraham, who has been dwelling in Harran, near Sanliurfa, leaves for Canaan (Israel).

  3. 563 BCE

    The Buddha born in Lumbini, in Tarai Region of Nepal

    The Buddha born in Lumbini, in Tarai Region of Nepal.

  4. 547 BCE

    Cyrus of Persia invades and conquers most of Anatolia

    Cyrus of Persia invades and conquers most of Anatolia.

  5. 334 BCE

    Alexander the Great

    Alexander the Great of Macedon marches through Anatolia on his way to India.

  6. 47

    St. Paul travels to the Christian and Jewish communities in Anatolia.

    St. Paul travels to the Christian and Jewish communities in Anatolia.

  7. 330

    Dedication of Constantinople as the New Rome

    Emperor Constantine the Great dedicates Constantinople as the “New Rome,” which becomes the empire’s center of government.

View full timeline (32 events)
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Interesting Facts

  • When a child loses a tooth, if their parents want to them to grow up to graduate from school, they might bury my tooth in the garden of the university. If the parents hope they will become a doctor, they bury it in the garden of a hospital, or they could bury it in a soccer field so the child will be a good soccer player.

  • There is a first tooth ceremony. Whoever finds the first tooth becomes one's Godmother. After finding the tooth she buys the child a new outfit to celebrate.

  • There is a tradition that when babies start to have first teeth a kind of pilaf consisting of wheat is prepared and delivered to neighborhoods.

  • Istanbul is the only city in the world that lies across two continents. The larger part of Istanbul lies in Europe, while Istanbul's suburbs are in Asia, across the Bosphorus Straits.

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Geography and Environment

Aside from Russia, Turkey is the largest country in Europe. Its 296,185 square miles lie between the Aegean, Black, and Mediterranean Seas. It stretches about 950 miles from west to east and 400 miles from north to south. Thrace, the European portion of Turkey, ends at the Bosphorus Strait where Anatolia and Asia begin.
Terrain
high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several mountain ranges
Climate
The climate varies a great deal across Turkey. Precipitation is highest on the Black Sea, where, in Rize, an average of 98 inches of rain falls each year. Ankara averages only 14 inches (chiefly accumulating from November to May), and Antalya on the south coast gets about 28 inches. Istanbul has an average of 25 inches of annual precipitation. The plateau region has hot with very dry summers and temperatures in July that range from the mid-70s to the low 90s. The skies are almost always clear and cloudless during the day and nights are cool. Winters in this region are generally windy and cold (the mean temperature for January is 30°F). Around the Sea of Marmara and Istanbul, the average temperature is 83°F in July and 35°F in January. The south coast has long summers that are often hot and humid both night and day in the midsummer months (the average temperature in mid-August is 94°F), but it is very pleasant in spring and autumn. Winters in the south are usually fairly mild. The north coast Black Sea region tends to have cooler summers and warmer winters than the other coastal areas.
Natural Hazards
very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van
Current Environmental Issues
water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic
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People & Demographics

Religion

Languages Spoken

Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian, Greek

  • Turkish
  • Kurdish
  • Arabic
  • Armenian
  • Greek

Population

Population
85,372,377
Population: Male/Female
84,119,531
Population Distribution
the most densely populated area is found around the Bosporus in the northwest where 20% of the population lives in Istanbul; with the exception of Ankara, urban centers remain small and scattered throughout the interior of Anatolia; an overall pattern of peripheral development exists, particularly along the Aegean Sea coast in the west, and the Tigris and Euphrates River systems in the southeast
Urban Population
urban population: 77.5% of total population rate of urbanization: 1.11% annual rate of change
Population in Major Urban Areas
15.848 million Istanbul, 5.397 million ANKARA (capital), 3.088 million Izmir, 2.086 million Bursa, 1.836 million Adana, 1.805 million Gaziantep
Nationality Noun
noun: Turk(s) adjective: Turkish
Ethnic Groups
Turkish 70-75%, Kurdish 19%, other minorities 6-11%
Language Note
Turkish (official), Kurdish, other minority languages

Education

Literacy Definition
age 15 and over can read and write

Health Information

Life Expectancy at Birth
Total population: 78.0 years Male: 75.3 years Female: 80.7 years
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 1.18 liters of pure alcohol beer: 0.67 liters of pure alcohol wine: 0.16 liters of pure alcohol spirits: 0.35 liters of pure alcohol other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol
Tobacco Use
total: 30.7% male: 42.1% female: 19.2%
Child Marriage
women married by age 15: 2% women married by age 18: 14.7%
Infant Mortality Rate
total: 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life Expectancy

Life Expectancy at Birth
Total population: 78.0 years Male: 75.3 years Female: 80.7 years
Median Age
total: 34 years male: 33.4 years female: 34.6 years
Age Structure
0-14 years: 21.7% (male 9,358,711/female 8,933,673) 15-64 years: 68.6% (male 29,219,389/female 28,494,315) 65 years and over: 9.6% (male 3,669,330/female 4,444,113)
Infant Mortality Rate
total: 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births
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Government & Politics

Country Identity

Country Name
Turkey
Full Country Name
Republic of Turkey
Local - Long
Turkiye Cumhuriyeti
Local - Short
Turkiye

Government Structure

Government Type
republican parliamentary democracy
Legal System
derived from various European continental legal systems; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Executive Branch
chief of state: President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (since 28 August 2014; re-elected 28 May 2023) head of government: President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (since 9 July 2018, when the office of prime minister was abolished and executive powers were consolidated under the presidency following the constitutional reforms approved by referendum in April 2017) cabinet: Cabinet (formerly Council of Ministers) appointed by the president elections: President directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in two rounds if needed for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 14 May 2023, with a runoff on 28 May 2023; under the presidential system adopted in 2018, the office of prime minister was eliminated election results: Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN re-elected president in the second round; percent of vote in runoff - Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (AKP) 52.2%, Kemal KILICDAROGLU (CHP) 47.8% note: Turkey transitioned from a parliamentary to a presidential system of government on 9 July 2018, following constitutional amendments approved in a national referendum on 16 April 2017; under the new system, the president serves as both head of state and head of government, with significantly expanded executive authority
Legislative Branch
unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi (600 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 14 May 2023 (next to be held in 2028); note - the 2017 constitutional referendum approved expanding the assembly from 550 to 600 seats and shifting Turkey to a presidential system of government, eliminating the office of prime minister election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 35.6%, CHP 25.3%, MHP 10.1%, IYI Party 9.7%, DEM Party (formerly HDP) 8.8%, and other; seats by party - AKP 268, CHP 169, DEM Party 57, MHP 50, IYI Party 43, and others 13
Judicial Branch
Constitutional Court; High Court of Appeals (Yargitay); Council of State (Danistay); Court of Accounts (Sayistay); Military High Court of Appeals; Military High Administrative Court
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Constitution
7-Nov-82
Independence
29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)
National Holiday
Independence Day, 29 October (1923)

Capital City

Capital Name
Ankara
Capital - geographic coordinate
39 56 N, 32 52 E
Capital Time Difference
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Ankara has been linked with a second millennium B.C. Hittite cult center of Ankuwash, although this connection is uncertain; in classical and medieval times, the city was known as Ankyra (meaning "anchor" in Greek and reflecting the city's position as a junction for multiple trade and military routes); by about the 13th century the city began to be referred to as Angora; following the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, the city's name became Ankara

Military

Branches: Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Turkish Land Forces (Turk Kara Kuvvetleri), Turkish Naval Forces (Turk Deniz Kuvvetleri; includes naval air and naval infantry), Turkish Air Forces (Turk Hava Kuvvetleri)

Embassy / Diplomatic Mission

U.S. Embassy in Ankara

110 Atatürk Boulevard, 06100, Kavaklidere

Telephone: (90) (312) 455-5555

Emergency after-hours telephone: (90) (312) 455-5555

Facsimile: (90) (312) 468-6131

Visa Information: (90) 850-252-6355 or Visa Information

U.S. Based Callers please use: (703) 439-2348

Skype ID: usvisaturkey

American Citizens Services Questions

U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul

Uçsehitler Sokagi No. 2, 34460, Istinye, Sariyer

Telephone: (90) (212) 335-9000

Emergency after-hours telephone: (90) (212) 335–9000 (ask for American Citizen Services)

Facsimile: (90) (212) 335–9102

Visa Information: (90) 850-252-6355 or Visa Information

U.S. Based Callers please use: (703) 439-2348

Skype ID: usvisaturkey

acs_istanbul@state.gov

U.S. Consulate in Adana

Girne Bulvari No. 212, Güzelevler Mahallesi, Yüregir

Telephone: (90) (322) 346-6262

Facsimile: (90) (322) 346-7916

CA-adana@state.gov

U.S. Consular Agent in Izmir

Telephone: (90) (232) 464-8755

Izmir@state.gov

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Economy

Turkey's dynamic economy is a complex mix of modern industry and services alongside a traditional agriculture sector that still accounts for roughly 15% of employment.

Snapshot

Currency Name and Code
Yenmi Turk Lira (TRY)
GDP — official exchange rate
$332,500,000,000 (USD)
GDP Real Growth Rate
3.1%
Gini Index
42
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News & Weather

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Latest News

News via Google News

Climate Overview

The climate varies a great deal across Turkey. Precipitation is highest on the Black Sea, where, in Rize, an average of 98 inches of rain falls each year. Ankara averages only 14 inches (chiefly accumulating from November to May), and Antalya on the south coast gets about 28 inches. Istanbul has an average of 25 inches of annual precipitation. The plateau region has hot with very dry summers and temperatures in July that range from the mid-70s to the low 90s. The skies are almost always clear and cloudless during the day and nights are cool. Winters in this region are generally windy and cold (the mean temperature for January is 30°F). Around the Sea of Marmara and Istanbul, the average temperature is 83°F in July and 35°F in January. The south coast has long summers that are often hot and humid both night and day in the midsummer months (the average temperature in mid-August is 94°F), but it is very pleasant in spring and autumn. Winters in the south are usually fairly mild. The north coast Black Sea region tends to have cooler summers and warmer winters than the other coastal areas.

Videos

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Turkey?
The population of Turkey is approximately 85.4M.
How do people greet each other in Turkey?
Greetings depend on the setting rather than age; "Merhaba" works with acquaintances, friends, and strangers respectfully, while formal situations call for handshakes and professional titles. Do: Use "Merhaba" as a versatile, respectful greeting Shake hands and use professional titles with formal contacts Greet elders by kissing their hand and touching it to your forehead Say "Pardon" or "affedersiniz" to get someone's attention Don't: Don't use "iyi günler" with close friends "Selamünaleyküm" is a religiously connoted greeting common in men's coffee shops (kahves) and rural areas Friends and close family hug and kiss on both cheeks
What are dining customs like in Turkey?
Meals, especially dinner, are a family affair, often served on a large tray on a low table or floor with the family seated on cushions; many foods are eaten with the fingers. Do: Keep your hands clean and above the table Follow the continental style when utensils are used Try dishes like sis kebab, doner kebab, fish and rice pilaf, and Turkish Delight (lokum) Expect Turkish coffee (kahve) served with nearly every meal Don't: Don't rest your hands on the table Don't expect meals during daytime in Ramadan, when food is served only in the evening and late at night Formal meals often begin with appetizers called meze Popular drinks include tea, ayran (water, yogurt, and salt), and boza It is believed healthier to eat while sitting on the floor; everyone usually has their own place at the table
What should I know about hospitality and social etiquette in Turkey?
Turks are highly hospitable, rarely turning away visitors and doing everything they can to welcome them, with socializing often centered on sharing food. Do: Bring a small gift like candy, fruit, or flowers as a first-time home visitor Respect personal space, which varies by setting Sharing food signals trust: "I share my food with you, I trust you" When guests leave, each is hugged and watched as they depart Personal space is smaller in rural areas and larger in towns; acquaintances value eye contact over personal space
How should I dress in Turkey?
Western-style clothing is the most common, and European fashions are popular among youth; many women cover their heads in either modern or traditional ways. Clothing worn in metropolitan areas like Ankara and Istanbul differs from seaside holiday spots like Antalya in summer Traditional clothes are rarely worn today, except items like a new bride's red cloth with golden designs before the wedding
What gestures should I be aware of in Turkey?
Turks use their hands a great deal in conversation and value eye contact and attentive listening. Don't: Don't put your feet on a desk or table Don't point the sole of your foot toward another person Don't show public displays of affection Don't put your hands in your pockets in informal conversation Formally, people stand close with eye contact; informally, about half an arm's distance
What is family life like in Turkey?
Individuals are loyal to and dependent on their family, and households often include extended family, sometimes with married sons living with their parents until independent. In larger cities, women frequently work outside the home Education for children is highly valued Dating like in Western countries is uncommon; young people tend to socialize in groups
What do people do for recreation in Turkey?
Sports are hugely popular, with many children starting as young as four and playing in groups and at school. Most games involve balls, and many boys start playing football early Schools offer football, volleyball, basketball and other sports, though few continue professionally
What is the capital of Turkey?
Ankara is the capital of Turkey, situated in the country's central Anatolian plateau. Though less internationally renowned than Istanbul, Ankara became the political heart of the modern republic when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk established it as capital in 1923 following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The city is home to the Grand National Assembly and the major government ministries, and its central location was deliberately chosen to symbolize a break from the Ottoman imperial past centered on Istanbul.
Where is Turkey located?
Turkey occupies a uniquely transcontinental position, straddling southeastern Europe and western Asia — a region historically known as Anatolia. The narrow straits of the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles, which bisect the country, have made Turkey a critical crossroads between the two continents for millennia. The country is bordered by the Black Sea to the north, the Aegean Sea to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south, giving it significant strategic and commercial importance.
What countries border Turkey?
Turkey shares land borders with eight countries: Greece and Bulgaria to the northwest; Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan (the Nakhchivan exclave) to the northeast; and Iran, Iraq, and Syria to the east and southeast. This position at the junction of Europe, the Caucasus, and the Middle East has shaped Turkey's complex diplomatic history, including its long-standing tensions with Greece over Cyprus and its involvement in regional conflicts along its southeastern frontiers.
What is the predominant religion in Turkey?
Islam is practiced by approximately 99.8% of Turkey's population, making it overwhelmingly the dominant faith. The remaining 0.2% comprises small communities of Christians and Jews, many concentrated in Istanbul. Despite this religious makeup, Turkey was constitutionally established as a secular state in 1923 under Atatürk, who replaced religious law with civil codes modeled on European systems. The balance between secularism and Islamic identity has remained a defining tension in Turkish political and social life.
What is the currency of Turkey?
The official currency of Turkey is the Türk Lirası, commonly known as the Turkish lira, with the ISO code TRY. The currency has undergone significant reform over the decades; a major redenomination in 2005 replaced the old Turkish lira, dropping six zeros to stabilize the economy. In recent years the lira has experienced notable volatility against major global currencies, making exchange rates an important consideration for travelers and investors operating in Turkey.
What language is spoken in Turkey?
Turkish is the sole official language of Turkey and is spoken by the vast majority of the population. It belongs to the Turkic language family and has been written in a Latin-based alphabet since Atatürk's sweeping script reform of 1928. Minority languages including Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian, and Greek are spoken by smaller communities, particularly in southeastern and eastern regions. Kurdish, spoken by a significant minority, has been a politically sensitive issue tied to the decades-long conflict with the PKK separatist movement.
What is Turkey known for?
Turkey is known for its extraordinary layering of civilizations, most visibly in landmarks such as Hagia Sophia in Istanbul and the ancient rock formations of Cappadocia. Its cuisine — including kebabs, baklava, mezes, and Turkish tea culture — is one of the most influential in the world. Turkey is also a major producer and exporter of hazelnuts, textiles, and ceramics. Culturally, the country is distinguished by traditions that blend European and Asian influences, including elaborate tooth-ceremony customs, a deep valuation of education, and a national pride in both Ottoman heritage and the achievements of the modern republic.

Last reviewed 2026

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