Swahili

Area 780,000 sq.km. The country straddles two continents -- 3% in Europe (Thrace), 97% in Asia (Anatolia) -- and controls the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles, the vital sea links between the Black Sea and Mediterranean. Its strategic position has made the area of prime importance through history.

Population    Ann. Gr.    Density
1990    55,616,000    2.0 %    71/sq. km

1995    61,151,000    1.9 %    78/sq. km

Peoples: There has been continued pressure on the ethnic minorities to conform to Turkish culture. Ethnic populations are therefore hard to tabulate.
Turks 76.1-81.1%. A Central Asian people that conquered and largely absorbed the indigenous peoples of the land from the eleventh century onward. The Turks are ethnically diverse, but culturally fairly homogeneous. Distinctive sub-groups: Azeri 530,000 in the east, Crimean Tatar 400,000, Yoruk 320,000 on the west coast.
Kurds 14-19%. (The Kurds claim 21-25%). An Indo-Iranian people in southeast Anatolia, probably related to the ancient Medes. Many Kurds use Turkish as their primary language. Main language groups: Kurmanji 5,000,000; Kirmanjki 1,500,000; Dimli (Zaza) 1,000,000.
Arabs 1.6% in South Anatolia adjoining Syria.
Muslim minorities 1.8%. Gypsy (Turkish, Arjila, Domari) 355,000; Kabardian (Circassian) 202,000; Adyghe 130,000; Laz 92,000; Pomak Bulgarian 70,000; Albanian 65,000; Bosnian 50,000; Abkhazian 35,000.
Refugees 1.3%. Iranians 500,000; Bulgarian Turks 200,000; Central Asians 50,000.
Non-Muslim minorities 0.2%. Armenian 45,000; Jews 20,000; Assyrian 10,000; Greek 4,000. Rapid decline through emigration. Note religious graph. There were 1,750,000 Armenians and 1,500,000 Greeks in Turkey in 1900.

Literacy 76%. Official language: Turkish. All languages 35. Languages with Scriptures: 6Bi 4NT 13por.

Capital: Ankara 2,560,000. Other major cities: Istanbul (Constantinople) 7,200,000; Izmir (Smyrna) 1,757,000; Adana 916,000; Bursa 835,000. Urbanization 45%. Rapid growth of cities.

Economy: Tourism, agriculture and industry are all important to the economy; rapid development in '80s. It is self-sufficient in agriculture. Remittances from the 2.5 million Turks working in Western Europe are a significant source of foreign exchange. The collapse of the USSR in 1990 and Turkey's subsequent cultural and economic ties with Central Asian Turkic republics (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) are of deep future significance. Turkey is, at the same time, one of Europe's poorer nations and the richest and most developed of the six Turkic nations of Central Asia. Unemployment est 20%. Foreign debt/person $611. Income/person $1,360 (6.2% of USA).

Politics: The Turkish Ottoman Empire once stretched across North Africa, Arabia, Western Asia and Southeast Europe. Its demise and final fragmentation in World War I led to revolution and the formation of a republic in 1923. Periods of social disorder and military rule led to a return to a democratic government in 1983, but with the military still retaining considerable influence. Turkey is a member of NATO, but is in dispute with fellow NATO member, Greece, for long-standing historic reasons and over territorial rights in the Aegean Sea and the division of Cyprus. Suppression of the large Kurdish minority has been moderated, but an intensifying guerrilla war fought by a Marxist Kurdish liberation movement since 1985 has disrupted life in the east of Anatolia. Turkey's cultural links with Central Asia and proximity to conflicts in Iraq and the Balkans have enhanced Turkey's strategic importance.

Religion: Turkey's Ottoman Empire was for centuries the guardian of all the holy places of Islam and its chief protagonist. Since the sweeping reforms of the 1920s Turkey has officially been a secular state. In recent years Islam has become a more important political factor, making the lot of non-Muslim minorities more difficult despite the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom.
Muslim 99.8%. Sunni Muslims 83%. Alevi Shi'a 14% predominantly among Zaza Kurds. Shi'a 2% among Azeri and Iranians. There are also Yezidis among the Kurds.
Jews 0.04%.
Christian 0.2%. Rapid decline. Almost entirely confined to national and foreign minorities. Growth -6.5%.
Protestant 0.02%. Growth 0.8%.
Church    Cong    Members    Affiliated
Foreign Protestants    32    3,500    10,000
Minority Indig Groups    17    950    1,700
All other (2)    4    520    864
Denominations (4)    53    4,970    12,564
Evangelicals 0.01% of pop        1,700     3,500
Christian expatriates approx. 350 (1:160,000 people).
Catholic 0.03%. Growth 0%.
Cath -- Eastern rite (6)    24    6,600     11,000
Cath -- Latin rite    13    3,600    6,000
Total    37    10,200    17,000
Christian expatriates 240 (1:240,000 people).
Orthodox 0.13%. Growth -10.7%.
Armenian Orthodox    35    27,000    45,000
Assyrian Orthodox    24    6,000    10,000
Greek Orthodox    11    4,900    7,000
All other (7)        6,000    10,000
Denominations (10)    70    43,900    72,000
Marginal 0.01%. Growth 1.2%.
Jehovah's Witnesses    14    1,013    1,690
All groups (3)        2,063    3,590

1.    Turkey remains the largest unreached nation in the world. Once a bastion of Christianity, it became a strong propagator of Islam. The Christian population has declined from 22% to 0.2% since 1900 -- most of these Christians being non-Turkish. Few of the 55 million Muslims have ever heard the gospel.

2.    Turkey is a nation torn in opposite directions. Some seek closer ties with the West and membership in the EC; Islamists desire to develop links with the Muslim world, and nationalists with Central Asia. The constitution and the judiciary are predominantly secular and support religious freedom, but the majority of the politicians, police and also the growing Muslim fundamentalist movement are aggressively hostile to anything Christian. Pray for the wise provisions of the constitution to be upheld and for all attempts to restrict religious freedom to be frustrated.

3.    The barriers of prejudice and hatred of the gospel can appear insurmountable. Pray for the following barriers to be broken down:
a)    History. Turkey's long association with Islam and bitter wars with "Christian" European nations make conversion appear almost an act of treachery.
b)    Culture. To be a Turk is to be a Muslim, even if nominally so. Fear of family pressure, police intimidation and threats from Muslim extremists keeps many from coming to Christ.
c)    Attitude. A deep-seated resistance in the general public to anything Christian makes any form of witnessing difficult. A radical change in public attitudes must be prayed for.
d)    Wrong understandings. Evangelical Christians are lumped together with Armenian terrorists and Jehovah's Witnesses. Sensational articles in the Press spread untruths about Christians, further inflaming public opinion. Muslim misconceptions about Christian doctrine present another major barrier.
e)    The violent suppression of Christian minorities. The turbulence and political instability before and after World War I brought about widespread violence and forced deportation for many Armenians. Armenian nationalists, urged on by Russian agents, fought for a homeland. The horrific Turkish response resulted in the virtual elimination of Armenians through expulsions or massacres. Some estimate 1.5 million died. Pray that the cloud of prejudice and darkness might be lifted and many might find joy and peace in the forgiveness offered by the Lord Jesus.

4.    The Christian Church as a whole is declining because of the emigration of Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians who are predominantly members of the ancient eastern Churches. There is revival within the Armenian Orthodox Church. Christians are often regarded as second-class citizens because of their ethnic and religious background. Evangelical believers are few -- possibly 800 among ethnic minorities and 500-600 Turks or Kurds. However, there is significant growth in indigenous fellowships which is cause for praise.

5.    Praise God for the emergence of a Turkish Church. In 1960 there were less than 10 known believers; today there are 12 Turkish-speaking fellowships with around 500 Turkish believers. The exciting news of 4,000 or more new believers among Turks and Turkish-speaking Gypsies in neighbouring Bulgaria has raised expectations of harvest in Turkey. Pray for:
a)    Turkish leaders as they seek to work together to establish their own identity and plan their own future -- the high proportion of expatriates among believers can inhibit this. A national advisory board of Turkish leaders was established in 1990.
b)    Believers who are often isolated, fearful of pressure from family and friends, and suspicious of other believers. Most go through a severe identity crisis after coming to Christ. Backsliding has been common, compromise in marrying non-Christians frequent, and relationship breakdowns between believers disheartening. Pray for warm, caring fellowships that provide encouragement, a sense of belonging, and joyful worship.
c)    Perseverance. Emigration is often a way to escape persecution, find a good paying job, or find a foreign marriage partner. A strong, growing Church must become a reality in Turkey.
d)    Courage in persecution. A wave of arrests of believers in 1988 led to harassment and interrogation, but every charge brought to court was dismissed or the defendants acquitted, thereby encouraging the believers to be more assertive in claiming their civil rights.
e)    Boldness in witness. Increasingly, Turkish believers take on the work initiated by expatriates and also start new ministries. Pray for a vision to see a living congregation planted in every province of Turkey.
f)    Legal recognition. This is slowly being gained through a number of court cases, but equality for all religions is yet to be obtained.
g)    Leadership training which is difficult to provide in Turkey; a TEE programme has started in Ankara and Istanbul, and a Bible school in Istanbul.

6.    Missionary work began in 1821, but was soon directed to the more receptive non-Muslim minorities as a means of reaching the majority. Since 1960 renewed prayer and effort is slowly yielding fruit among Muslims. All expatriates have long lived under the threat of police harassment and expulsion from the country, but earlier expulsions were quashed and declared illegal in three court cases in 1992. Pray for:
a)    Those called, equipped and gifted for tentmaking ministries in this land where vital opportunities to share one's faith are hard to find.
b)    The right ministry opportunities and strategy that will enable the whole country to be exposed to the gospel. Most are engaged in teaching, study, or business, or on tourist visas.
c)    The right relationship with indigenous believers -- too many foreigners in an area can stifle the development of mature leadership.
d)    The 20 or so agencies with a specific burden and calling to minister to Turks, and for the continuance of fruitful cooperation among them.
e)    Vision for the evangelization of the whole land. For years little was done for eastern Anatolia, the Black Sea coast or the interior provinces. Pray for the implementation of strategies for their evangelization.

7.    Other means of witness are profitably employed, and need prayerful support:
a)    Literature. About five million pieces of literature have been distributed over the past few years in door-to-door work, postal evangelism, advertisements in the Press, etc. Call of Hope, Friends of Turkey, and OM have done much to develop this ministry. Pray for fruit and for the development of effective follow-up.
b)    Postal evangelism. Through pen-pal letters, magazines and broadsheets a growing response has been produced. 250,000 "gospel letters" were sent in 1992 alone. Requests for Bible Correspondence Courses have escalated to over 500 every month. Turkish believers have set up the Holy Books Research Association as a route to obtain legal recognition for BCC ministry. Pray that this may be granted.
c)    Christian radio programmes, broadcast by five international stations -- FEBA, High Adventure, IBRA (now on medium wave from Russia), TWR and ECR-Italy. The 12 hours/week are mainly in Turkish, some in Azerbaijani and Kurmanji. Pray for favourable reception in radios and hearts.
d)    Ministry to the 2.5 million Turks and Kurds in Western Europe. Migrant labourers in Germany (1,684,000), France (190,000), Netherlands (192,000), United Kingdom (150,000), Austria (90,000), Belgium (82,000), Switzerland (66,000) and Sweden (30,000) are far more accessible to Christian workers. A number of local churches and international agencies are seeking to evangelize them, but local hostility to migrant workers does not help this outreach. Among such are OM, WEC, Friends of Turkey and Orientdienst. There are possibly 100 converted Turks as a result of this ministry. There is also a work among the 51,000 Turks in Australia. Pray for the multiplication of Turkish and Kurdish Christian groups in these areas and for these to make an impact on their homelands.
e)    Ministry to Turks in the Balkans. There are opportunities for ministry among Turkish minorities in Bulgaria (1,100,000), Macedonia/Serbia (250,000), Romania (150,000) and Greece (140,000). The opening up of Bulgaria and Bulgarian Turks to the gospel may be of great significance for the Church in Turkey. Over 5,000 Turks and Turkish-speaking Gypsies have come to Jesus through spontaneous and miraculous events since the late '80s. Pray for ministry directed to teaching and mobilizing these believers.
f)    Use of audio-visual media. Cassette and video tapes are valuable tools, but more good relevant materials must be produced and distributed -- some are actively working to do this. After years of effort, the Jesus film was approved by the censors. Pray for wide circulation and deep impact as it is distributed in video shops, and pray that it may be shown on national television.

8.    Unreached peoples: For years the few Turkish Christian groups were limited primarily to Istanbul and Ankara with a small presence in Izmir (Smyrna in the NT) and Adana. This is changing, and small groups are emerging in other centres. Specific challenges to prayer:
a)    The goal of a living, growing fellowship of believers in every one of the 71 provinces -- possibly only nine have such. Especially needing prayer are the turbulent eastern Anatolian provinces and the Black Sea coastal provinces, where the Kurdish and Laz peoples live.
b)    The Kurds are a majority in east and southeast Turkey. Suppression of their language and political aspirations as well as the violent secessionist movement has made specific outreach in Kurdish a sensitive matter, but the Kurdish language was legalized in 1991. Many Kurds in the north of their area are followers of Alevi teachings (which give high regard to the Lord Jesus Christ) and are only nominally Muslim; some are Yezidis (a religion based on Zoroastrianism involving occultism). There may be now 200 or more Christians. Pray for those tactfully seeking to reach out to them, translate the Scriptures and provide literature, the Jesus film and radio and cassette materials in Kurmanji and Dimili, both inside and outside the country. About 25% of all Turks in Western Europe are, in fact, Kurds.
c)    The ethnic Muslim minorities listed under Peoples above. None of these peoples have been evangelized; many live in communities, though use of their languages is declining.
d)    Iranian refugees who fled the violence and Islamic extremism of the 1979 Revolution. Up to 500,000 still remain in the country -- many in Istanbul, while many others have moved on to Western countries. There has been a response to the gospel in Istanbul and Ankara and small Farsi-speaking congregations established.
e)    Central Asian refugees from Communism; many are from the unevangelized areas of Afghanistan and the former USSR. There are Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Tatars, Turkmen and others.
f)    University students. There are 500,000 students in 343 universities and colleges, but there is no specific campus ministry, though a number of students have come to the Lord.

9.    Bible translation is a vital ministry. Two versions of the Turkish New Testament were published in 1988/89. Both have proved popular, and there is an annual distribution of 25,000 copies. Pray for the completion of the new version of the Old Testament. Translation into minority languages is a sensitive issue -- most of the ongoing 14 translation projects are furthered in the West or in surrounding lands.

10.    Christian literature may be legally written, printed and distributed, but negative publicity, official intimidation, obstructionism and restrictions make life difficult for all involved. The Bible Society has a bookstore in Istanbul and is able to distribute Bibles and Christian literature to secular bookstores. There are several Turkish Christian publishing houses established, and the quantity and variety of books available are increasing, but the greatest need is for mother-tongue writers to produce culturally relevant literature. By 1993 there were 40 book titles available, but more literature written by national believers is needed.

Geography
Location: Southwestern Asia (that part west of the Bosporus is sometimes included with Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria
Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 35 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:
total area: 780,580 sq km
land area: 770,760 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 2,627 km
border countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km, Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 331 km, Syria 822 km
Coastline: 7,200 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only - to the maritime boundary agreed upon with the former USSR
territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea,; 12 nm in the Black Sea and in the Mediterranean Sea
International disputes: complex maritime, air and territorial disputes with Greece in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question; Hatay question with Syria; dispute with downstream riparians (Syria and Iraq) over water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Climate: temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior
Terrain: mostly mountains; narrow coastal plain; high central plateau (Anatolia)
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m
Natural resources: antimony, coal, chromium, mercury, copper, borate, sulfur, iron ore
Land use:
arable land: 30%
permanent crops: 4%
meadows and pastures: 12%
forest and woodland: 26%
other: 28%
Irrigated land: 22,200 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation
natural hazards: very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van
international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Desertification, Environmental Modification
Geographic note: strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas

People
Population: 62,484,478 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 10,192,195; female 9,836,045)
15-64 years: 62% (male 19,859,717; female 19,187,769)
65 years and over: 6% (male 1,571,451; female 1,837,301) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.67% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 22.26 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 5.52 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.02 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 43.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.92 years
male: 69.53 years
female: 74.43 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.58 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Turk(s)
adjective: Turkish
Ethnic divisions: Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20%
Religions: Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (Christian and Jews)
Languages: Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 82.3%
male: 91.7%
female: 72.4%

Government
Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Turkey
conventional short form: Turkey
local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti
local short form: Turkiye
Data code: TU
Type of government: republican parliamentary democracy
Capital: Ankara
Administrative divisions: 79 provinces (iller, singular - il); Adana, Adiyaman, Afyon, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol, Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gazi Antep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Icel, Iggdir, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir, Kahraman Maras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanli Urfa, Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon, Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak
note: Karabuk, Kilis, and Yalova are three new Turkish provinces mentioned in the 24 December 1995 election results
Independence: 29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Declaration of the Republic, 29 October (1923)
Constitution: 7 November 1982
Legal system: derived from various continental legal systems; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Suleyman DEMIREL (since 16 May 1993) was elected for a seven-year term by the National Assembly
head of government: Prime Minister Mesut YILMAZ (since 12 March 1996) and Deputy Prime Minister Nahit MENTESE (since 12 March 1996) were appointed by the president
National Security Council: advisory body to the president and the cabinet
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the president on nomination of the prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral
Grand National Assembly of Turkey: (Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi) elections last held 24 December 1995 (next to be held by December 2000); results - RP 21.38%, DYP 19.18%, ANAP 19.65%, DSP 14.64%, CHP 10.71%, independent 0.48%; seats - 550 total) RP 158, DYP 135, ANAP 133, DSP 75, CHP 49
note: seats held by various parties are subject to change due to defections, creation of new parties, and ouster or death of sitting deputies; current seats by party are as follows: RP 158, DYP 135, ANAP 126, DSP 75, CHP 49, BBP 7
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, judges appointed by the president; Court of Appeals, judges are elected by the Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors
Political parties and leaders: True Path Party (DYP), Tansu CILLER; Motherland Party (ANAP), Mesut YILMAZ; Welfare Party (RP), Necmettin ERBAKAN; Democratic Left Party (DSP), Bulent ECEVIT; Nationalist Action Party (MHP), Alparslan TURKES; New Party (YP), Yusuf Bozkurt OZAL; Republican People's Party (CHP), Deniz BAYKAL; Workers' Party (IP), Dogu PERINCEK; Nation Party (MP), Aykut EDIBALI; Democrat Party (DP), Murat UZMAN; Grand Unity Party (BBP), Muhsin YAZICIOGLU; Rebirth Party (YDP), Hasan Celal GUZEL; People's Democracy Party (HADEP), Murat BOZLAK; Main Path Party (ANAYOL), Gurcan BASER; Democratic Target Party (DHP), Abdulkadir Yasar TURK; Liberal Party (LP), Besim TIBUK; New Democracy Movement (YDH), Cem BOYNER; Labor Party (EP), Abdullah Levent TUZER; Democracy and Peace Party (DBP), Refik KARAKOC; Freedom and Solidarity Praty (ODP), Ufuk URAS
Other political or pressure groups: Turkish Confederation of Labor (Turk-Is), Bayram MERAL; Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions (DISK), Ridvan BUDAK; Moral Rights Workers Union (Hak-Is), Salim USLU; Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD), Halis KOMILI; Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB), Ali Osman ULUSOY; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions (TISK), Refik BAYDUR; Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (MUSIAD), Erol YARAR
International organization participation: AsDB, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN (observer), EBRD, ECE, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NACC, NATO, NEA, OECD, OIC, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nuzhet KANDEMIR
chancery: 1714 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 659-8200
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marc GROSSMAN
embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Ankara
mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823
telephone: [90] (312) 468-6110
FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019
consulate(s) general: Istanbul
consulate(s): Adana
Flag: red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening

Economy
Economic overview: The Turkish economy consists of a mixture, on the one hand, of modern industry and commerce, and, on the other hand, of time-honored village agriculture and crafts. Since World War II, it has become increasingly integrated into the West European economic arena, for example, as a member of OECD. The economy has improved significantly since the 1994 crisis, when the economy experienced a sharp drop and inflation hit triple digits. The crisis - sparked by the downgrading in January 1994 of Turkey's international credit rating by two US rating agencies - stemmed from years of loose monetary and fiscal policies that had exacerbated inflation and allowed the public debt, money supply, and current account deficit to explode. In April 1994, then Prime Minister CILLER introduced a stabilization package that paved the way for a $950 million IMF standby loan. However, because the government missed key macroeconomic targets in 1995 and the December national election produced months of political wrangling, the IMF put the agreement - and release of remaining funds - on hold. The new center-right minority government that finally has emerged will find it difficult to balance the need for new austerity measures and tough structural reforms with the pressure for continued buoyant growth. Ankara is also likely to face internal opposition to policies it must implement as part of the Turkey-EU customs union agreement - which came into force on 1 January 1996 - because many industries are unfit for EU competition and much-needed revenues will decline with the elimination of import tariffs and surcharges. Meanwhile, Ankara's heavy debt repayment schedule in 1996 makes it necessary for Turkish leaders to bolster the confidence of both domestic and foreign investors.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $345.7 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 6.8% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $5,500 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 15.5%
industry: 33.2%
services: 51.3% (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 94% (1995)
Labor force: 20.9 million
by occupation: agriculture 46%, services 31%, industry 23%
note: about 1.5 million Turks work abroad (1994)
Unemployment rate: 10.2% (1995 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $30.2 billion
expenditures: $35 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.8 billion (1995)
Industries: textiles, food processing, mining (coal, chromite, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper
Industrial production growth rate: 8.8% (1995)
Electricity:
capacity: 18,710,000 kW
production: 71 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 1,079 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulses, citrus; livestock
Illicit drugs: major transit route for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish to Western Europe and the US via air, land, and sea routes; major Turkish, Iranian, and other international trafficking organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert imported morphine base into heroin are in remote regions of Turkey as well as near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate
Exports: $20.7 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities: textiles and apparel 37%, steel products 12%, fruits and vegetables 11% (1994)
partners: Germany 22%, Russia 8%, US 8%, Italy 6% (1994)
Imports: $32.6 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities: machinery 25%, fuels 17%, raw materials 11%, foodstuffs 5% (1994)
partners: Germany 16%, US 10%, Italy 9%, Russia 8% (1994)
External debt: $73.8 billion (1995 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $195 million (1993)
note: aid for Gulf war efforts from coalition allies (1991), $4.1 billion; aid pledged for Turkish Defense Fund, $2.5 billion
Currency: Turkish lira (TL)
Exchange rates: Turkish liras (TL) per US$1 - 60,502.1 (January 1996), 45,845.1 (1995), 29,608.7 (1994), 10,984.6 (1993), 6,872.4 (1992), 4,171.8 (1991)
Fiscal year: calendar year

Transportation
Railways:
total: 10,386 km
standard gauge: 10,386 km 1.435-m gauge (1,088 km electrified)
Highways:
total: 386,704 km
paved: 45,683 km (including 862 km of expressways)
unpaved: 341,021 km (1992 est.)
Waterways: about 1,200 km
Pipelines: crude oil 1,738 km; petroleum products 2,321 km; natural gas 708 km
Ports: Gemlik, Hopa, Iskenderun, Istanbul, Izmir, Izmit, Mersin, Samsun, Trabzon
Merchant marine:
total: 465 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,509,741 GRT/9,494,434 DWT
ships by type: bulk 139, cargo 212, chemical tanker 18, combination bulk 7, combination ore/oil 12, container 2, liquefied gas tanker 4, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 43, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 15, short-sea passenger 7, specialized tanker 2
note: Turkey owns an additional 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 247,369 DWT operating under the registries of Malta, Panama, Libya, and Greece (1995 est.)
Airports:
total: 104
with paved runways over 3,047 m: 17
with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 19
with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 18
with paved runways under 914 m: 28
with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (1995 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1995 est.)

Communications
Telephones: 6.89 million (1990 est.)
Telephone system: fair domestic and international systems
domestic: trunk microwave radio relay network; limited open-wire network
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Atlantic Ocean regions); 1 submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations: AM 15, FM 94, shortwave 0
Radios: 9.4 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 357
Televisions: 10.53 million (1993 est.)
Defense
Branches: Land Forces, Navy (includes Naval Air and Naval Infantry), Air Force, Coast Guard, Gendarmerie
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 16,937,828
males fit for military service: 10,312,010
males reach military age (20) annually: 637,456 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $6.0 billion, 4% of GDP (1995); note - figures do not include about $7 billion for the government's counterinsurgency effort against the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)

Item	% Complete	Status	To complete (US $)
Planning	Nul	pending	1000.00
Translation	Nul	pending	7000.00
Recording	Nul	pending	11500.00
Broadcast	Nul	pending	16000.00
Total Cost Required To Complete $ 35500.00

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