The modern Republic of Turkey is situated spanning Asia and Europe in one of the most historical areas of the globe. Turkey is a paradise of sun, sea, mountains, and lakes and offers a complete change from the stress and routine of everyday life. From April to October, most places in Turkey have an ideal climate that is perfect for relaxing on sandy beaches or enjoying history and culture.
The Turkish people have an unrivalled reputation for hospitality, the cuisine is delicious, and there's an enormous variety of things to see and do, ranging from water sports to mountain trekking, archaeology to night-clubbing, and river rafting to drinking raki.
Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, is the only city in the world that sits on two continents, and if offers an abundance of fascinating attractions, including the Bosphorus Strait, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar. With an efficient infrastructure of domestic transport, Istanbul can be easily reached from all areas of Turkey by domestic airlines or overnight coach. A unique city, it is the bridge between east and west.
The modern Turks respect their history, but since the early twentieth century have been looking to modernize their country along European lines. A key figure in this process was Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who founded modern Turkey in 1923. Under his leadership, the country adopted wide-ranging social, legal and political reforms - it was Ataturk who gave the vote to women, encouraged European dress and changed the alphabet to a common form with roman script.
Now at the beginning of the twenty-first century, Turkey is hailed as a shining example of a Muslim democracy, becoming a member of the UN in 1945, and joining NATO in 1952. An associate member of the European Community since 1964, and working towards accession membership with the European Union, the economy is flourishing and the massive growth of tourism is being supported and encouraged by the government. |
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