Communications
Broadcast media [time series]
national public broadcaster Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) operates multiple TV and radio networks and stations; multiple privately-owned national television stations and up to 300 private regional and local television stations; multi-channel cable TV subscriptions are obtainable; more than 1,000 private radio broadcast stations (2009)
Internet country code [time series]
.tr
Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]
3.433 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 26
Internet users [time series]
27.233 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 15
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
general assessment: comprehensive telecommunications network undergoing rapid modernization and expansion especially in mobile-cellular services domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay, is facilitating communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobile-cellular telephone service is growing rapidly international: country code - 90; international service is provided by the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable and by submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black Seas that link Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia; satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat; mobile satellite terminals - 328 in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]
16.202 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 19
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
61.77 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 21
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, hazelnuts, pulse, citrus; livestock
Budget [time series]
revenues: $169 billion expenditures: $195.4 billion (2010 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]
-3.6% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 113
Central bank discount rate [time series]
15% (22 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 6 25% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]
19% (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 21% (31 December 2009 est.)
Current account balance [time series]
-$48.42 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 190 -$13.99 billion (2009 est.)
Debt - external [time series]
$309.6 billion (30 June 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $290.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]
39.7 (2008) country comparison to the world: 64 43.6 (2003)
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
Turkey's economy is increasingly driven by its industry and service sectors, although its traditional agriculture sector still accounts for about 30% of employment. An aggressive privatization program has reduced state involvement in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication, and an emerging cadre of middle-class entrepreneurs is adding dynamism to the economy. Turkey's traditional textiles and clothing sectors still account for one-third of industrial employment, despite stiff competition in international markets that resulted from the end of the global quota system. Other sectors, notably the automotive, construction, and electronics industries, are rising in importance and have surpassed textiles within Turkey's export mix. Oil began to flow through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in May 2006, marking a major milestone that will bring up to 1 million barrels per day from the Caspian to market. Several gas pipelines also are being planned to help move Central Asian gas to Europe via Turkey, which will help address Turkey's dependence on energy imports over the long term. After Turkey experienced a severe financial crisis in 2001, Ankara adopted financial and fiscal reforms as part of an IMF program. The reforms strengthened the country's economic fundamentals and ushered in an era of strong growth - averaging more than 6% annually until 2008, when global economic conditions and tighter fiscal policy caused GDP to contract in 2009, reduced inflation to 6.3% - a 34-year low - and cut the public sector debt-to-GPD ratio below 50%. Turkey's well-regulated financial markets and banking system weathered the global financial crisis and GDP rebounded strongly to 7.3% in 2010, as exports returned to normal levels following the recession. The economy, however, continues to be burdened by a high current account deficit and remains dependent on often volatile, short-term investment to finance its trade deficit. The stock value of FDI stood at $174 billion at year-end 2010, but inflows have slowed considerably in light of continuing economic turmoil in Europe, the source of much of Turkey's FDI. Further economic and judicial reforms and prospective EU membership are expected to boost Turkey's attractiveness to foreign investors. However, Turkey's relatively high current account deficit, uncertainty related to policy-making, and fiscal imbalances leave the economy vulnerable to destabilizing shifts in investor confidence.
Electricity - consumption [time series]
161 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21
Electricity - exports [time series]
1.55 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - imports [time series]
737 million kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - production [time series]
185.2 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 21
Exchange rates [time series]
Turkish liras (TRY) per US dollar - 1.5181 (2010) 1.55 (2009) 1.3179 (2008) 1.319 (2007) 1.4286 (2006)
Exports [time series]
$120.9 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 $109.6 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities [time series]
apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment
Exports - partners [time series]
Germany 10.1%, UK 6.4%, Italy 5.7%, France 5.3%, Iraq 5.3%, Russia 4.1% (2010)
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$741.9 billion (2010 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$960.5 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $887.7 billion (2009 est.) $931.4 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: 9.6% industry: 26.7% services: 63.8% (2010 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]
$12,300 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 $11,600 (2009 est.) $12,300 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
8.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 -4.7% (2009 est.) 0.7% (2008 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 30.3% (2008)
Imports [time series]
$177.3 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 $134.5 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities [time series]
machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport equipment
Imports - partners [time series]
Russia 11.6%, Germany 9.5%, China 9.3%, US 6.6%, Italy 5.5%, France 4.4%, Iran 4.1% (2010)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
13.1% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 15
Industries [time series]
textiles, food processing, autos, electronics, mining (coal, chromate, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
8.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 194 6.3% (2009 est.)
Investment (gross fixed) [time series]
18.7% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 134
Labor force [time series]
25.64 million country comparison to the world: 24 note: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2010 est.)
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture: 29.5% industry: 24.7% services: 45.8% (2005)
Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]
$306.7 billion (31 December 2010) country comparison to the world: 28 $225.7 billion (31 December 2009) $117.9 billion (31 December 2008)
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
38.12 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 25
Natural gas - exports [time series]
649 million cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 39
Natural gas - imports [time series]
38.04 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 9
Natural gas - production [time series]
674 million cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 66
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
6.173 billion cu m (1 January 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 87
Oil - consumption [time series]
646,300 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 27
Oil - exports [time series]
68,450 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 75
Oil - imports [time series]
581,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 21
Oil - production [time series]
55,110 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Oil - proved reserves [time series]
270.4 million bbl (1 January 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 58
Population below poverty line [time series]
17.11% (2008)
Public debt [time series]
43% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 46.4% of GDP (2009 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]
$86.08 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 $75 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of broad money [time series]
$400.3 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 $349.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]
$16.88 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 $15.42 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]
$86.98 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 $77.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit [time series]
$496 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 $402.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of narrow money [time series]
$58.27 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 $46.72 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
22.8% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 133
Unemployment rate [time series]
12% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 14.1% (2009 est.) note: underemployment amounted to 4% in 2008
Geography
total: 783,562 sq km country comparison to the world: 37 land: 769,632 sq km water: 13,930 sq km
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 [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, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]
total: 39.78 cu km/yr (15%/11%/74%) per capita: 544 cu m/yr (2001)
Geographic coordinates [time series]
39 00 N, 35 00 E
Geography - note [time series]
strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's ark, is in the far eastern portion of the country
Irrigated land [time series]
52,150 sq km (2008)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 2,648 km border countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km, Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 29.81% permanent crops: 3.39% other: 66.8% (2005)
Location [time series]
Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of 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]
territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea; 12 nm in Black Sea and in Mediterranean Sea exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary agreed upon with the former USSR
Natural hazards [time series]
severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van volcanism: Turkey experiences little volcanic activity; its three historically active volcanoes; Ararat, Nemrut Dagi, and Tendurek Dagi have not erupted since the 19th century or earlier
Natural resources [time series]
coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone, magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable land, hydropower
Terrain [time series]
high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several mountain ranges
Total renewable water resources [time series]
234 cu km (2003)
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
81 provinces (iller, singular - ili); Adana, Adiyaman, Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol, Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Igdir, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir (Smyrna), Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon (Trebizond), Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak
Capital [time series]
name: Ankara geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 32 52 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Monday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Constitution [time series]
7 November 1982; amended several times; note - amendment passed by referendum 21 October 2007 concerning presidential elections
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: Republic of Turkey conventional short form: Turkey local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti local short form: Turkiye
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Douglas A. SILLIMAN embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823 telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555 FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019 consulate(s) general: Istanbul consulate(s): Adana; note - there is a Consular Agent in Izmir
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Namik TAN chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: President Abdullah GUL (since 28 August 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (since 14 March 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: president elected directly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president from among members of parliament election results: on 28 August 2007 the National Assembly elected Abdullah GUL president on the third ballot; National Assembly vote - 339 note: in October 2007 Turkish voters approved a referendum package of constitutional amendments including a provision for direct presidential elections
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
red with a vertical white crescent moon (the closed portion is toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening; the flag colors and designs closely resemble those on the banner of Ottoman Empire, which preceded modern-day Turkey; the crescent moon and star serve as insignia for the Turks, as well as being traditional symbols of Islam; according to legend, the flag represents the reflection of the moon and a star in a pool of blood of Turkish warriors
Government type [time series]
republican parliamentary democracy
Independence [time series]
29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)
International law organization participation [time series]
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
International organization participation [time series]
ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN (observer), CICA, D-8, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EU (candidate country), FAO, FATF, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Judicial branch [time series]
Constitutional Court; High Court of Appeals (Yargitay); Council of State (Danistay); Court of Accounts (Sayistay); Military High Court of Appeals; Military High Administrative Court
Legal system [time series]
civil law system based on various European legal systems notably the Swiss civil code; note - member of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), although Turkey claims limited derogations on the ratified European Convention on Human Rights
Legislative branch [time series]
unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 12 June 2011 (next to be held by June 2015) election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 49.8%, CHP 25.9%, MHP 13%, independents 6.6%, other 4.7%; seats by party - AKP 326, CHP 135, MHP 53, independents 36; note - only parties surpassing the 10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats
National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]
name: "Istiklal Marsi" (Independence March) lyrics/music: Mehmet Akif ERSOY/Zeki UNGOR note: lyrics adopted 1921, music adopted 1932; the anthem's original music was adopted in 1924; a new composition was agreed upon in 1932
National holiday [time series]
Republic Day, 29 October (1923)
National symbol(s) [time series]
star and crescent
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Democratic Left Party or DSP [Masum TURKER]; Democratic Party or DP [Namik Kemal ZEYBEK]; Equality and Democracy Party or EDP [Ziva HALIS]; Felicity Party or SP [Necmettin ERBAKAN] (sometimes translated as Contentment Party); Freedom and Solidarity Party or ODP [Alper TAS]; Grand Unity Party or BBP [Yalcin TOPCU]; Justice and Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]; Nationalist Movement Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI]; Peace and Democracy Party or BDP [Selahattin DEMIRTAS]; People's Voice Party or HSP [Numan KURTULMUS]; Republican People's Party or CHP [Kemal KILICDAROGLU]; Turkey Party or TP [Abdullatif SENER] note: the parties listed above are some of the more significant of the 61 parties that Turkey had according to the Ministry of Interior statistics current as of May 2009
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey or TUSKON [Rizanur MERAL]; Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Sami EVREN]; Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK [Suleyman CELEBI]; Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or MUSIAD [Omer Cihad VARDAN]; Moral Rights Workers Union or Hak-Is [Salim USLU]; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions or TISK [Tugrul KUDATGOBILIK]; Turkish Confederation of Labor or Turk-Is [Mustafa KUMLU]; Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen or TESK [Bendevi PALANDOKEN]; Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or TUSIAD [Umit BOYNER]; Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. Rifat HISARCIKLIOGLU]
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk or "Father of the Turks." Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopted wide-ranging social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950 election victory of the opposition Democratic Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of political power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then Islamic-oriented government. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984 by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - now known as the People's Congress of Kurdistan or Kongra-Gel (KGK) - has dominated the Turkish military's attention and claimed more than 30,000 lives. After the capture of the group's leader in 1999, the insurgents largely withdrew from Turkey mainly to northern Iraq. In 2004, KGK announced an end to its ceasefire and attacks attributed to the KGK increased. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. In 1964, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community. Over the past decade, it has undertaken many reforms to strengthen its democracy and economy; it began accession membership talks with the European Union in 2005.
Military
Manpower available for military service [time series]
males age 16-49: 21,079,077 females age 16-49: 20,558,696 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service [time series]
males age 16-49: 17,664,510 females age 16-49: 17,340,816 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]
male: 700,079 female: 670,328 (2010 est.)
Military - note [time series]
a "National Security Policy Document" adopted in October 2005 increases the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) role in internal security, augmenting the General Directorate of Security and Gendarmerie General Command (Jandarma); the TSK leadership continues to play a key role in politics and considers itself guardian of Turkey's secular state; in April 2007, it warned the ruling party about any pro-Islamic appointments; despite on-going negotiations on EU accession since October 2005, progress has been limited in establishing required civilian supremacy over the military; primary domestic threats are listed as fundamentalism (with the definition in some dispute with the civilian government), separatism (the Kurdish problem), and the extreme left wing; Ankara strongly opposed establishment of an autonomous Kurdish region; an overhaul of the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) taking place under the "Force 2014" program is to produce 20-30% smaller, more highly trained forces characterized by greater mobility and firepower and capable of joint and combined operations; the TLFC has taken on increasing international peacekeeping responsibilities, and took charge of a NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) command in Afghanistan in April 2007; the Turkish Navy is a regional naval power that wants to develop the capability to project power beyond Turkey's coastal waters; the Navy is heavily involved in NATO, multinational, and UN operations; its roles include control of territorial waters and security for sea lines of communications; the Turkish Air Force adopted an "Aerospace and Missile Defense Concept" in 2002 and has initiated project work on an integrated missile defense system; Air Force priorities include attaining a modern deployable, survivable, and sustainable force structure, and establishing a sustainable command and control system (2008)
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Turkish Land Forces (Turk Kara Kuvvetleri), Turkish Naval Forces (Turk Deniz Kuvvetleri; includes naval air and naval infantry), Turkish Air Force (Turk Hava Kuvvetleri) (2010)
Military expenditures [time series]
5.3% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 14
Military service age and obligation [time series]
19-41 years of age for male compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary service; 15 months conscript obligation for non-university graduates, 6-12 months for university graduates; women serve in the Turkish Armed Forces only as officers; reserve obligation to age 41; under a law passed in November 2011, men aged 30 and older may pay $16,200 in lieu of mandatory military service (2011)
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 26.6% (male 10,707,793/female 10,226,999) 15-64 years: 67.1% (male 26,741,332/female 26,162,757) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 2,259,422/female 2,687,245) (2011 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
17.93 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 105
Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]
3.5% (2004) country comparison to the world: 99
Death rate [time series]
6.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 160
Drinking water source [time series]
improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 96% of population total: 99% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 4% of population total: 1% of population (2008)
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
2.9% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 136
Ethnic groups [time series]
Turkish 70-75%, Kurdish 18%, other minorities 7-12% (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
less than 0.1%; less than 0.1% note - no country specific models provided (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 161
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
fewer than 200 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 102
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
4,600 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 120
Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]
6.7% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 88
Hospital bed density [time series]
2.41 beds/1,000 population (2008) country comparison to the world: 89
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 23.94 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 84 male: 25 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)
Languages [time series]
Turkish (official), Kurdish, other minority languages
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 72.5 years country comparison to the world: 126 male: 70.61 years female: 74.49 years (2011 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.4% male: 95.3% female: 79.6% (2004 est.)
Major urban areas - population (Major cities - population) [time series]
Istanbul 10.378 million; ANKARA (capital) 3.846 million; Izmir 2.679 million; Bursa 1.559 million; Adana 1.339 million (2009)
Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]
23 deaths/100,000 live births (2008) country comparison to the world: 123
Median age [time series]
total: 28.5 years male: 28.1 years female: 28.8 years (2011 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Turk(s) adjective: Turkish
Net migration rate [time series]
0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 64
Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]
16.1% (2007) country comparison to the world: 30
Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]
1.451 physicians/1,000 population (2008) country comparison to the world: 82
Population [time series]
78,785,548 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 17
Population growth rate [time series]
1.235% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 95
Religions [time series]
Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)
Sanitation facility access [time series]
improved: urban: 97% of population rural: 75% of population total: 90% of population unimproved: urban: 3% of population rural: 25% of population total: 10% of population (2008)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 11 years (2008)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
2.15 children born/woman (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 111
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]
total: 25.3% country comparison to the world: 28 male: 25.4% female: 25.1% (2009)
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 70% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in the Aegean Sea; status of north Cyprus question remains; Syria and Iraq protest Turkish hydrological projects to control upper Euphrates waters; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in Iraq; in 2009, Swiss mediators facilitated an accord reestablishing diplomatic ties between Armenia and Turkey, but neither side has ratified the agreement and the rapprochement effort has faltered; Turkish authorities have complained that blasting from quarries in Armenia might be damaging the medieval ruins of Ani, on the other side of the Arpacay valley;
Illicit drugs [time series]
key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe and, to a lesser extent, the US - via air, land, and sea routes; major Turkish and other international trafficking organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert imported morphine base into heroin exist in remote regions of Turkey and near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and over output of poppy straw concentrate; lax enforcement of money-laundering controls
Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]
IDPs: 1-1.2 million (fighting 1984-99 between Kurdish PKK and Turkish military; most IDPs in southeastern provinces) (2007)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
99 (2010) country comparison to the world: 59
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 88 over 3,047 m: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 4 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 4 (2010)
Heliports [time series]
20 (2010)
Merchant marine [time series]
total: 645 country comparison to the world: 18 by type: bulk carrier 95, cargo 290, chemical tanker 85, combination ore/oil 1, container 40, liquefied gas 6, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 59, petroleum tanker 31, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 34, specialized tanker 2 foreign-owned: 3 (Germany 1, Italy 2) registered in other countries: 686 (Albania 1, Antigua and Barbuda 7, Azerbaijan 1, Bahamas 3, Barbados 1, Belize 18, Cambodia 26, Comoros 16, Cook Islands 4, Dominica 1, Georgia 22, Italy 3, Kiribati 3, Liberia 15, Malta 211, Marshall Islands 72, Moldova 18, Mongolia 1, former Netherlands Antilles 8, Panama 79, Russia 104, Saint Kitts and Nevis 22, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 18, Sierra Leone 14, Slovakia 2, Tanzania 7, Togo 4, Turkmenistan 1, Tuvalu 1, UK 1, unknown 2) (2010)
Pipelines [time series]
gas 10,706 km; oil 3,636 km (2010)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
Aliaga, Diliskelesi, Eregli, Izmir, Izmit (Kocaeli), Mercin (Icel), Limani, Yarimca
Railways [time series]
total: 8,699 km country comparison to the world: 24 standard gauge: 8,699 km 1.435-m gauge (1,928 km electrified) (2010)
Roadways [time series]
total: 352,046 km country comparison to the world: 19 paved: 313,151 km (includes 2,010 km of expressways) unpaved: 38,895 km (2008)
Waterways [time series]
1,200 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 60