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Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

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 available; more than 1,000 private radio broadcast stations (2009)

Internet country code [time series]

.tr

Internet users [time series]

total: 42.681 million | percent of population: 53.7% (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 19

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; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 105 telephones per 100 persons | 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 (2015)

Telephones - fixed lines [time series]

total subscriptions: 11,493,057 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 19

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

total: 73.639 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 93 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 21

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, hazelnuts, pulses, citrus; livestock

Budget [time series]

revenues: $177.7 billion | expenditures: $186 billion (2015 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

-1.1% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 59

Central bank discount rate [time series]

5.25% (31 December 2011) | 15% (22 December 2009) | country comparison to the world: 75

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

13.66% (31 December 2015 est.) | 13.23% (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 51

Current account balance [time series]

-$32.19 billion (2015 est.) | -$43.55 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 190

Debt - external [time series]

$397.8 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $408.2 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 30

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

40.2 (2010) | 43.6 (2003) | country comparison to the world: 61

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Turkey's largely free-market economy is increasingly driven by its industry and service sectors, although its traditional agriculture sector still accounts for about 25% of employment. An aggressive privatization program has reduced state involvement in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. An emerging cadre of middle-class entrepreneurs is adding dynamism to the economy and expanding production beyond the traditional textiles and clothing sectors. The automotive, petrochemical, 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 has brought up to 1 million barrels per day from the Caspian region to market. The joint Turkish-Azeri Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) is moving forward to help transport Caspian gas to Europe through Turkey, helping to address Turkey's dependence on imported gas, which currently meets 98% of its energy needs. | 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. Global economic conditions and tighter fiscal policy caused GDP to contract in 2009, but Turkey's well-regulated financial markets and banking system helped the country weather the global financial crisis, and GDP rebounded strongly to around 9% in 2010-11, as exports returned to normal levels following the crisis. Two rating agencies upgraded Turkey's debt to investment grade in 2012 and 2013, and Turkey's public sector debt to GDP ratio fell to 33% in 2014. The stock value of Foreign Direct Investment reached nearly $195 billion at yearend 2014. | Despite these positive trends, GDP growth dropped to 4.4% in 2013 and 2.9% in 2014. Growth slowed considerably in the last quarter of 2014, largely due to lackluster consumer demand both domestically and in Europe, Turkey’s most important export market. High interest rates have also contributed to the slowdown in growth, as Turkey sharply increased interest rates in January 2014 in order to strengthen the country’s currency and reduce inflation. Turkey then cut rates in February 2015 in a bid to spur economic growth. | The Turkish economy retains significant weaknesses. Specifically, Turkey's relatively high current account deficit, uncertain commitment to structural reform, and turmoil within Turkey's neighborhood leave the economy vulnerable to destabilizing shifts in investor confidence. Turkey also remains overly dependent on often volatile, short-term investment to finance its large current account deficit.

Exchange rates [time series]

Turkish liras (TRY) per US dollar - | 2.72 (2015 est.) | 2.1885 (2014 est.) | 2.1885 (2013 est.) | 1.8 (2012 est.) | 1.675 (2011 est.)

Exports [time series]

$152 billion (2015 est.) | $168.9 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 29

Exports - commodities [time series]

apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment

Exports - partners [time series]

Germany 9.3%, UK 7.3%, Iraq 5.9%, Italy 4.8%, US 4.5%, France 4.1% (2015)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$733.6 billion (2015 est.)

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

$1.589 trillion (2015 est.) | $1.53 trillion (2014 est.) | $1.487 trillion (2013 est.) | note: data are in 2015 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 18

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

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

agriculture: 8.7% | industry: 27% | services: 67.8% (2015 est.)

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

$20,400 (2015 est.) | $19,900 (2014 est.) | $19,500 (2013 est.) | note: data are in 2015 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 86

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

3.8% (2015 est.) | 2.9% (2014 est.) | 4.2% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 64

Gross national saving [time series]

18.6% of GDP (2015 est.) | 20.1% of GDP (2014 est.) | 20.7% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 126

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 2.1% | highest 10%: 30.3% (2008)

Imports [time series]

$200.1 billion (2015 est.) | $232.5 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 22

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport equipment

Imports - partners [time series]

China 12%, Germany 10.3%, Russia 9.9%, US 5.4%, Italy 5.1% (2015)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

3.3% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 66

Industries [time series]

textiles, food processing, automobiles, electronics, mining (coal, chromate, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

7.7% (2015 est.) | 8.9% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 198

Labor force [time series]

29.67 million | note: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 23

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 25.5% | industry: 26.2% | services: 48.4% (2010)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$308.8 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $201.8 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $306.7 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 35

Population below poverty line [time series]

16.9% (2010 est.)

Public debt [time series]

34.7% of GDP (2015 est.) | 35% of GDP (2014 est.) | note: data cover central government debt, and excludes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are sold at public auctions | country comparison to the world: 127

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$110.5 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $127.3 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 21

Stock of broad money [time series]

$474.7 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $425.1 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 25

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]

$45.57 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $40.48 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 44

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]

$185.9 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $169.1 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 30

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$581.8 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $618.6 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 23

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$107.1 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $111.3 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 33

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

24.2% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 126

Unemployment rate [time series]

10.3% (2015 est.) | 10% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 119

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

319 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 21

Crude oil - exports [time series]

8,475 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 74

Crude oil - imports [time series]

513,500 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 24

Crude oil - production [time series]

48,510 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 59

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

300 million bbl (1 January 2016 es) | country comparison to the world: 56

Electricity - consumption [time series]

207 billion kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 20

Electricity - exports [time series]

2.7 billion kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

61% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 130

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

34.3% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 65

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 194

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

4.6% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 62

Electricity - imports [time series]

8 billion kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 32

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

70 million kW (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 18

Electricity - production [time series]

239 billion kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 21

Electricity access [time series]

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

48.72 billion cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 17

Natural gas - exports [time series]

633 million cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 39

Natural gas - imports [time series]

49.26 billion cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 8

Natural gas - production [time series]

479 million cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 72

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

5.012 billion cu m (1 January 2016 es) | country comparison to the world: 85

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

860,800 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 28

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

154,600 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 41

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

503,700 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 16

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

613,600 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 35

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 783,562 sq km | land: 769,632 sq km | water: 13,930 sq km | country comparison to the world: 37

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 [time series]

mean elevation: 1,132 m | elevation extremes: 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

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 the 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 (2012)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 2,816 km | border countries (8): Armenia 311 km, Azerbaijan 17 km, Bulgaria 223 km, Georgia 273 km, Greece 192 km, Iran 534 km, Iraq 367 km, Syria 899 km

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 49.7% | arable land 26.7%; permanent crops 4%; permanent pasture 19% | forest: 14.9% | other: 35.4% (2011 est.)

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: limited 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

Population distribution (Population - distribution) [time series]

the most densely populated area is found around the Bosporus in the northwest where 20% of the population lives in Istanbul; with the exception of Ankara, urban centers remain small and scattered throughout the interior of Anatolia; an overall pattern of peripheral development exists, particularly along the western Mediterranean coast, and the Tigris and Euphrates River systems in the southeast

Terrain [time series]

high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several mountain ranges

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 Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Citizenship [time series]

citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Turkey | dual citizenship recognized: yes, but requires prior permission from the government | residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Constitution [time series]

several previous; latest ratified 9 November 1982; amended several times, last in 2015 (2016)

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Turkey | conventional short form: Turkey | local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti | local short form: Turkiye | etymology: the name means "Land of the Turks"

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador John R. BASS (since 20 October 2014) | 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 Serdar KILIC (since 21 May 2014) | chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700 | FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744 | consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (since 10 August 2014) | head of government: Prime Minister Binali YILDIRIM (since 22 May 2016); Deputy Prime Ministers Nurettin CANIKLI (since 24 May 2016), Veysi KAYNAK (since 24 May 2016), Mehmet SIMSEK (since 24 November 2015), Yildirim Tugrul TURKES (since 29 August 2014), Numan KURTULMUS (since 29 August 2014) | cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president | elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president from among members of parliament; note - a 2007 constitutional amendment changed the presidential electoral process to direct popular vote; prime minister appointed by the president from among members of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey | election results: Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN elected president; Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (AKP) 51.8%, Ekmeleddin IHSANOGLU (independent) 38.4%, Selahattin DEMIRTAS (HDP) 9.8%

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 the Ottoman Empire, which preceded modern-day Turkey; the crescent moon and star serve as insignia for Turkic peoples (the crescent represents the mythical moon god, Ay Ata, and the star the sun goddess, Gun Ana); according to one legend, the flag represents the reflection of the moon and a star in a pool of blood of Turkish warriors

Government type [time series]

parliamentary republic

Independence [time series]

29 October 1923 (republic proclaimed succeeding 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, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CERN (observer), CICA, CPLP (associate observer), D-8, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EU (candidate country), FAO, FATF, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF (partner), SCO (dialogue member), SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch [time series]

highest court: Constitutional Court or Anayasa Mahkemesi (consists of 17 members); Court of Cassation (consists of about 390 judges and organized into civil and penal chambers); Council of State (organized into 15 divisions - 14 judicial and 1 consultative - each with a division head and at least 5 members) | judge selection and term of office: Constitutional Court members - 3 appointed by the Grand National Assembly and 14 by the president of the republic from among candidates nominated by the plenary assemblies of the high courts (with the exception of the Court of High Accounts), the Higher Education Council, and from among senior government administrators, lawyers, judges and prosecutors, and Constitutional Court rapporteurs; court president and 2 deputy presidents appointed from among its members for 4-year terms; judges appointed for 12-year, non-renewable terms with mandatory retirement at age 65; Court of Cassation judges appointed by the Supreme Council of Judges and Public Prosecutors (SCJP), a 22-member body of judicial officials; Court of Cassation judges appointed until retirement at age 65; Council of State members appointed by the SCJP and by the president of the republic; members appointed for renewable, 4-year terms | subordinate courts: regional appeals courts; basic (first instance) courts, peace courts; military courts; state security courts; specialized courts, including administrative and audit

Legal system [time series]

civil law system based on various European legal systems notably the Swiss civil code

Legislative branch [time series]

description: unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) | elections: last held on 1 November 2015 (next to be held on June 2019); note - ERDOGAN was unable to form a coalition government and announced on 24 August 2015 that snap elections would be held; DAVUTOGLU formed the interim government | election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 49.5%, CHP 25.3%, MHP 11.9%, HDP 10.8%, other 2.6%; seats by party - AKP 317, CHP 134, MHP 40, HDP 59; note - only parties surpassing the 10% threshold can win 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; national colors: red, white

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

Democratic Party or DP [Gultekin UYSAL] | Felicity Party or SP [Mustafa KAMALAK] | Grand Unity Party or BBP [Mustafa DESTICI] | Justice and Development Party or AKP [Ahmet DAVUTOGLU] | Nationalist Movement Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI] | People's Democratic Party or HDP [Selahattin DEMIRTAS and Figen YUKSEKDAG] | Republican People's Party or CHP [Kemal KILICDAROGLU]

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 [Lami OZGEN, Sazyie KOSE, co-chairs] | Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK [Tayfun GORGUN] | Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or MUSIAD [Nail OLPAK] | Moral Rights Workers Union or Hak-Is [Mahmut ARSLAN] | Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions or TISK [Tugrul KUDATGOBILIK] | Turkish Confederation of Labor or Turk-Is [Ergun ATALAY] | Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen or TESK [Bendevi PALANDOKEN] | Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or TUSIAD [Muharrem YILMAZ] | 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 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 leadership, the country adopted radical 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 Democrat Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of formal 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) has long dominated the Turkish military's attention and claimed more than 40,000 lives. After the capture of the group's leader in 1999, the insurgents largely withdrew from Turkey mainly to northern Iraq. In 2013, the PKK and the Turkish Government agreed to a cease-fire, but fighting resumed in 2015. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. In 1963, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community; it began accession membership talks with the EU in 2005. Over the past decade, economic reforms have contributed to a quickly growing economy. | Late 2015 and the first half of 2016 witnessed an uptick in terrorist violence in Turkey's two largest cities and elsewhere. Several car bomb and gun attacks in Ankara in October 2015, and two attacks there in February and June 2015 were followed by an attack on Istanbul's Ataturk Airport. On 15 July 2016, elements of the Turkish Armed forces attempted a coup at key government and infrastructure locations in Ankara and Istanbul. An estimated 300 people were killed and over 2,000 injured when Turkish citizens took to the streets en masse to confront the coup forces. Turkish Government authorities subsequently conducted mass arrests of military personnel, detained several thousand judges and journalists, and suspended thousands of educators in connection with the coup. The government accused coup leaders of links to the "Gulen" movement - an Islamic transnational religious and social movement, which the government designates as a terrorist group.

Military and Security

Military - note [time series]

the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has actively pursued the goal of asserting civilian control over the military since first taking power in 2002; the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) role in internal security has been significantly reduced; the TSK leadership continues to be an influential institution within Turkey, but plays a much smaller role in politics; the Turkish military remains focused on the threats emanating from the Syrian civil war, Russia's actions in Ukraine, and the PKK insurgency; primary domestic threats are listed as fundamentalism (with the definition in some dispute with the civilian government), separatism (Kurdish discontent), and the extreme left wing; Ankara strongly opposed establishment of an autonomous Kurdish region in Iraq; 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 including in Afghanistan; 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; Turkey is a NATO ally and hosts NATO's Land Forces Command in Izmir, as well as the AN/TPY-2 radar as part of NATO Missile Defense (2014)

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 Forces (Turk Hava Kuvvetleri) (2013)

Military expenditures [time series]

Military service age and obligation [time series]

21-41 years of age for male compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary service; 12-month conscript obligation for non-university graduates, 6-12 months for university graduates (graduates of higher education may perform 6 months of military service as short-term privates, or 12 months as reserve officers); conscripts are called to register at age 20, for service at 21; women serve in the Turkish Armed Forces only as officers; reserve obligation to age 41; Turkish citizens with a residence or work permit who have worked abroad for at least 3 years (1095 days) can be exempt from military service in exchange for 6,000 EUR or its equivalent in foreign currencies; a law passed in December 2014 introduced a one-time payment scheme which exempted Turkish citizens 27 and older from conscription in exchange for a payment of $8,150 (2013)

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 25.08% (male 10,303,153/female 9,833,713) | 15-24 years: 16.11% (male 6,605,634/female 6,329,921) | 25-54 years: 43.15% (male 17,541,137/female 17,094,141) | 55-64 years: 8.36% (male 3,335,021/female 3,374,965) | 65 years and over: 7.3% (male 2,603,655/female 3,253,264) (2016 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

16 births/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 117

Child labor - children ages 5-14 [time series]

total number: 321,866 | percentage: 3% | note: data represent children ages 6-14 (2006 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]

1.9% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 123

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

73% (2008)

Death rate [time series]

5.9 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 166

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 49.7% | youth dependency ratio: 38.4% | elderly dependency ratio: 11.3% | potential support ratio: 8.9% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source [time series]

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

2.9% of GDP (2006) | country comparison to the world: 142

Ethnic groups [time series]

Turkish 70-75%, Kurdish 18%, other minorities 7-12% (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]

5.4% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 103

Hospital bed density [time series]

2.5 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 18.2 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 19.4 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 16.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 92

Languages [time series]

Turkish (official), Kurdish, other minority languages

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 74.8 years | male: 72.5 years | female: 77.3 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 115

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 95% | male: 98.4% | female: 91.8% (2015 est.)

Major urban areas - population [time series]

Istanbul 14.164 million; ANKARA (capital) 4.75 million; Izmir 3.04 million; Bursa 1.923 million; Adana 1.83 million; Gaziantep 1.528 million (2015)

Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]

16 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 139

Median age [time series]

total: 30.5 years | male: 30.1 years | female: 31 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 110

Mother's mean age at first birth [time series]

22.3 (2010 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Turk(s) | adjective: Turkish

Net migration rate [time series]

-1.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 146

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

29.4% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 36

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

1.71 physicians/1,000 population (2011)

Population [time series]

80,274,604 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 20

Population distribution [time series]

Population growth rate [time series]

0.9% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 125

Religions [time series]

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

Sanitation facility access [time series]

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 16 years | male: 17 years | female: 16 years (2013)

Sex ratio [time series]

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.03 children born/woman (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 115

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]

total: 17.8% | male: 16.6% | female: 20.2% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 66

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 73.4% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 1.97% 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]

refugees (country of origin): at least 103,000 (Iraq) (2014); 2,764,500 (Syria) (2016) | IDPs: 954,000 (displaced from 1984-2005 because of fighting between the Kurdish PKK and Turkish military; most IDPs are Kurds from eastern and southeastern provinces; no information available on persons displaced by development projects) (2015) | stateless persons: 780 (2015)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

98 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 58

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 91 | over 3,047 m: 16 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 38 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 | 914 to 1,523 m: 16 | under 914 m: 4 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 7 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | 914 to 1,523 m: 4 | under 914 m: 2 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]

TC (2016)

Heliports [time series]

20 (2013)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 629 | by type: bulk carrier 102, cargo 281, chemical tanker 80, container 42, liquefied gas 6, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 60, petroleum tanker 25, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 29, specialized tanker 1 | foreign-owned: 1 (Italy 1) | registered in other countries: 645 (Albania 1, Antigua and Barbuda 7, Azerbaijan 1, Bahamas 3, Barbados 1, Belize 16, Brazil 1, Cambodia 15, Comoros 8, Cook Islands 4, Curacao 5, Cyprus 1, Dominica 1, Georgia 14, Italy 4, Kazakhstan 1, Liberia 16, Malta 233, Marshall Islands 70, Moldova 18, Panama 62, Russia 101, Saint Kitts and Nevis 18, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 13, Sierra Leone 9, Slovakia 1, Tanzania 13, Togo 4, Tuvalu 1, unknown 3) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 18

National air transport system [time series]

number of registered air carriers: 15 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 531 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 96,604,665 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 2,882.162 million mt-km (2015)

Pipelines [time series]

gas 12,603 km; oil 3,038 km (2013)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

major seaport(s): Aliaga, Ambarli, Diliskelesi, Eregli, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit), Mersin (Icel), Limani, Yarimca | container port(s) (TEUs): Ambarli (2,121,549), Mersin (Icel) (1,126,866) | LNG terminal (import): Izmir Aliaga, Marmara Ereglisi

Railways [time series]

total: 12,008 km | standard gauge: 12,008 km 1.435-m gauge (3,216 km electrified) (2014) | country comparison to the world: 20

Roadways [time series]

total: 385,754 km | paved: 352,268 km (includes 2,127 km of expressways) | unpaved: 33,486 km (2012) | country comparison to the world: 18

Waterways [time series]

1,200 km (2010) | country comparison to the world: 59