2010 Edition

Background

Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk or "Father of the Turks." Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopted wide-ranging social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950 election victory of the opposition Democratic Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of political power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then Islamic-oriented government. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984 by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - now known as the People's Congress of Kurdistan or Kongra-Gel (KGK) - has dominated the Turkish military's attention and claimed more than 30,000 lives. After the capture of the group's leader in 1999, the insurgents largely withdrew from Turkey mainly to northern Iraq. In 2004, KGK announced an end to its ceasefire and attacks attributed to the KGK increased. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. In 1964, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community. Over the past decade, it has undertaken many reforms to strengthen its democracy and economy; it began accession membership talks with the European Union in 2005.

Area

land

769,632 sq km

total

783,562 sq km

water

13,930 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Texas

Climate

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

Coastline

7,200 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Ararat 5,166 m

lowest point

Mediterranean Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

544 cu m/yr (2001)

total

39.78 cu km/yr (15%/11%/74%)

Geographic coordinates

39 00 N, 35 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's ark, is in the far eastern portion of the country

Irrigated land

52,150 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries

Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km, Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km

total

2,648 km

Land use

arable land

29.81%

other

66.8% (2005)

permanent crops

3.39%

Location

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

Middle East

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 Black Sea and in Mediterranean Sea

Natural hazards

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

volcanism

Turkey experiences little volcanic activity; its three historically active volcanoes; Ararat, Nemrut Dagi, and Tendurek Dagi have not erupted since the 19th century or earlier

Natural resources

coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone, magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable land, hydropower

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

234 cu km (2003)

Age structure

0-14 years: 27.2% (male 10,701,631/female 10,223,260) 15-64 years: 66.7% (male 25,896,326/female 25,327,403) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 2,130,360/female 2,526,544) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

18.28 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

6.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

2.9% of GDP (2006)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

23.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

25.89 deaths/1,000 live births

total

24.84 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Turkish (official), Kurdish, other minority languages

Life expectancy at birth

female

74.19 years (2010 est.)

male

70.37 years

total population

72.23 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

79.6% (2004 est.)

male

95.3%

total population

87.4%

Median age

female

28.4 years (2010 est.)

male

27.7 years

total

28.1 years

Nationality

adjective

Turkish

noun

Turk(s)

Net migration rate

0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

77,804,122 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

1.272% (2010 est.)

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

11 years (2008)

male

12 years

total

12 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.18 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

69% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

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

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

39 56 N, 32 52 E

name

Ankara

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

7 November 1982; amended 17 May 1987, 1995, 2001, 2007 and 2010; note - amendment passed by referendum concerning presidential elections on 21 October 2007

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Turkey

conventional short form

Turkey

local long form

Turkiye Cumhuriyeti

local short form

Turkiye

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Douglas A. SILLIMAN

consulate(s)

Adana; note - there is a Consular Agent in Izmir

consulate(s) general

Istanbul

embassy

110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara

FAX

[90] (312) 467-0019

mailing address

PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823

telephone

[90] (312) 455-5555

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Namik TAN

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York

FAX

[1] (202) 612-6744

telephone

[1] (202) 612-6700

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Abdullah GUL (since 28 August 2007)

election results

on 28 August 2007 the National Assembly elected Abdullah GUL president on the third ballot; National Assembly vote - 339 note: in October 2007 Turkish voters approved a referendum package of constitutional amendments including a provision for direct presidential elections

elections

president elected directly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president from among members of parliament

head of government

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (since 14 March)

Flag description

red with a vertical white crescent moon (the closed portion is toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening; the flag colors and designs closely resemble those on the banner of Ottoman Empire, which preceded modern-day Turkey; the crescent moon and star serve as insignia for the Turks, as well as being traditional symbols of Islam; according to legend, the flag represents the reflection of the moon and a star in a pool of blood of Turkish warriors

Government type

republican parliamentary democracy

Independence

29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN (observer), CICA, D-8, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EU (applicant), FAO, FATF, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court; High Court of Appeals (Yargitay); Council of State (Danistay); Court of Accounts (Sayistay); Military High Court of Appeals; Military High Administrative Court

Legal system

civil law system derived from various European continental legal systems; note - member of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), although Turkey claims limited derogations on the ratified European Convention on Human Rights; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - AKP 46.7%, CHP 20.8%, MHP 14.3%, independents 5.2%, other 13.0%; seats by party - AKP 341, CHP 112, MHP 71, independents 26; note - seats by party as of 15 November 2010 - AKP 335, CHP 101, MHP 70, BDP 20, DSP 6, DP 1, TP 1, independents 7, vacant 9 (BDP entered parliament as independents; DSP entered parliament on CHP's party list; DP and TP switched to their respective parties after having been elected to parliament as an independent or on the list of another party); only parties surpassing the 10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats

elections

last held on 22 July 2007 (next to be held by July 2011)

National anthem

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

name

"Istiklal Marsi" (Independence March)

National holiday

Republic Day, 29 October (1923)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Left Party or DSP [Masum TURKER]; Democratic Party or DP [Husamettin CINDORUK]; Equality and Democracy Party or EDP [Ziva HALIS]; Felicity Party or SP [Necmettin ERBAKAN] (sometimes translated as Contentment Party); Freedom and Solidarity Party or ODP [Alper TAS]; Grand Unity Party or BBP [Yalcin TOPCU]; Justice and Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]; Nationalist Movement Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI]; Peace and Democracy Party or BDP [Selahattin DEMIRTAS]; People's Rise Party or HSP [Numan KURTULMUS]; Republican People's Party or CHP [Kemal KILICDAROGLU]; Turkey Party [Abdullatif SENER] note: the parties listed above are some of the more significant of the 61 parties that Turkey had according to the Ministry of Interior statistics current as of May 2009

Political pressure groups and leaders

Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey or TUSKON [Rizanur MERAL}; Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Sami EVREN]; Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK [Suleyman CELEBI]; Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or MUSIAD [Omer Cihad VARDAN]; Moral Rights Workers Union or Hak-Is [Salim USLU]; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions or TISK [Tugrul KUDATGOBILIK]; Turkish Confederation of Labor or Turk-Is [Mustafa KUMLU]; Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen or TESK [Bendevi PALANDOKEN]; Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or TUSIAD [Umit BOYNER]; Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. Rifat HISARCIKLIOGLU]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Central bank discount rate

15% (22 December 2009) 25% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

NA%

Current account balance

-$38.82 billion (2010 est.) -$13.94 billion (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$270.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $268.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

41 (2007) 43.6 (2003)

Economy - overview

Turkey's economy is increasingly driven by its industry and service sectors, although its traditional agriculture sector still accounts for about 30% of employment. An aggressive privatization program has reduced state involvement in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication, and an emerging cadre of middle-class entrepreneurs is adding a dynamism to the economy. Turkey's traditional textiles and clothing clothing sectors still account for one-third of industrial employment, despite stiff competition in international markets that resulted from the end of the global quota system. Other sectors, notably the automotive, construction, and electronics industries, are rising in importance and have surpassed textiles within Turkey's export mix. Oil began to flow through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in May 2006, marking a major milestone that will bring up to 1 million barrels per day from the Caspian to market. Several gas pipelines also are being planned to help move Central Asian gas to Europe via Turkey, which will help address Turkey's dependence on energy imports over the long term. After Turkey experienced a severe financial crisis in 2001, Ankara adopted financial and fiscal reforms as part of an IMF program. The reforms strengthened the country's economic fundamentals and ushered in an era of strong growth - averaging more than 6% annually until 2009, when global economic conditions and tighter fiscal policy slowed growth to 4.7%, reduced inflation to 6.5% - a 34-year low - and cut the public sector debt-to-GPD ratio below 50%. Turkey's well-regulated financial markets and banking system weathered the global financial crisis and GDP rebounded strongly to 7.3% in 2010, as exports returned to normal levels following the recession. The economy, however, continues to be burdened by a high current account deficit and remains dependent on often volatile, short-term investment to finance its trade deficit. The stock value of FDI stood at $174 billion at year-end 2010, but inflows have slowed considerably in light of continuing economic turmoil in Europe, the source of much of Turkey's FDI. Further economic and judicial reforms and prospective EU membership are expected to boost Turkey's attractiveness to foreign investors. However, Turkey's relatively high current account deficit, uncertainty related to policy-making, and fiscal imbalances leave the economy vulnerable to destabilizing shifts in investor confidence.

Electricity - consumption

198.1 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - exports

1.12 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

790 million kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

198.4 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Exchange rates

Turkish liras (TRY) per US dollar - 1.5181 (2010), 1.55 (2009), 1.3179 (2008), 1.319 (2007), 1.4286 (2006)

Exports

$117.4 billion (2010 est.) $109.6 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment

Exports - partners

Germany 9.6%, France 6.1%, UK 5.8%, Italy 5.8%, Iraq 5% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

8.8%

industry

25.7%

services

65.5% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$12,300 (2010 est.) $11,600 (2009 est.) $12,400 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

7.3% (2010 est.) -4.7% (2009 est.) 0.7% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$729.1 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$958.3 billion (2010 est.) $893.1 billion (2009 est.) $937.1 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 33.2% (2005)

Imports

$166.3 billion (2010 est.) $134.5 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Russia 14%, Germany 10%, China 9%, US 6.1%, Italy 5.4%, France 5% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

6% (2010 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.7% (2010 est.) 6.3% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

18% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

24.73 million note: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

29.5%

industry

24.7%

services

45.8% (2005)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$225.7 billion (31 December 2009) $117.9 billion (31 December 2008) $286.6 billion (31 December 2007)

Natural gas - consumption

35.07 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - exports

708 million cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - imports

35.77 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - production

1.014 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

6.088 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

579,500 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

133,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - imports

734,600 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - production

52,980 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

262.2 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

17.11% (2008)

Public debt

48.1% of GDP (2010 est.) 46.3% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$78 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $75 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$255.5 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $202.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$16.42 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $15.42 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$84.45 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $174 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$401.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $373.1 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$57.02 billion (31 December 2010 est) $44.94 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate

12.4% (2010 est.) 14.1% (2009 est.) note: underemployment amounted to 4% in 2008

Broadcast media

national public broadcaster Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) operates multiple TV and radio networks and stations; multiple privately-owned national television stations and up to 300 private regional and local television stations; multi-channel cable TV subcriptions are obtainable; more than 1,000 private radio broadcast stations (2009)

Internet country code

.tr

Internet hosts

3.433 million (2010)

Internet users

27.233 million (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay, is facilitating communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobile-cellular telephone service is growing rapidly

general assessment

comprehensive telecommunications network undergoing rapid modernization and expansion especially in mobile-cellular services

international

country code - 90; international service is provided by the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable and by submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black Seas that link Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia; satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat; mobile satellite terminals - 328 in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)

Telephones - main lines in use

16.534 million (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

62.78 million (2009)

Airports

99 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

88 over 3,047 m: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 4 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 4 (2010)

Heliports

20 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 95, cargo 290, chemical tanker 85, combination ore/oil 1, container 40, liquefied gas 6, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 59, petroleum tanker 31, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 34, specialized tanker 2

foreign-owned

3 (Germany 1, Italy 2)

registered in other countries

686 (Albania 1, Antigua and Barbuda 7, Azerbaijan 1, Bahamas 3, Barbados 1, Belize 18, Cambodia 26, Comoros 16, Cook Islands 4, Dominica 1, Georgia 22, Italy 3, Kiribati 3, Liberia 15, Malta 211, Marshall Islands 72, Moldova 18, Mongolia 1, former Netherlands Antilles 8, Panama 79, Russia 104, Saint Kitts and Nevis 22, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 18, Sierra Leone 14, Slovakia 2, Tanzania 7, Togo 4, Turkmenistan 1, Tuvalu 1, UK 1, unknown 2) (2010)

total

645

Pipelines

gas 10,630 km; oil 3,636 km (2009)

Ports and terminals

Aliaga, Diliskelesi, Eregli, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit), Mercin Limani, Yarimca

Railways

standard gauge

8,697 km 1.435-m gauge (1,920 km electrified) (2008)

total

8,697 km

Roadways

paved

313,151 km (includes 2,010 km of expressways)

total

352,046 km

unpaved

38,895 km (2008)

Waterways

1,200 km (2008)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 20,832,658 females age 16-49: 20,337,037 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 17,447,579 females age 16-49: 17,173,063 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

666,026 (2010 est.)

male

695,326

Military - note

a "National Security Policy Document" adopted in October 2005 increases the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) role in internal security, augmenting the General Directorate of Security and Gendarmerie General Command (Jandarma); the TSK leadership continues to play a key role in politics and considers itself guardian of Turkey's secular state; in April 2007, it warned the ruling party about any pro-Islamic appointments; despite on-going negotiations on EU accession since October 2005, progress has been limited in establishing required civilian supremacy over the military; primary domestic threats are listed as fundamentalism (with the definition in some dispute with the civilian government), separatism (the Kurdish problem), and the extreme left wing; Ankara strongly opposed establishment of an autonomous Kurdish region; an overhaul of the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) taking place under the "Force 2014" program is to produce 20-30% smaller, more highly trained forces characterized by greater mobility and firepower and capable of joint and combined operations; the TLFC has taken on increasing international peacekeeping responsibilities, and took charge of a NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) command in Afghanistan in April 2007; the Turkish Navy is a regional naval power that wants to develop the capability to project power beyond Turkey's coastal waters; the Navy is heavily involved in NATO, multinational, and UN operations; its roles include control of territorial waters and security for sea lines of communications; the Turkish Air Force adopted an "Aerospace and Missile Defense Concept" in 2002 and has initiated project work on an integrated missile defense system; Air Force priorities include attaining a modern deployable, survivable, and sustainable force structure, and establishing a sustainable command and control system (2008)

Military branches

Turkish Armed Forces (TSK)

Turkish Land Forces (Turk Kara Kuvvetleri), Turkish Naval Forces (Turk Deniz Kuvvetleri; includes naval air and naval infantry), Turkish Air Force (Turk Hava Kuvvetleri) (2010)

Military expenditures

5.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

20 years of age (2004)

Disputes - international

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; border with Armenia remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh

Illicit drugs

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 page last updated on January 20, 2011 ======================================================================

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

1-1.2 million (fighting 1984-99 between Kurdish PKK and Turkish military; most IDPs in southeastern provinces) (2007)