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The history of the last 80 years is a story with a purpose. That purpose is to ensure the productive lives of over 65 million Turkish citizens. Turks enjoy a free and democratic society and the nation bears its full responsibility in the architecture of the modern world. Situated on NATO's southern flank, Turkey continues to hold enormous importance for the western alliance it helped to create. In addition to this strategic importance, the country now finds itself at the center of over-lapping economic zones, some of which did not even exist a decade ago. Prominent among these are the oil and gas-rich states of Central Asia to which Turkey has not just geographic but cultural affinity. Turkey is also the industrial and trading hub of the states around the Black Sea and in the Near East. But underlining both its Western vocation and economic strength is its customs union with the European Union: Turkish products compete at home and abroad on equal terms with those of the most developed economies. Turkey is poised to play a constructive role in the political and economic reconstruction of the Balkans, the Caucasus and Middle East. It is also a force for international cooperation in the environmental protection of the Black Sea, the Mediterranean and the Aegean. Turkish leadership in these areas is all the more valuable for its example as a secular democracy where the great majority of its population professes Islam. If a "Turkish model" exists, it is for its political institutions, its entrepreneurial and productive skills, and the benefits which its people have reaped from competition and free trade.

Eighty years was no ordinary birthday. It was particularly poignant because those of the first generation who helped relaunch the nation back in 1923 would have been those most to celebrate what has been achieved. It would be tempting to dedicate this anniversary to them, but they would have been the first to say that birthdays are for young people. And Turkey, in its demographic composition and in its enthusiasm, remains an extraordinarily youthful nation.

Proof of that vigor is the pace at which the nation embraces change. The Istanbul Stock Exchange has a technological infrastructure as sophisticated as those of markets in Zurich or Milan which it out-trades on a good day. The skyline of Turkish corporates includes firms inching their way up the Fortune 500. Turkey sells televisions to Japan and fashion accessories to New York. Once-isolated towns in the east now fill order books for department stores in Hamburg and Madrid, being chosen as suppliers because of quality and rapid delivery. An area surrounding the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers and equal in size to the entire Benelux countries put together is becoming a garden again as the result of a massive hydroelectric and irrigation project. And all this is happening at a rate which would astound not only those who celebrated that proclamation of statehood back in 1923 but anyone watching Turkey even a decade ago.

The candles on the cake burned brightly. This is how it all began:

The Birth of a Nation
Like the Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires, the Ottomans failed to survive the turmoil of the Great War. At the war's conclusion, Istanbul was under occupation and the Sultan reduced to a mere figurehead. The country was in ruins, the population exhausted by war, and Anatolia under invasion.

Turkey was saved from destruction by the man revered as the founder of the modern nation. Mustafa Kemal (1881-1938) was a brilliant young commander who proved himself under fire in the defense of Gallipoli in 1915. In 1919, he embraced Anatolia to lead resistance to what had become a powerless regime. He rallied support at a series of congresses in different parts of the country. He was among the first and arguably the most successful of twentieth century nationalist leaders who transferred sovereignty from an absolute ruler to the consent of the Nation. His task was Herculean. In 1920, Greek armies, with the tacit support of the Great Powers in control of Istanbul, occupied the Aegean coast and began marching inland. Inspired by Mustafa Kemal, their new commander-in-chief, Turkish forces defeated the invading army. The allies diplomatically withdrew from Istanbul.

In 1923 the Turkish Republic was proclaimed within its present boundaries (with the exception of one province later ceded by the French). A nation which had suffered so much through war made an enduring commitment to peace.

Mustafa Kemal hung up his uniform for good and, like a Turkish George Washington, was chosen as the first president of the republic. The task of defending a nation through arms was replaced by the job of giving the emerging young state purpose and direction. As important as his victories on the field were his efforts to redirect Turkish society into the mainstream of twentieth century life. A new civil code ensured women their equal place in society: they received the right to vote before many of their European counterparts. Turkey instituted a Western working week and encouraged universal literacy through the fostering of a Latin alphabet. An appreciative parliament gave Mustafa Kemal the surname of Atatürk, meaning Father of the Turks.

Perhaps the real proof of Atatürk's reforms is not his continuing respect by his fellow countrymen but the system he bequeathed: this allowed the party he founded to be voted out of office in 1950 at free and fair general elections. This was followed in 1952 by Turkey's membership of NATO. In 1963, Turkey signed an Association Agreement with the then European Community with the promise, one day, of becoming a full member.

A Quick Look at the Country
The land on which the Turks have been building stretches 1,000 miles from the Balkans in the west to the Caucasus in the east, and from the Black Sea in the north to the Mediterranean in the south. The size of France and the former West Germany combined, it is larger than any other country in Europe except Russia: its 301,000 square miles make it almost twice as large as California. It is a land of temperate climate and infinite variety, ranging from coastal plains to mountain pastures, from cedar forests through to sweeping steppes. It is one of the world's richest botanical areas, housing over 10,000 species of plants, 3000 of which are endemic to Turkey. Indeed, there are more species in the area of Istanbul than in all of Britain. Lapped by a total of four seas, its 5000 miles of coastline include some of the best preserved beaches of the Aegean and Mediterranean. It is a growing destination for trekkers, with the grandest of its snow-capped mountains being the lofty 17,725-foot summit of Ağrı Dağı. And it is a country of rivers; both the Tigris and Euphrates rise in Turkey.

Turkey's climate ranges widely. The Southeast is dry, while the Black Sea is clothed in mist; the Mediterranean and Aegean areas have mild winters, but the mountainous Eastern Region lives months of snow and severe cold. Generally, Turkey's summers are long, warm, and rainless, while winters bring snow and cold rain. There is plentiful rain for orchards, fields of grain and reservoirs, and bounteous sun for vineyards and beach-goers. This variety means Turkey grows an unusual range of crops. It is one of the world's main producers of hazel and pistachio nuts, of tobacco and raisins, and of fruit and vegetables.

Turkey's northwestern corner, the Marmara Region, includes Eastern Thrace, which ranges from Edirne to Istanbul. It is an area of rolling grassland and sunflowers, with farming, fishing and light industry. South of this across the Sea of Marmara is excellent agricultural land cultivated in fruit and olive orchards, vineyards and tomato fields. Fishing, mining, and wine making are important here, and the city of Bursa (pop. 2 million) is important for food processing and automobile production. Istanbul (pop. 9.2 million) is Turkey's largest city, its largest port, and the center of finance and commerce. The straits of Istanbul and Çanakkale are important strategic waterways connecting the Aegean and Mediterranean with the Marmara and Black Sea. The Turks oversee passage of all vessels, including those from Russia's only all-year ports, through these straits to the warm waters of the Aegean and Mediterranean. lzmir (pop. 3.1 million) is the most important city in the Aegean Region, a land of fertile plains and river valleys, with some hills and mountains. Olives, figs, grapes, sunflowers, tobacco and other crops grow abundantly here, and there is a significant industrial base. Its beautiful countryside, unspoiled historic sites, wonderful beaches and brilliantly blue water draw tourists from around the world.

The Toros Mountains form the backbone of Turkey's Mediterranean Region, tumbling down to the country's Turquoise coast, which runs from the yachting port of Marmaris, at the western end of the coast, past the booming city of Antalya, to the industrial, agricultural and commercial city of Adana in the east. The area grows cotton, grain, vegetables, pineapples and bananas, and is known for its forests. It has become one of Turkey's main tourist centers, drawing sun-lovers, sailors, hunters and trekkers, as well as those wishing to visit its numerous ancient cities and historical sites.

Central Anatolia, the heartland of the Turkish Republic, is a high (3,000 ft.) plateau broken by mountain ranges, great rivers, and lakes of salt or fresh water. The land is excellent for wheat, cotton and melons, and for grazing sheep, cattle and horses. In springtime, vast swathes of wild flowers carpet its rolling hills. Ankara (pop. 3.7 million) is Turkey's capital, a modern city that has grown up on the site of the ancient Roman town of Angora.

The Black Sea Coast has over 1,000 miles of headland and mountain range, with tumbling streams running through precipitous valleys. This fertile coastal region receives abundant rainfall and is famous for its crops of cherries, hazel nuts, tobacco, dairy products and tea plantations. It is wonderful walking country, with ancient monuments tucked away in its mountain fastnesses.

Southeastern Anatolia is a hot, dry region, good for irrigation, agriculture, sheep grazing, and petroleum exploration and production. Pistachio nuts are a prime product. The Tigris and Euphrates rivers rise in eastern Turkey and meander through the Southeastern Region. The Southeastern Anatolia Project, a $32 billion system of dams, reservoirs, hydroelectric plants, and irrigation channels, is boosting the economy of the region, irrigating an area the size of Ireland and boosting the agricultural output of a country which is already one of the few net food exporters in the world.

The Eastern Region is mostly mountainous, with cooler temperatures and average rainfall. Agriculture is more demanding here, but farmers raise wheat and graze sheep. Because of the region's Alpine beauty and calm, tourism is on the rise.

In short, Turkey is a land for all seasons and all senses.

A Long History
The history of Anatolia is rich and deep. Some of mankind's earliest settlements were established here as early as 10,000 BC. Shortly after this, at Çatalhöyük, near Konya, Man first grew grain. In following millenia, civilizations such as Assyrians, Sumerians and Hittites rose and fell. Invaders from abroad left their mark, whether the Men of the Sea, Cyrus, Darius or Alexander the Great. The town of Troy, near Çanakkale, was scene of the Trojan War around 1250 BC. Midas, the king with the golden touch, and Croesus, the inventor of coinage, were rulers of small but important Anatolian kingdoms in the first millennium BC. Many of the great accomplishments of classical Hellenic civilization in the realms of art, architecture, philosophy, medicine and science, came to light in lonia, the region around present-day lzmir and Bergama.

Rome took Anatolia in the last century BC, and called it Asia Minor. The Roman provincial capital of Ephesus was among the largest and finest cities of its time. St. Paul preached there: the Virgin Mary died in a small house on the outskirts of the city. The Seven Churches of Asia, to whom St. Paul addressed Epistles, are all in Anatolia. And St. Nicholas, the original Santa Claus, lived and worked on Anatolia's south coast.

In 330 AD, Constantine the Great established the eastern capital of the Roman Empire at Byzantium, renaming it Constantinople. By the time of the Emperor Justinian (527 to 565 AD) Rome had fallen, and Constantinople was the capital of the vast empire. The Prophet Mohammed was born in 570, and within a century the armies of Islam were threatening the mighty walls of Constantinople. For centuries, the Byzantine and Arabic empires struggled for Anatolia, but both were swept aside by the coming of the Turks.

Who are the Turks ?
The Turks date back 4,000 years as a people, with ancestral roots extending to the Turkic tribes who originated in the vast steppe lands of Central Asia and rode out in successive waves of conquest as their plains began to dry. Between 1766 BC and 990 AD, the Turks established nine great empires stretching through many parts of Europe, Asia, and North Africa. By the year 1000 AD, most Turks had adopted Islam.

Today, more than 65 million people in Turkey alone speak the Turkish language, an ancient, systematic and logical tongue. Among those living in the Central Asian republics and northern China, at least this number again speak Turkish or a related dialect. The Turkish language belongs to the Uralo-Altaic family of languages, along with Hungarian and Finnish. The simplicity and logic of Turkish inspired the creation of Esperanto, designed as the universal language. The Great Seljuk Empire (990-1157 AD) conquered Persia and the Abbasid capital, Baghdad, and in 1071 defeated the Byzantine armies at Malazgirt. The Byzantine Empire never fully recovered from this defeat, which paved the way for a long history of Turkish settlement in Anatolia. The SeIjuks have left us a rich cultural legacy. Omar Khayyam, the poet famous throughout the world for his Rubaiyat, was a subject of the SeIjuks of Persia, while Mevlana Jelaleddin Rumi, the mystic poet and philosopher, and founder of the Whirling Dervish order, flourished in Konya, capital of the Anatolian SeIjuk Empire. The Anatolian SeIjuks outlasted the SeIjuks of Persia, continuing to thrive until 1308 and bequeathing us a wealth of aesthetic and architectural masterpieces.

But unquestionably the Turks' most impressive achievement was the creation and expansion of the Ottoman Empire. This empire started in the late 13th century as a small Turkish principality near Bursa on the north-western frontier of the Anatolian SeIjuk Empire. Osman Bey, after whom the empire was named, became head of the principality in 1281, and founded a dynasty which ruled for over six centuries, making it the longest-reigning imperial dynasty in history. The Ottoman state rapidly expanded at the expense of the Anatolian SeIjuk and Byzantine empires. By 1362, Ottoman armies had begun the conquest of the Balkans, and, after a clash with Tamerlane, by 1421, apart from Anatolia, had conquered Hungary, and most of southeastern Europe.

In 1453, Mehmet the Conqueror (1451-1481) launched a new historical era when he conquered Constantinople, renaming it Istanbul and designating it as the capital of his growing empire. The reign of Sultan Selim I (1512-1520) was the prelude to the Ottoman golden age. A tough military leader and astute statesman, Selim expanded the empire's borders to Syria, Palestine, Arabia, and Egypt, and claimed the title "Caliph of Islam" from its former holders in Cairo.

Selim's son, Süleyman the Magnificent (1520-1566), further expanded the empire. Known as "The Lawgiver" by his subjects, Süleyman codified the empire's laws, patronized great Ottoman artists, and rebuilt the holy city of Jerusalem. This great ruler commissioned hundreds of glorious mosques, bridges, aquaducts, schools and public works, most of them designed by his brilliant master architect, Sinan. Süleyman's armies took Rhodes, Belgrade and Budapest, while his admiral, Barbaros Hayreddin, added Libya, Algeria and Tunisia to the Ottoman realm. The sultan was a major player in the diplomatic and military contests of Renaissance Europe, forming alliances with François I of France and Henry VIII of England which prevented the Hapsburg emperor, Charles V, from dominating Europe.

After Süleyman, the Ottoman Empire held its place as one of the great empires of Renaissance Europe. At its peak in the 17th century, it controlled Asia Minor, the Crimea, the Caucasus, Mesopotamia, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Balkans. The Black Sea, the Red Sea, and half the Mediterranean were Ottoman lakes.

But changes in the structure of the sultanate weakened the monarchy, and control of the empire was often entrusted to the sultan's "prime minister," the Grand Vizier. The 18th and 19th centuries saw the Ottoman Empire under military attack from an expanding Russia, undermined by the revolution of its Christian subjects in the Balkans, and economically dominated by the European powers who took over the country's customs revenues to service Ottoman debt. Several sultans had understood that, with its power and cultural brilliance declining, the empire needed reforms if it were to survive. The 19th century saw major innovations in government, the army, schools and in society. But these were not enough.

The Ottomans entered the First World War on the side of Germany. When the war ended, Greek, British, French, and Italian occupation forces were on Turkish soil. The 1920 Treaty of Sevres, which would have dismembered the Empire, was signed by the Sultan's government but opposed by Mustafa Kemal. He raised the flag of resistance, and, after bitter fighting, by 1922 the Turks were again masters of their land. The Treaty of Lausanne in 1923 recognized this, and the Republic of Turkey was proclaimed in the same year. Mustafa Kernal was honored as Atatürk, remaining president until his death in 1938. The Ottoman Empire was known for its multi-cultural tolerance. The present-day use of the term "Turks" refers to Turkish citizens, to whom Mustafa Kernal Atatürk, proclaimed: "Happy he who may call himself a Turk!"

Turkey and Her Neighbors
The Turkish Republic occupies a strategic position of the utmost importance. As the land bridge between Europe and Asia, and the protector of the straits between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, Turkey is, quite simply, the most important country in the region. As part of its determination to follow good economic and diplomatic relations with all its neighbors, it has been playing an increasing regional role.

Developments around its borders have reinforced Turkey's value as a stable, democratic country committed to the West. It is playing an important role in supporting the new Turkic republics of the Caucasus and Central Asia develop their economies. It has been deeply involved in Western policies in the Balkans. And, despite the cost to its economy, it was a strong supporter of Allied policy during the Gulf War.

The core of Turkey's foreign policy is a commitment to Western values and institutions. The country is a parliamentary democracy with a free-enterprise economic system. It is a founding member of the Council of Europe. It is linked in customs union with the European Union (EU) and is a candidate for full membership of the EU. It is also a staunch member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the cornerstone of NATO's southern flank. It is a military power, with over 800,000 troops and its forces committed to NATO second only to those of the United States.

Atatürk declared Turkey as pursuing "peace at home, and peace throughout the world." Just as the country supported United Nations peacekeeping efforts in Korea in the 1950s, so it continues to support U.N. efforts, whether in the Balkans or Somalia. Turkey is also a valued channel between the West and the Islamic World. While having good relations with Israel, it is represented in the Islamic Conference, the only NATO and European Council member to be included in this important organization of more than 40 states.

Turkey's trading links with members of the former Soviet Union are strong, and its contractors have won over $10 billion dollars of work in the area. It has large aid programs to the newly independent states. It is also building on its cultural and historical links with the Caucasus and Central Asia to help Western initiatives such as the Eurasian Transportation Corridor. The Corridor is designed to help the states of the region bring the oil and gas of the rich Caspian basin to market through pipelines crossing Turkey. Turkey's own initiatives include the creation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Region (BSECR) which bring the countries in the area together on issues such as protecting the Black Sea, telecommunications and economic development. Apart from Turkey, the BSECR groups Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldavia, Romania, Russia and Ukraine. Situated in both Europe and Asia, Turkey offers a unique and stable setting both for its own citizens and for the many foreign investors who are making it the focus of their regional development policies. North, south, east and west - Turkey's growing economic links in all these directions underline its contemporary strategic importance to the world of business and commerce.

Democracy in Turkey
The republic that Atatürk founded and subsequent leaders have shaped is radically different from the imperial society of the Ottoman Empire.

Turkey is a parliamentary democracy. The Turkish constitution establishes the Republic of Turkey as a democratic, secular and social state, governed by the rule of law and respecting fundamental human rights and freedoms. Legislative power is vested in the 550-member Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM), whose members are elected to five-year terms by the votes of Turkish citizens over the age of 18. Turkish women gained the right to vote in 1934, well ahead of women in many other European countries.

The Turkish president is the country's head of state, but he also has important governmental powers. He is commander-in-chief of the armed forces. He signs bills passed by the Grand National Assembly or may return them for reconsideration. He may call a referendum on certain issues relating to the constitution. And he decides who among the members of the Grand National Assembly should have the right to seek to form a government as prime minister. The president is elected by the Grand National Assembly for one term of seven years.

The prime minister appoints the members of the Council of Ministers. The prime minister and Council of Ministers share executive power, taking care of such matters as foreign policy, defense, public works, internal revenue, customs, health, education, and welfare.

The judiciary is independent and includes a system of lower courts, the national Court of Appeals and the Constitutional Court. The Constitutional Court has the task of ensuring the compatibility of laws and administrative acts with the constitution. It may also act as Supreme Court in hearing cases against high public officials. The first woman was appointed to the Turkish Constitutional Court in 1932. The Council of State is the highest administrative court.

Turkish law is codified, with civil and commercial law originally based on the Swiss system, administrative law on the French system, and criminal law on the Italian system.

Turkey today is a secular state. All citizens enjoy freedom of religion. Turkey has mosques, churches, and synagogues open to all, but politicians are forbidden to exploit religion for political purposes.

Building the South-East
As the largest and most comprehensive enterprise ever carried out in Turkey, the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) is Turkey's giant step towards peace, cooperation and prosperity.
Investment Opportunities in the

Southeastern
Anatolia Project

include:

Export-oriented production of vegetables, seeds, seedlings and greenhouses

Canned and frozen foods, edible
oils, packaging materials and
storage depots

Cotton-based textiles, clothing industries and leatherware

Pesticides, herbicides and
fertilizers

Agricultural equipment

G A P
RESERVE YOUR PLACE

IN TURKEY'S AGRICULTURAL
BOOM BY INVESTING IN THE
SOUTHEASTERN
ANATOLIA PROJECT

For further information please contact:

GAP Regional Administration
Tel: 00 90 312 442 23 24
Fax: 00 90 312 440 13 84
Website: http://www.gap.gov.tr
Address: Willy Birand Sok.
No:5 06680
Çankaya - Ankara, Turkey

The policy of the Turkish Government is to promote private investment and increase the role of the private sector in the industrialization process. The Turkish Government therefore, is also encouraging investments in dams, highways, power plants, airports, railways and other infrastructural projects on a Build-Operate-Transfer basis.

32,000 square miles and $32 billion - these are the raw statistics of the most ambitious development project under way today between Europe and Asia. The South-eastern Anatolia Project, commonly known by its acronym, GAP (Güneydoğu Anadolu Projesi), is designed to bring the Turkey's remote and often arid south-eastern provinces to the levels of prosperity seen elsewhere in the country.

The region covering Batman, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Mardin, Siirt, Şanlıurfa, Şırnak and Kilis provinces in the Southeast Anatolia Region is defined as the "GAP Region". Surrounded by Syria in the south and by Iraq in the southeast this area has a total area of 75,358 square kilometres which constitute 9.7 percent of Turkey's total area. 20 percent of 8.5 million hectares of land suitable for irrigation lies in the GAP Region encompassing vast plains in Lower Euphrates and Tigris basins.

Launched in the early 1980s, GAP is using the waters of the great rivers, the Euphrates and Tigris, to irrigate the plains of Mesopotamia. By the time all 22 dams and connected irrigation channels are finished in the year 2010, the nation's irrigated lands will have increased by 50%. All in all, an area equal in size to the entire Benelux countries put together will benefit and the region is expected to become a net exporter of long-staple cotton, corn, barley, chick peas, lentils, ground nuts, soybeans, and fruit - a dramatic change from its earlier dependence on produce from other regions. Already, the main channel to the Harran Plain is complete and the climate has begun to lose part of its harshness.

The second main component of GAP are hydro-electric power plants (HEPPs). The largest of these is the massive Atatürk Dam, the sixth largest dam in the world, which, together with other projects completed by 1998, has seen Turkey double its hydro-electricity output. By 2005, when all 19 HEPPs are due to be "on line", they will have added 12,096 MW to Turkey's electrical generating capacity, almost doubling Turkey's current electrical energy production.

Now half complete, the overall aim of GAP is not merely to enhance income levels in the region, but, through related investments - in industry, transportation, tourism, telecommunications, health care, education, and rural and urban housing and infrastructure -- to raise the general standard of living in what is today Turkey's most remote area. It is one of Europe's most ambitious projects, being built by Turkish contractors and financed from Turkey's own resources.

Power for the Future
Once famous as the starting point of the Silk Route to the fabled East, Turkey now has a new importance for its position astride the main export routes for the world's newest oil and gas reserves, the huge but unexploited fields of the Caspian basin. In line with East-West Corridor, Turkey would like to carry the next century's oil and gas pipelines across the Caspian, through the Caucasus and then south through Anatolia to the Mediterranean. Revenues from this oil and gas will help the prosperity and stability of the newly independent states of Central Asia, while the oil and gas will help Turkey meet its soaring energy requirements.

Between 1998 and 2010, total energy demand is expected to double from 78 million tons of oil equivalent (TOE) to 179 million TOE and electricity consumption to treble to 290 billion kWh.

Such growth requires Turkey to spend an annual $4.5 billion on electricity generation and distribution. It also requires massive expenditure on natural gas pipelines and pumping stations.

PRIMARY ENERGY CONSUMPTION BY FUEL TYPE
Thousand Tons of Oil Equivalent

1997 2000 2005 2010
Natural Gas 9,165
18,592
41,885
48,927

Lignite 12,317 13,007 15,657 23,157
Coal 8,452 11,667 15,600 33,281
Oil 30,515 38,244 42,983 50,663
Hydro 3,424 3,763 5,398 7,320
Nuclear 0 0 0 3,657
Total, including others 73,257 93,085 130,861 179,367
Source: Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources

To help meet this challenge, successive governments have invited the world's leading energy companies to Turkey. Operating rights for over half of the country's distribution network have been transferred to private investors. International companies are building and operating new power plants fueled by imported coal and natural gas.

All this makes Turkey one of the world's major markets for energy companies. It also marks an increased profile for the country when oil from Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan begins to flow and gas pipelines from Turkmenistan start operating and give Europe a new source of supply.

Turkish Life and Culture

Through the centuries, Turkish artists and artisans have developed styles of art that are uniquely Turkish. Forbidden by islam to portray human and animal forms in art, early Turkish artists turned their creative talents to architecture, music, poetry, weaving, wood and metal working, ceramics, glassblowing, jewelry, manuscript illumination and calligraphy. Most people today are familiar with the silhouette of Turkey's mosques, their soaring domes and slender minarets. Less well-known is the beauty of their interiors, the intricate woodwork of the pulpit or "mihrab," their startling blue and green tiles, their richly-worked carpets, and their stunning calligraphy.

Miniatures were the delightful exception to the ban against real-life painting. There were other exceptions too, as when Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror had his portrait painted by Bellini, something that was expected of a wealthy Renaissance monarch.

Today, a new flowering of Turkish art and culture is taking place. Turkish painters and sculptors exhibit at home and abroad, in galleries and biannual festivals. Turkish musicians of international acclaim perform regularly in classical concerts abroad and record on international labels, some of which have been built up by Turks. Turkish writers are increasingly translated and appreciated. And Turkish architects design throughout the world.

Growing private sponsorship of cultural events means that Turkey holds more than a dozen international fine arts and culture festivals a year and hundreds of local ones. Most widely acclaimed are the annual International Istanbul Music, Theater and Film Festivals, which attract participants and spectators from around the world. Fast growing in numbers are jazz and blues festivals.

Theater is especially popular in Turkey, with talented companies performing the works of Shakespeare, Brecht and Chekhov as well as new works by Turkish dramatists. Most of Turkey's largest cities also have regular seasons for opera, symphony, chamber music and ballet. Turkey's own musical heritage is rich, and traditional music is as important to young people as contemporary or pop. Turkish cinema, though small by international standards, is exploring new directions and tackling new themes, often in coproductions with other countries.

The establishment of the Turkish Republic had a great impact on literature and scholarship, primarily through Atatürk's decision to replace use of the Arabic alphabet with that of the Latin one. This measure and others aimed at making the Turkish language easier to learn has resulted in increased literacy. Though the great works of Ottoman scholars, thinkers, writers and poets are still studied, it is the writers of today whose works fill the book shops.

Education in Turkey is universal, coeducational and obligatory for the first eight years. All public schooling through high school is free of charge and public universities are inexpensive. Turkey has around 70 universities and over 800,000 students, many from neighboring countries, enrolled in university or graduate programs. Turkish faculty members regularly share and exchange duties with professors from other countries. Sixteen of Turkey's universities are private and several more are expected to open over the next few years, another indication of the growing support of the private sector for Turkey's cultural life.

Through a Tourist's Eyes
Turkey's rich history has long made it a destination for students of ancient civilizations. Turkey's countryside is dotted with major archeological sites and Anatolia, or Asia Minor as the Romans called this bridge between Europe and Asia, was home to the Hittites, Urartians, Phrygians, Lycians, Lydians, Romans and Byzantines before the arrival of the Turks early in the 11th century AD. Many of Turkey's present cities are built around the ruins of earlier cities. Archeological finds around Istanbul date to the 13th century BC and Istanbul's first urban settlement to 667 BC. Homer was born in Smyrna, present-day lzmir.

More recently, Turkey has become known for the beauty of its natural resources: the turquoise waters of its Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, the volcanic fairyland of Cappadocia, the wild flowers and cloud forests of its Black Sea mountain ranges and the rugged landscape of its eastern steppes. But what makes Turkey so appealing to the majority of its visitors today is its dynamic fusion of cultures, of old and new, East and West, modernity and tradition.

First-time travelers to Turkey's metropolises may be surprised by the rapid growth of high rises, shopping centers and international fast-food chains, and dismayed by their bumper-to-bumper traffic. But beneath these superficial similarities with other fast-growing cities, one quickly finds Turkey's unique flavor. In the bustle of commercial activity, as tides of shoppers sift through the wares of street vendors and small shops that overflow onto the street. In the contrasting calm of tea houses, cafes and restaurants, inexplicably full throughout most of the day. In people's overwhelming hospitality to visitors.

Traveling in Turkey is easy, with major highways crisscrossing the country and unusually comfortable bus services. Turkey also has 14 international airports and domestic flights to all its major cities and tourism centers. For the traveler in search of sun and sea, there are more than 5,000 miles of coastline and accommodation options ranging from five~star hotels and vacation resorts to small family-run "pansiyons" and camping facilities. Yachting along the hidden coves of the western Mediterranean is increasingly popular and Turkey has over 30 marinas, half of these certified to "blue flag" quality and environmental standards. For the traveler in search of outdoor adventure, Turkey offers excellent and little-known opportunities for whitewater rafting, trekking, mountain climbing and bird watching.

Wherever one chooses to visit in Turkey, there are two activities to revel in shopping and eating. Shopping can be a heady experience, with traditional bazaars offering a vast selection of carpets, leather products, antiques, gold jewelry, ceramics and textiles while modern boutiques display the full range of European fashion. But the greatest surprise to most is Turkish cuisine, which, like a tapestry of the country itself, is a masterpiece of fused cultures and traditions. Lamb, savory pastries and fresh seafood are a few of the cuisine's many tantalizing specialties, but its passion is vegetables raw in salads, stuffed with rice and cooked, simmered with meat or served chilled in olive oil. Eggplant alone is prepared in forty different ways, even as pickles and dessert.

Turkey in a Snapshot

Strategically placed
Bordering 8 nations and 4 seas, Turkey is a physical and cultural bridge between Europe and Asia.
60% of Russia's trade passes through the Turkish Straits, which form part of Russia's only all-year access to unfrozen seas.
Turkey plays a critical role in the development of the newly independent states of Central Asia and is the hub for export of Caspian oil and gas.
A land of resources

A rich variety of landscape and climates attracts tourists to its beaches and mountains.
This same variety makes it one of only seven net food exporters in the world.
Its greatest resource is its 62 million people, average age only 27, and its entrepreneurs.

Committed to democracy
It has been a multi-party parliamentary democracy since 1947.
It is the only secular democracy among the over-50 countries with predominantly Moslem population.
It has free and privately-owned media, with no less than 16 national private TV networks, all able to speak out freely.
A member of NATO since 1952, it applied for full membership of the European Union in 1987. It has been in customs union with the EU since 1996.
A regional leader

It has supplied $2 billion to assist the development of Russia and the newly independent states of East Europe and Central Asia.
It led the creation of the Black Sea Economic Co-operation region which groups 11 nations from the Balkans to the Caucasus.
It was quick to support Allied policies in the Gulf War and to help in policies towards Northern Iraq.
It has contributed to UN operations in Somalia and the Balkans and is active in the Minsk Group seeking to settle the Armenian-Azeri conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.
An economic power

Turkey's average annual growth rate of 5% makes it the fastest growing country in the Mediterranean.
Its exports range from cable for the Channel Tunnel to cars to China. It is Europe's largest supplier of textiles and apparel.
Its industry includes the only F-16 fighter factory outside the U.S.
It is the regional center for companies such as Coca-Cola, Chase Manhattan, Philips and Siemens.
A land of opportunity

Turkey's privatization program includes state enterprises active in airlines, banking, telecommunications and petroleum.
This and its $4.5 billion per year energy investment requirements offer important opportunities for foreign investors.
No wonder that the U.S. classes Turkey as one of its 10 Big Emerging Markets.

A Final Word
Now you know something about us, our country, and our accomplishments. There's a lot more information available to answer any questions you may have, and we would be happy to provide it. just get in touch and let us know how we can help. But the best way to get to know about us is to visit, and to see for yourself. Hundreds of thousands of businessmen and tourists visit us each year. We promise you a warm welcome, a feast for your senses, and a memorable stay whatever the season. Thank you for your interest.

TURKEY ON THE WEB
Turkey's state agencies provide a wealth of information through regularly updated web sites in English and in Turkish. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a broad-ranging site at www.mfa.gov.tr which can help tourists. Business visitors can benefit from the sites of the Central Bank www.tcmb.gov.tr, the State Planning Organization www.dpt.gov.tr, the Undersecretariat of the Treasury www.treasury.gov.tr, the Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade www.foreigntrade.gov.tr, and the State Institute of Statistics www.die.gov.tr.

A full list of government sites can be found at www.metu.edu.tr/Turkey/inet-turkey-gov.html . Turkey's state agencies also disseminate a wealth of information in reports, written in English as well as Turkish, with publication frequencies ranging from weekly to yearly.