Learning about Turkey is a wonderful and enriching experience as you discover ancient

traditions, a friendly Turkish culture, historical sites as well as places and destinations that
will make a wonderful country for your holidays or to live.

About Turkey’s Population, Religion, Language and

Facts
Religion is Islam
The population is 72,000 million as quoted on 2010.
The capital is Ankara
The currency is New Turkish Lira
The Language is Turkish. Kurdish is also spoken in areas of the East of Turkey
Politics : Secular democracy
Geography : Turkey covers 72,454 sq kilometres and comprises of 81 provinces that are
further divided into separate districts.
The time difference is +GMT2

About The History of Turkey

Lycian Rock Tombs at Myra
Turkey has a very colorful history and
evidence has been found of the earliest
forms of civilizations living in the lands that
now are classed as part of this country.
Empires that ruled for centuries include, but
are not exclusive to the Lycians, Romans,
Greeks and Selcuk Dynasty. All over Turkey
but specifically on the South West coast are
historical sites relating back to these periods.
One of the most prominent empires to rule was the Ottomans. If you go to Istanbul, visit
the former home to rulers of the Ottoman empire, Topkapi Palace.
They ruled for approximately 900 years however by the year 1918, the Ottoman sultans
sided with the losing countries of the First World War and the Anatolia region was due to be
separated for ruling by the winning countries.
This prompted the war of independence led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. The war was won
in 1923 so independence was declared and the Republic of Turkey was formed. One of
Mustafa’s first decisions was to move the capital, formerly Istanbul to Ankara in the center
of the country.
About Turkish Culture, Lifestyle and Traditions
There are major cities such as Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara that are a thriving hub for local
and international businesses as well as tourism.
Turkey is also quite unique in that Turkish culture is a mix of Ottoman, Greek and western
influences.
The West and South coast of Turkey as well as the Istanbul peninsula are mostly known for
western influences while the East is classed as traditional Turkey which has influences from
the Kurdish culture.
The North of Turkey is called the Black Sea region and the towns along this area are known
for their natural beauty and green hills thanks to the months of rainfall.
Turkish culture is welcoming to strangers and friendly. The emphasis is on family and
friends and you will find it easy to strike up a conversation or make friends with Turkish
people, no matter which destination you decide to visit.

Famous Turkish People

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was founder of the Republic of Turkey, now buried in the capital
called Ankara
Orhan Pamuk is a writer and Nobel Prize Winner
Ara Guler was born in Istanbul but of Armenian descent. Award winner photographer
Shaiba Gokcen was the adopted daughter of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and the first female
combat pilot in the world
Ibrahim Tatlises is an award winning singer who has survived three assassination attempts.
Mehmet Emin Karamehmet is a Turkish business man with a net fortune of 4 billion USD
For an extensive list of famous Turkish people, please refer to Wikipedia

Do you need Travel vaccinations?

Malaria is no longer present in the country however people still opt for travel vaccinations
against hepatitis A as it is a worldwide disease. Hepatitis A is spread through poor
sanitation, bad hygiene and unclean water. The result is bad sickness that can leave a
person feeling very lethargic. While hepatitis A can normally be cured within a couple of
months, people prefer prevention rather than cure. It is especially advised to have travel
vaccinations if you are headed to the East of Turkey.

Popular Holiday Destinations and Resorts within Turkey

There are a number of holiday destinations within Turkey that play host to over 25 million
visitors a year.
For a city break, you should consider visiting Istanbul or Ankara. The South-west and West
coast of Turkey also has many holiday resorts such as Bodrum, Fethiye, Antalya and
Marmaris.

Castle of St. Peter in Bodrum, Turkey Mardan Palace of Antalya- Turkey

Oludeniz Lagoon, Fethiye, Turkey Marmaris in turkey

Cappadocia is famous
for its cave houses and
an early morning
balloon ride over the
fairy chimneys
Turkish Culture and Traditions
Turkish Tea
Called Cay in Turkish, small tulip shaped glasses sitting on round saucers are used to drink the tea. Turks
never add milk but generally do insist on two cubes of sugar or more. Then it is a simple case of sipping it
slowly to flavor the taste. More than likely, Turkish friends will serve you tea when you visit them in their
home. They may also invite you to meet them in tea gardens that are family destinations. Teahouses,
generally located in the village or town centre are male-dominated environments, and it would be
extremely unusual to see a female in one of those.

Turkish Tea Benefits

As well as being a social experience, Turkish tea has many health benefits as well. Studies in the
Netherlands showed that black tea helps to regulate blood vessels and the heart, therefore, leading to a
lesser chance of a stroke or heart attack. The flavonoids in black tea also keep cholesterol down, help to
stabilize our metabolism and lead to a reduced risk of diabetes.

Ramadan and Fasting in

Turkey
Ramadan is a religious period of time
that tests the strength, determination and
goodwill of Muslim men and women all
over the land. Mortal souls that follow
the religion of Islam put themselves
through the ultimate endurance test by
abstaining from food, drink and intimate
contact during the hours of daylight.
The rays of the hot sun beat down on
their tired bodies making their brows
drip fiercely with sweat as they try to go
about the mundane routines of day to
day living. Their dry throats desperately need a glass of ice -cold water and they try to ignore the
growling hunger pains that are lingering in their empty bellies. They do not give into the temptation of
pleasure for the body until the sun disappears and the skies are dark. Their minds are focused on pure
thoughts, self-discipline and empathy for those in poverty who have no choice but to live like this, every
day of their lives.
Ramadan is not a set calendar date. It comes early every year by ten days. The result is that recently, it has
fallen within one of the hottest months of the year. In the coastal resorts, many Turks work in restaurants
and this is one of the busiest months when they will cater for hundreds of hungry tourists that are eager to
consume English breakfasts, hamburgers for lunch and juicy steaks for dinner.
This is not the winter months when the hours of daylight are shorter and very few tourists trickle through
the door of the restaurant. This is different, the stakes are higher and the goal posts have moved.
Workers have the choice to abstain, offering money to charities instead as a penance for not completing
the fast. However most will attempt to fast, because they have done it every year since the transformation
from a boy to a man, or a girl to a woman. The ability to undergo this test of strength is firmly ingrained
into their characters and lifestyle.
The Side Effects of Fasting
When the side effects of fasting start to take place. Fatigue is one of them and this in turn lead to bad
moods and long periods of silence. Next Comes The Bad Breath, after spending eleven years in Turkey, I
can normally spot someone who is fasting after speaking a couple of words with them because 99.9% of
the time they will have bad breath. But not all Turks will spend the month fasting. It is a personal decision
which sees no consequences if they don’t. Some Turks who are not fasting seem to be more vocal about
Ramadan than the Turks that simply want to keep their heads down and complete this period of reflection
without drama.

Sacrificing a Goat in Turkey for Kurban

Bayram
The traditional animal to use is a goat or sheep however
families that have joined together may find themselves with
enough money to upgrade to a meatier and plump cow. Sunday
will be spent performing this ritual while the following days are
spent visiting friends and family as well as attending the
mosque. Kurban Bayram in Turkey is known as the Sacrifice
holiday and is a major event in the Islamic calendar. The
significance relates to the occasion in the Quran when Abraham
was ready to sacrifice his own son on the command of God. God interrupted the act and Abraham used a
sheep instead however the celebration occurs to show the dedication of Abraham and his
acknowledgement that God is everything.