TURKEY I.T.T. «Marco Polo» – Palermo - Italy

Boundaries Geographically, Turkey is the most western part of Asia, consisting of massive and high Anatolian peninsula that separates the Black Sea from the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean. Some islands of the Aegean and the basins of the Sea of Marmara belong to the Turkish territory. Turkey is bordered to the north by the Black Sea, to the north-east by Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, to the north- west by Greece and Bulgaria, to the south by Iraq, Syria and the Mediterranean Sea, to south-east by Iran and to the west by the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmara. I.T.T. «Marco Polo» – Palermo - Italy

Turkey Turkey extends over an area of 783,562 km ², and has got 74,724,269 inhabitants, mostly professing the Muslim religion, there are small Christian minorities (especially the Orthodox, but also Catholic ) and Jewish, while not widespread is atheism. The capital is Ankara, one of the three big cities of Turkey with İzmir and İstanbul, the latter is the largest city in the country, and the largest industrial and commercial centre. The official language is Turkish, but there are numerous linguistic minorities. The official currency is the Turkish lira. Istanbul I.T.T. «Marco Polo» – Palermo - Italy

Government Turkey has been a parliamentary republic since its founding in 1923 and was one of the first countries to grant to its citizens universal suffrage. The current unicameral legislative system came into effect with the constitution of The President of the Republic of Turkey is Abdullah Gül. The prime minister is Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. I.T.T. «Marco Polo» – Palermo - Italy

In recent years, legislative and political structure of the Turkish Republic has been subject to reforms and restructuring in order to achieve the objectives required by the European Union within the framework of the pre-accession countries. During the twenties and thirties of the twentieth century, the policy of Atatürk carried out a process of secularization, which could suppress the control of the Islamic religion by the State. The process of repression has enabled strong Westernisation of costumes, such as the banning of headscarves, and has led to a form of Islam called moderate. Barack Obama addresses Turkish Parliament I.T.T. «Marco Polo» – Palermo - Italy

Economy Turkey has gradually opened up its markets through economic reforms by reducing government controls on foreign trade and investment and the liberalization of many sectors to private and foreign participation. Tourism in Turkey has experienced rapid growth in the last twenty years, and constitutes an important part of the economy. Other key sectors of the Turkish economy are banking, construction, home appliances, electronics, textiles, oil refining, petrochemical products, food, mining, iron and steel and machine industry. I.T.T. «Marco Polo» – Palermo - Italy

ISTANBUL Istanbul has a population of 12,782,960 inhabitants. I.T.T. «Marco Polo» – Palermo - Italy

Istanbul is a megacity located in the north-west of the country, which extends along the Bosphorus. Istanbul was called Byzantium and later Constantinople. I.T.T. «Marco Polo» – Palermo - Italy

ANKARA Ankara, formerly Angora also in Italian, is the capital of Turkey, with a population of over 4.4 million inhabitants. It is the second largest Turkish city after Istanbul. I.T.T. «Marco Polo» – Palermo - Italy

SMYRNE Smyrne is a city of 3.5 million inhabitants of the westcentral Turkey, the country's third most populous after Istanbul and Ankara. It is also a large and efficient port located on the Gulf in the Aegean Sea. Izmir is one of the places that are competing for the honour of being the birthplace of the legendary poet Homer. I.T.T. «Marco Polo» – Palermo - Italy

Ancient Region of Anatolia Cappadocia Cappadocia is a historical region in Central Anatolia, largely in Nevşehir Province.In the time of Herodotus, the Cappadocians were reported as occupying the whole region from Mount Taurus to the vicinity of the Euxine (Black Sea). Cappadocia, in this sense, was bounded in the south by the chain of the Taurus Mountains that separate it from Cilicia, to the east by the upper Euphrates. The name was traditionally used in Christian sources throughout history and is still used as an international tourism concept to define a region of exceptional natural wonders, in particular characterized by fairy chimneys and a unique historical and cultural heritage. I.T.T. «Marco Polo» – Palermo - Italy

CUSTOMS AND COSTUMES The popular traditions and customs in Turkey are very rich and still survive thanks to the natural characteristics of Turkish people living outside big cities. I.T.T. «Marco Polo» – Palermo - Italy

Folk dance in Turkey is very lively and varied. Each region has its characteristic dance with particular costumes, steps, rhythms and instruments. The dance of each region reflects the characteristics of the people of that region. There are special dances for weddings and harvest. I.T.T. «Marco Polo» – Palermo - Italy

Cuisine Turkish cuisine is largely the heritage of Ottoman cuisine, which can be described as a fusion and refinement of Central Asian, Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisines. Turkish cuisine has in turn influenced other neighbouring cuisines, including those of western Europe. The Ottomans fused various culinary traditions of their realm with influences from Middle Eastern cuisines, along with traditional Turkish elements from Central Asia (such as yogurt). Turkish cuisine varies across the country. I.T.T. «Marco Polo» – Palermo - Italy

A specialty's name sometimes includes that of a city or region, either in or outside Turkey, and may refer to the specific technique or ingredients used in that area. (For example, the difference between urfa kebab and adana kebab is the thickness of the skewer and the amount of hot pepper that kebab contains. Urfa kebab is less spicy and thicker than adana kbab.) I.T.T. «Marco Polo» – Palermo - Italy