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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]

broadcast stations: AM 15, FM 94, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

3,400,000 telephones; fair domestic and international systems local: NA intercity: trunk radio relay microwave network; limited open wire network international: 2 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 EUTELSAT earth station; 1 submarine cable

Broadcast media (Television) [time series]

broadcast stations: 357 televisions: NA

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Land Forces, Navy (includes Naval Air and Naval Infantry), Air Force, Coast Guard, Gendarmerie

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $6.9 billion, 4.1% of GDP (1993); note - figures do not include about $7 billion for the government's counterinsurgency efforts against the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) TURKMENISTAN

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 16,519,152; males fit for military service 10,067,089; males reach military age (20) annually 625,476 (1995 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 16% of GDP; products - tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulses, citrus fruit, variety of animal products; self-sufficient in food most years

Budget [time series]

revenues: $28.3 billion expenditures: $33.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.2 billion (1995)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Turkish lira (TL) = 100 kurus

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $2.3 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $10.1 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $665 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $4.5 billion note: aid for Persian Gulf war efforts from coalition allies (1991), $4.1 billion; aid pledged for Turkish Defense Fund, $2.5 billion

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 18,710,000 kW production: 71 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,079 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

Turkish liras (TL) per US$1 - 37,444.1 (December 1994), 29,608.7 (1994), 10,984.6 (1993), 6,872.4 (1992), 4,171.8 (1991), 2,608.6 (1990)

Exports [time series]

$15.3 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: manufactured products 72%, foodstuffs 23%, mining products 4% (1993) partners: Germany 24%, Russia 7%, US 7%, UK 6% (1993)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$66.6 billion (1994)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Illicit drugs [time series]

major transit route for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish to Western Europe and the US via air, land, and sea routes; major Turkish, Iranian, and other international trafficking organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert imported morphine base into heroin are in remote regions of Turkey as well as near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate

Imports [time series]

$27.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: manufactured products 71%, fuels 14%, foodstuffs 6% (1993) partners: Germany 15%, US 11%, Italy 9%, Russia 8% (1993)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 6.7% (1993); accounts for 26% of GDP

Industries [time series]

textiles, food processing, mining (coal, chromite, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

106% (1994)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power parity - $305.2 billion (1994 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$4,910 (1994 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

-5% (1994 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

In early 1995, after an impressive economic performance through most of the 1980s, Turkey continues to suffer through its most damaging economic crisis in the last 15 years. Sparked by the downgrading in January 1994 of Turkey's international credit rating by two US credit rating agencies, the crisis stems from years of loose fiscal and monetary policies that had exacerbated inflation and allowed the public debt, money supply, and current account deficit to explode. In April 1994, Prime Minister CILLER introduced an austerity package aimed at restoring domestic and international confidence in her fragile coalition government. Three months later the IMF endorsed the program, paving the way for a $740 million IMF standby loan. Although the economy showed signs of improvement following the stabilization measures, CILLER has been unable to overcome the political obstacles to tough structural reforms necessary for sustained, longer-term growth. As a consequence, the economy is suffering the worst of both worlds: at the end of 1994, inflation hit a record 126% (annual rate), and real GDP dropped an estimated 5% for the year as a whole, the worst decline in Turkey's post-war history. At the same time, the government missed key 1994 targets stipulated in the IMF agreement: the budget deficit is estimated to have overshot the government's goal by 47%; the total public sector borrowing requirement likely reached 10%-12% of GDP, rather than 8.5% called for in the program; and the Turkish lira's value fell 5% to 7% more than expected. The unprecedented effort by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to raise the economic costs of its insurgency against the Turkish state is adding to Turkey's economic problems. Attacks against tourists have jeopardized tourist revenues, which account for about 3% of GDP, while economic activity in southeastern Turkey, where most of the violence occurs, has dropped considerably. Turkish officials are now negotiating a new letter of intent with the IMF that will stipulate more realistic macroeconomic goals for 1995 and allow the release of remaining funds of the standby agreement.

Unemployment rate [time series]

12.6% (1994)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 780,580 sq km land area: 770,760 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Texas

Climate [time series]

temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior

Coastline [time series]

7,200 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation natural hazards: very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Desertification, Environmental Modification

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

complex maritime, air and territorial disputes with Greece in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question; Hatay question with Syria; ongoing dispute with downstream riparians (Syria and Iraq) over water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

Irrigated land [time series]

22,200 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 2,627 km, Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km, Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 331 km, Syria 822 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 30% permanent crops: 4% meadows and pastures: 12% forest and woodland: 26% other: 28%

Location [time series]

Southwestern Asia (that part west of the Bosporus is sometimes included with Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria

Map references [time series]

Middle East

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only - to the maritime boundary agreed upon with the former USSR territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea, 12 nm in the Black Sea and in the Mediterranean Sea

Natural resources [time series]

antimony, coal, chromium, mercury, copper, borate, sulphur, iron ore

Note [time series]

strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas

Terrain [time series]

mostly mountains; narrow coastal plain; high central plateau (Anatolia)

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

73 provinces (iller, singular - il); Adana, Adiyaman, Afyon, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol, Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gazi Antep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Icel, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir, Kahraman Maras, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanli Urfa, Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon, Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yozgat, Zonguldak

Capital [time series]

Ankara

Constitution [time series]

7 November 1982

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Nuzhet KANDEMIR chancery: 1714 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 659-8200 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Suleyman DEMIREL (since 16 May 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Tansu CILLER (since 5 July 1993); Deputy Prime Minister Hikmet CETIN (since 27 March 1995)

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[90] (312) 467-0019 consulate(s) general: Istanbul consulate(s): Adana

Flag [time series]

red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening

Legislative branch (Grand National Assembly of Turkey) [time series]

(Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi) elections last held 20 October 1991 (next to be held NA October 1996); results - DYP 27.03%, ANAP 24.01%, SHP 20.75%, RP 16.88%, DSP 10.75%, SBP 0.44%, independent 0.14%; seats - (450 total) DYP 178, ANAP 115, SHP 86, RP 40, MCP 19, DSP 7, other 5 note: seats held by various parties are subject to change due to defections, creation of new parties, and ouster or death of sitting deputies; present seats by party are as follows: DYP 183, ANAP 97, RP 38, CHP 65, MHP 17, BBP 7, DSP 10, YP 3, MP 2, independents 6, vacant 22

Independence [time series]

29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)

Judicial branch [time series]

Court of Cassation

Legal system [time series]

derived from various continental legal systems; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

AsDB, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN (observer), EBRD, ECE, ECO, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NACC, NATO, NEA, OECD, OIC, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNRWA, UPU, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Turkey conventional short form: Turkey local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti local short form: Turkiye

Legislative branch (National Security Council) [time series]

advisory body to the President and the Cabinet cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president on nomination of the prime minister

National holiday [time series]

Anniversary of the Declaration of the Republic, 29 October (1923)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

Turkish Confederation of Labor (TURK-IS), Bayram MERAL; Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions (DISK), Ridvan BUDAK; Moral Rights Workers Union (HAK-IS), Negati CECIK; Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD), Halis KOMILI; Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB), Yalim EREZ; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions (TISK), Refik BAYDUR

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

True Path Party (DYP), Tansu CILLER; Motherland Party (ANAP), Mesut YILMAZ; Welfare Party (RP), Necmettin ERBAKAN; Democratic Left Party (DSP), Bulent ECEVIT; Nationalist Action Party (MHP - members also regroup under the name of National Labor Party or MCP), Alparslan TURKES; Socialist Unity Party (SBP), Sadun AREN; New Party (YP), Yusuf Bozkurt OZAL; Republican People's Party (CHP), Hikmet CETIN; note - Social Democrat Populist Party (SHP) has merged with CHP; Workers Party (IP), Dogu PERINCEK; Nation Party (MP), Aykut EDIBALI; Democrat Party (DP), Aydin MENDERES; Grand Unity Party (BBP), Muhsin YAZICIOGLU; Rebirth Party (YDP), Hasan Celal GUZEL; People's Democracy Party (HADEP), Murat BOZLAK; Main Path Party (ANAYOL), Gurcan BASER; Democratic Target Party (DHP), Abdulkadir Yasar TURK; Liberal Party (LP), Besim TIBUK; New Democracy Movement (YDH), Cem BOYNER; Democracy and Change Party (DDP), Ibrahim AKSOY

Suffrage [time series]

21 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

republican parliamentary democracy

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Marc GROSSMAN embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Ankara mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, Ankara; APO AE 09823 telephone: [90] (312) 468-6110 through 6128

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 35% (female 10,815,288; male 11,203,723) 15-64 years: 60% (female 18,723,772; male 19,391,037) 65 years and over: 5% (female 1,764,363; male 1,507,343) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

25.33 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.64 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

45.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

20.4 million by occupation: agriculture 44%, services 41%, industry 15% note: between 1.5 million and 1.8 million Turks work abroad (1994)

Languages [time series]

Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 71.48 years male: 69.11 years female: 73.96 years (1995 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 79% male: 90% female: 68%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Turk(s) adjective: Turkish

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population [time series]

63,405,526 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.97% (1995 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (Christian and Jews)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.12 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 116 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 16 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 21 with paved runways under 914 m: 34 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 2 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 11

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 320,611 km paved: 29,915 km (including 862 km of expressways) unpaved: 290,696 km (1992)

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

about 1,200 km

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 423 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,014,004 GRT/8,695,636 DWT ships by type: bulk 113, cargo 203, chemical tanker 14, combination bulk 7, combination ore/oil 12, container 2, liquefied gas tanker 4, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 46, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 9, short-sea passenger 7, specialized tanker 2

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 1,738 km; petroleum products 2,321 km; natural gas 708 km

Ports [time series]

Gemlik, Hopa, Iskenderun, Istanbul, Izmir, Izmit, Mersin, Samsun, Trabzon

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

total: 10,413 km standard gauge: 10,413 km 1.435-m gauge (1,033 km electrified)