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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: there are 36 national broadcast stations, 108 regional broadcast stations, and 1,058 local broadcast stations (1996)

Radios [time series]

9.4 million (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

fair domestic and international systems; undergoing modernization and refurbishment programs domestic: cable; AMPS standard cellular system in Ashkhabad with plans for expansion international: 12 satellite earth stations--Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), Eutelsat, and Inmarsat (Indian and Atlantic Ocean regions); 3 submarine fiber-optic cables (1996); connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe Fiber-Optic Line that became operational in 1998

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

17 million (in addition, there are 1.5 million cellular telephone subscribers) (1997 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

69 (in addition, there are 476 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions [time series]

10.53 million (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture--products) [time series]

tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulse, citrus; livestock

Budget [time series]

revenues: $44.4 billion expenditures: $58.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.7 billion (1998)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Turkish lira (TL)

Debt - external (Debt--external) [time series]

$93.4 billion (1998)

Economic aid (Economic aid--recipient) [time series]

ODA, $195 million (1993)

Economic overview (Economy--overview) [time series]

Turkey has a dynamic economy that is a complex mix of modern industry and commerce along with traditional village agriculture and crafts. It has a strong and rapidly growing private sector, yet the state still plays a major role in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. Its most important industry--and largest exporter--is textiles and clothing, which is almost entirely in private hands. The economic situation in recent years has been marked by rapid growth coupled with partial success in implementing structural reform measures. Inflation declined to 70% in 1998, down from 99% in 1997, but the public sector fiscal deficit probably remained near 10% of GDP--due in large part to interest payments which accounted for 42% of central government spending in 1998. The government enacted a new tax law and speeded up privatization in 1998 but made no progress on badly needed social security reform. Ankara is trying to increase trade with other countries in the region yet most of Turkey's trade is still with OECD countries. Despite the implementation in January 1996 of a customs union with the EU, foreign direct investment in the country remains low--about $1 billion annually--perhaps because potential investors are concerned about still-high inflation and the unsettled political situation. Economic growth will remain about the same in 1999; inflation should decline further.

Electricity - consumption (Electricity--consumption) [time series]

91.16 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity - exports (Electricity--exports) [time series]

300 million kWh (1996)

Electricity - imports (Electricity--imports) [time series]

265 million kWh (1996)

Electricity - production (Electricity--production) [time series]

103 billion kWh (1997)

Electricity - production by source (Electricity--production by source) [time series]

fossil fuel: 62.4% hydro: 37.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0.5% (1997)

Exchange rates [time series]

Turkish liras (TL) per US$1--331,400 (January 1999), 260,724 (1998), 151,865 (1997), 81,405 (1996), 45,845.1 (1995), 29,608.7 (1994)

Exports [time series]

$31 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports - commodities (Exports--commodities) [time series]

textiles and apparel 30%, foodstuffs 15%, iron and steel products 13% (1997)

Exports - partners (Exports--partners) [time series]

Germany 20%, US 9%, Russia 5%, UK 6%, Italy 6% (1998)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity--$425.4 billion (1998 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP--composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 14.4% industry: 28.7% services: 56.9% (1998)

Real GDP per capita (GDP--per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity?$6,600 (1998 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP--real growth rate) [time series]

2.8% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$47 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports - commodities (Imports--commodities) [time series]

machinery and equipment 50%, fuels, minerals, foodstuffs (1997)

Imports - partners (Imports--partners) [time series]

Germany 16%, Italy 9%, US 9%, Russia 6%, UK 6%, France 2% (1997)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

4.1% (1998 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

70% (1998)

Labor force [time series]

22.7 million (April 1998) note: about 1.5 million Turks work abroad (1994)

Labor force - by occupation (Labor force--by occupation) [time series]

agriculture 42.5%, services 34.5%, industry 23% (1996)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

10% (1998 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 780,580 sq km land: 770,760 sq km water: 9,820 sq km

Area - comparative (Area--comparative) [time series]

slightly larger than Texas

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

7,200 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m

Environment - current issues (Environment--current issues) [time series]

water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic

International environmental agreements (Environment--international agreements) [time series]

party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Environmental Modification

Geographic coordinates [time series]

39 00 N, 35 00 E

Geography - note (Geography--note) [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

36,740 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 2,627 km border countries: 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: 32% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 16% forests and woodland: 26% other: 22% (1993 est.)

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 Black Sea and in Mediterranean Sea

Natural hazards [time series]

very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

80 provinces (iller, singular--il); Adana, Adiyaman, Afyon, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, 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, Igdir, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir, Kahraman Maras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanli Urfa, Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon, Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak note: Karabuk, Kilis, Osmaniye and Yalova are the four newest provinces; the US Board on Geographic Names is awaiting an official Turkish administrative map for verification of the boundaries

Capital [time series]

Ankara

Constitution [time series]

7 November 1982

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Mark R. PARRIS embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Ankara mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823 consulate(s) general: Istanbul consulate(s): Adana

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Baki ILKIN chancery: 1714 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 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 Bulent ECEVIT (since 11 January 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister note: there is also a National Security Council that serves as an advisory body to the president and the cabinet elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a seven-year term; election last held 16 May 1993 (next scheduled to be held NA May 2000); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president election results: Suleyman DEMIREL elected president; percent of National Assembly vote--54%

Flag (Flag description) [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

Government type [time series]

republican parliamentary democracy

Independence [time series]

29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)

International organization participation [time series]

AsDB, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NATO, NEA, OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNRWA, UPU, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Constitutional Court, judges appointed by the president; Court of Appeals, judges are elected by the Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 24 December 1995 (next to be held 18 April 1999) election results: percent of vote by party--RP 21.38%, DYP 19.18%, ANAP 19.65%, DSP 14.64%, CHP 10.71%, independent 0.48%; seats by party--RP 158, DYP 135, ANAP 133, DSP 75, CHP 49; note--seats held by various parties are subject to change due to defections, creation of new parties, and ouster or death of sitting deputies; seating by party as of 1 January 1999: FP 144, ANAP 137, DYP 97, DSP 61, CHP 55, DTP 12, BBP 8, MHP 3, DP 1, DEPAR 1, independents 20, vacant 11

National holiday [time series]

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

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

Motherland Party or ANAP [Mesut outlawed on 22 February 1998

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

Turkish Confederation of Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association or MUSIAD

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures--dollar figure) [time series]

$6.737 billion (1997)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures--percent of GDP) [time series]

4.3% (1997)

Military manpower - availability (Military manpower--availability) [time series]

males age 15-49: 18,168,658 (1999 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service (Military manpower--fit for military service) [time series]

males age 15-49: 11,024,173 (1999 est.)

Military manpower - military age (Military manpower--military age) [time series]

20 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually (Military manpower--reaching military age annually) [time series]

males: 659,338 (1999 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 30% (male 10,148,457; female 9,781,452) 15-64 years: 64% (male 21,255,506; female 20,560,070) 65 years and over: 6% (male 1,775,164; female 2,078,557) (1999 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

20.92 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.27 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

35.81 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Languages [time series]

Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 73.29 years male: 70.81 years female: 75.88 years (1999 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.3% male: 91.7% female: 72.4% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Turk(s) adjective: Turkish

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Population [time series]

65,599,206 (July 1999 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.57% (1999 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.41 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes--international) [time series]

complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Greece; dispute with downstream riparian states (Syria and Iraq) over water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; traditional demands on former Armenian lands in Turkey have subsided

Illicit drugs [time series]

major transit route for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish to Western Europe and--to a far lesser extent 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

Transportation

Airports [time series]

117 (1998 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports--with paved runways) [time series]

total: 81 over 3,047 m: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 25 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 5 (1998 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports--with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 26 (1998 est.)

Heliports [time series]

2 (1998 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 382,397 km paved: 95,599 km (including 1,560 km of expressways) unpaved: 286,798 km (1997 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 531 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,913,171 GRT/9,832,994 DWT ships by type: bulk 159, cargo 239, chemical tanker 32, combination bulk 5, combination ore/oil 6, container 12, liquefied gas tanker 5, oil tanker 36, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 21, short-sea passenger 9, specialized tanker 3 (1998 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

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

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Gemlik, Hopa, Iskenderun, Istanbul, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit), Icel (Mersin), Samsun, Trabzon

Railways [time series]

total: 10,386 km standard gauge: 10,386 km 1.435-m gauge (1,088 km electrified)

Waterways [time series]

about 1,200 km