A Country for All Tastes
Turkey has so much to offer her visitors; breathtaking natural beauties, unique historical and archaeological sites, steadily improving hotel and touristic infrastructure and a tradition of hospitality and competitive prices. Therefore, it is not surprising that this country has recently become one of the world's most popular tourism destinations. Due to Turkey's diverse geography, one can experience four different climates in any one day. The rectangular shaped country is surrounded on three sides by three different seas. Its shores are laced with beaches, bays, coves, ports, islands and peninsulas. The summers are long, lasting as long as eight months in some areas. Turkey is also blessed with majestic mountains and valleys, lakes, rivers, waterfalls and grottoes perfect for winter and summer tourism and sports of all kinds.
Skiing fans, mountain climbers, trekkers, hikers and hunters can enjoy new and unforgettable experiences in Turkey. Turkey is, above anything else, a huge open-air museum, a repository of all the civilizations nurtured by the soils of Anatolia. The huge amount of historical and archaeological wealth in Turkey seems more appropriate for an entire continent than a single country. Recently, a new field of tourism has opened up: health tourism. The country is in fact rich with hot springs, healing waters and healing muds, which come highly recommended by the medical authorities as a remedy for many diseases.
For centuries, Turkey has also been a crossroads of religions, not only of Islam and Christianity, but also of many others now forgotten by history. Many religious devotees can find a site, a shrine, a monument, a tomb or a ruin connected with their faith or belief.
COUNTRY PROFILE & FACTS
Official Name
Republic of Turkey
Date of Foundation
29 October 1923
Capital
Ankara
Largest Cities
Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Adana, Antalya
Area
814.578 km2
Geographical Coordinates
Eastern Meridians 26° and 45° and Northern Parallels 36° and 42°
Coastal Borders
Mediterranean Sea in the south, Aegean Sea in the west and Black Sea in the north
Language
The official language is Turkish. English is widely spoken in major cities.
Currency
TL (Turkish Lira) 1 Euro approximately equals to 2,30 Turkish Liras.
Time Zone
GMT+2; CET +1; and EST (US -East) +7
Business Hours
The workweek in Turkey runs from Monday to Friday. Banks, government offices and majority of corporate offices open at 9 AM and close at 5 PM.
Public Holidays
There are two types of public holidays in Turkey: Those that fall on the same day each year; and the religious festivals, which change according to the lunar calendar and, therefore, fall on different dates each year.
1 January, 23 April, 1 May, 19 May, 30 August, 28 & 29 October
Eid (Ramadan): 30 August – 1st September 2011
Greater Eid: 7-9 November 2011
Visas
Visas are easily obtained upon arrival at the airport and are required for citizens of most countries.
Electricity
220V. European standard round two-pin sockets.
Health Services
Cities and major touristic towns have a selection of private international and public hospitals with good standards.
Food
As with many Mediterranean nations Turkish food is very healthy, fresh and enjoyable.
Water
Tap water is chlorinated and, therefore, safe to drink. However, it is recommended that you consume bottled water, which is readily and cheaply available.
Communications
Turkey has three GSM operators, all of them offering 3G services and almost 95% coverage over the country. Internet service is available all around the country.
International Dial Code
+90
English
