2018 Edition

Background

Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk or "Father of the Turks." Under his leadership, the country adopted radical social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950 election victory of the opposition Democrat Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of formal political power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then Islamic-oriented government. A coup attempt was made in July 2016 by a faction of the Turkish Armed Forces. 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), a US-designated terrorist organization, has long dominated the attention of Turkish security forces and claimed more than 40,000 lives. In 2013, the Turkish Government and the PKK conducted negotiations aimed at ending the violence, however intense fighting resumed in 2015. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. In 1963, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community; it began accession talks with the EU in 2005. Over the past decade, economic reforms, coupled with some political reforms, have contributed to a growing economy, although economic growth slowed in recent years. From 2015 and continuing through 2016, Turkey witnessed an uptick in terrorist violence, including major attacks in Ankara, Istanbul, and throughout the predominantly Kurdish southeastern region of Turkey. On 15 July 2016, elements of the Turkish Armed forces attempted a coup that ultimately failed following widespread popular resistance. More than 240 people were killed and over 2,000 injured when Turkish citizens took to the streets en masse to confront the coup forces. In response, Turkish Government authorities arrested, suspended, or dismissed more than 100,000 security personnel, journalists, judges, academics, and civil servants due to their alleged connection with the attempted coup. The government accused followers of an Islamic transnational religious and social movement for allegedly instigating the failed coup and designates the followers as terrorists. Following the failed coup, the Turkish Government instituted a State of Emergency from July 2016 to July 2018. The Turkish Government conducted a referendum on 16 April 2017 in which voters approved constitutional amendments changing Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential system. The amendments went into effect fully following the presidential and parliamentary elections in June 2018.

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

elevation extremes

0 m lowest point: Mediterranean Sea

mean elevation

1,132 m

note

5137 highest point: Mount Ararat

Environment Current Issues

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

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

Geographic Coordinates

39 00 N, 35 00 E

Geography Note

strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link the Black and Aegean Seas; the 3% of Turkish territory north of the Straits lies in Europe and goes by the names of European Turkey, Eastern Thrace, or Turkish Thrace; the 97% of the country in Asia is referred to as Anatolia; 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 (2012)

Land Boundaries

border countries (8)

Armenia 311 km, Azerbaijan 17 km, Bulgaria 223 km, Georgia 273 km, Greece 192 km, Iran 534 km, Iraq 367 km, Syria 899 km

total

2,816 km

Land Use

arable land: 26.7% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 4% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 19% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

49.7% (2011 est.)

forest

14.9% (2011 est.)

other

35.4% (2011 est.)

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

note

12 nm in Black Sea and in Mediterranean Sea

territorial sea

6 nm in the Aegean Sea

Natural Hazards

severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van; landslides; floodingvolcanism: limited volcanic activity; its three historically active volcanoes; Ararat, Nemrut Dagi, and Tendurek Dagi have not erupted since the 19th century or earlier

Natural Resources

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

Population Distribution

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

Terrain

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

Age Structure

0-14 years

24.26% (male 10,085,558 /female 9,627,967)

15-24 years

15.88% (male 6,589,039 /female 6,311,113)

25-54 years

43.26% (male 17,798,864 /female 17,349,228)

55-64 years

8.82% (male 3,557,329 /female 3,606,120)

65 years and over

7.79% (male 2,825,738 /female 3,506,283) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

15.4 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

1.9% (2013)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

73.5% (2013)

Death Rate

6 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio

11.7 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio

8.5 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

50.1 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio

38.4 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

Education Expenditures

4.4% of GDP (2014)

Ethnic Groups

Turkish 70-75%, Kurdish 19%, other minorities 7-12% (2016 est.)

Health Expenditures

5.4% of GDP (2014)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

NA

Hiv Aids Deaths

NA

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

NA

Hospital Bed Density

2.7 beds/1,000 population (2013)

Infant Mortality Rate

female

15.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

18.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

16.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Turkish (official), Kurdish, other minority languages

Life Expectancy At Birth

female

77.7 years (2018 est.)

male

72.9 years (2018 est.)

total population

75.3 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)

female

92.6% (2015 est.)

male

98.6% (2015 est.)

total population

95.6% (2015 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

14.751 million Istanbul, 4.919 million ANKARA (capital), 2.937 million Izmir, 1.916 million Bursa, 1.73 million Adana, 1.632 million Gaziantep (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

16 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median Age

female

31.9 years (2018 est.)

male

30.9 years

total

31.4 years

Mother S Mean Age At First Birth

22.3 years (2010 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Turkish

noun

Turk(s)

Net Migration Rate

-4.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

32.1% (2016)

Physicians Density

1.75 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

81,257,239 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.49% (2018 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation Facility Access

improved: urban: 98.3% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 85.5% of population (2015 est.)

total: 94.9% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 1.7% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 14.5% of population (2015 est.)

total: 5.1% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

female

16 years (2013)

male

17 years (2013)

total

16 years (2013)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

0.99 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

0.8 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

2 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

female

25.6% (2017 est.)

male

17.7% (2017 est.)

total

20.5% (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.04% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

75.1% of total population (2018)

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

geographic coordinates

39 56 N, 32 52 E

name

Ankara

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Turkey

dual citizenship recognized

yes, but requires prior permission from the government

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by written consent of at least one-third of Grand National Assembly (GNA) members; adoption of draft amendments requires two debates in plenary GNA session and three-fifths majority vote of all GNA members; the president of the republic can request GNA reconsideration of the amendment and, if readopted by two-thirds majority GNA vote, the president may submit the amendment to a referendum; passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote; amended several times, last in 2017 (2018)

history

several previous; latest ratified 9 November 1982 (2018)

Country Name

conventional long form

Republic of Turkey

conventional short form

Turkey

etymology

the name means "Land of the Turks"

local long form

Turkiye Cumhuriyeti

local short form

Turkiye

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affairs Philip KOSNETT (since 16 October 2017)

consulate(s)

Adana

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 Serdar KILIC (since 21 May 2014)

consulate(s) general

Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

FAX

[1] (202) 612-6744

telephone

[1] (202) 612-6700

Executive Branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president (until the next parliamentary or presidential election following the April 2017 referendum)

chief of state

President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (since 10 August 2014); Vice President Fuat OKTAY (since 9 July 2018)

election results

Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN reelected president in the first round; Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (AKP) 52.6%, Muharrem INCE (CHP) 30.6%, Salahattin DIMIRTAS (HDP) 8.4%, Meral AKSENER (IYI) 7.3%, other 1.1%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president from among members of parliament; note - a 2007 constitutional amendment changed the presidential electoral process to direct popular vote; prime minister appointed by the president from among members of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey; election last held on 24 June 2018 (next to be held in June 2022)

head of government

President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (since 10 August 2014); note - a 2017 constitutional referendum eliminated the post of prime minister after the 2018 general election

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 the Ottoman Empire, which preceded modern-day Turkey; the crescent moon and star serve as insignia for Turkic peoples; according to one interpretation, the flag represents the reflection of the moon and a star in a pool of blood of Turkish warriors

Government Type

parliamentary republic

Independence

29 October 1923 (republic proclaimed succeeding the Ottoman Empire)

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International Organization Participation

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

Judicial Branch

highest courts

Constitutional Court or Anayasa Mahkemesi (consists of the president, 2 vice presidents, and 12 judges); Court of Cassation (consists of about 390 judges and is organized into civil and penal chambers); Council of State (organized into 15 divisions - 14 judicial and 1 consultative - each with a division head and at least 5 members)

judge selection and term of office

Constitutional Court members - 3 appointed by the Grand National Assembly and 12 by the president of the republic; court president and 2 deputy court presidents appointed from among its members for 4-year terms; judges serve 12-year, nonrenewable terms with mandatory retirement at age 65; Court of Cassation judges appointed by the Board of Judges and Prosecutors, a 13-member body of judicial officials; Court of Cassation judges seve until retirement at age 65; Council of State members appointed by the Board and by the president of the republic; members serve renewable, 4-year terms

subordinate courts

regional appeals courts; basic (first instance) courts; peace courts; military courts; state security courts; specialized courts, including administrative and audit; note - a constitutional amendment in 2017 abolished military courts unless established to investigate military personnel actions during war conditions

Legal System

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

Legislative Branch

description

unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi (600 seats - increased from 560 seats beginning with June 2018 election; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms - increased from 4 to 5 years beginning with June 2018 election)

election results

percent of vote by party - People's Alliance (AKP and MHP) 53.7%, National Alliance (CHP, SP, IVI) 33.9%, HDP 11.7%, other 0.7%; seats by party - People's Alliance 344, National Alliance 189, HDP 67; composition - men 496, women 104, percent of women 17.3%; note - only parties surpassing a 10% threshold can win parliamentary seats

elections

last held on 24 June 2018 (next to be held on June 2023)

National Anthem

lyrics/music

Mehmet Akif ERSOY/Zeki UNGOR

name

"Istiklal Marsi" (Independence March)

note

lyrics adopted 1921, music adopted 1932; the anthem's original music was adopted in 1924; a new composition was agreed upon in 1932

National Holiday

Republic Day, 29 October (1923)

National Symbol S

star and crescent; national colors: red, white

Political Parties And Leaders

Democrat Party or DP [Gultekin UYSAL]Democratic Left Party or DSP [Onder AKSAKAL]Felicity Party or SP [Temel KARAMOLLAOGLU]Good Party or IYI [Meral AKSENER]Grand Unity Party or BBP [Mustafa DESTICI]Justice and Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]Nationalist Movement Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI]Patriotic Party or VP [Dogu PERINCEK]People's Democratic Party or HDP [Selahattin DEMIRTAS and Serpil KEMALBAY]; note - DEMIRTAS was detained by Turkish authorities in November 2016 over his alleged links to the PKKRepublican People's Party or CHP [Kemal KILICDAROGLU]True Path Party or DYP [Cetin OZACIRGOZ]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

expenditures

185.8 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

172.8 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

5.25% (31 December 2011)

15% (22 December 2009)

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

15.77% (31 December 2017 est.)

14.74% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current Account Balance

-$47.44 billion (2017 est.)

-$33.14 billion (2016 est.)

Debt External

$452.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$404.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

40.2 (2010)

43.6 (2003)

Economy Overview

Turkey's largely free-market economy is driven by its industry and, increasingly, service sectors, although its traditional agriculture sector still accounts for about 25% of employment. The automotive, petrochemical, and electronics industries have risen in importance and surpassed the traditional textiles and clothing sectors within Turkey's export mix. However, the recent period of political stability and economic dynamism has given way to domestic uncertainty and security concerns, which are generating financial market volatility and weighing on Turkey’s economic outlook.Current government policies emphasize populist spending measures and credit breaks, while implementation of structural economic reforms has slowed. The government is playing a more active role in some strategic sectors and has used economic institutions and regulators to target political opponents, undermining private sector confidence in the judicial system. Between July 2016 and March 2017, three credit ratings agencies downgraded Turkey’s sovereign credit ratings, citing concerns about the rule of law and the pace of economic reforms.Turkey remains highly dependent on imported oil and gas but is pursuing energy relationships with a broader set of international partners and taking steps to increase use of domestic energy sources including renewables, nuclear, and coal. The joint Turkish-Azerbaijani Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline is moving forward to increase transport of Caspian gas to Turkey and Europe, and when completed will help diversify Turkey's sources of imported gas.After Turkey experienced a severe financial crisis in 2001, Ankara adopted financial and fiscal reforms as part of an IMF program. The reforms strengthened the country's economic fundamentals and ushered in an era of strong growth, averaging more than 6% annually until 2008. An aggressive privatization program also reduced state involvement in basic industry, banking, transport, power generation, and communication. Global economic conditions and tighter fiscal policy caused GDP to contract in 2009, but Turkey's well-regulated financial markets and banking system helped the country weather the global financial crisis, and GDP growth rebounded to around 9% in 2010 and 2011, as exports and investment recovered following the crisis.The growth of Turkish GDP since 2016 has revealed the persistent underlying imbalances in the Turkish economy. In particular, Turkey’s large current account deficit means it must rely on external investment inflows to finance growth, leaving the economy vulnerable to destabilizing shifts in investor confidence. Other troublesome trends include rising unemployment and inflation, which increased in 2017, given the Turkish lira’s continuing depreciation against the dollar. Although government debt remains low at about 30% of GDP, bank and corporate borrowing has almost tripled as a percent of GDP during the past decade, outpacing its emerging-market peers and prompting investor concerns about its long-term sustainability.

Exchange Rates

Turkish liras (TRY) per US dollar -

3.628 (2017 est.)

3.0201 (2016 est.)

3.0201 (2015 est.)

2.72 (2014 est.)

2.1885 (2013 est.)

Exports

$166.2 billion (2017 est.)

$150.2 billion (2016 est.)

Exports Commodities

apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment

Exports Partners

Germany 9.6%, UK 6.1%, UAE 5.9%, Iraq 5.8%, US 5.5%, Italy 5.4%, France 4.2%, Spain 4% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services

24.9% (2017 est.)

government consumption

14.5% (2017 est.)

household consumption

59.1% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-29.4% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

29.8% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

1.1% (2017 est.)

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

6.8% (2017 est.)

industry

32.3% (2017 est.)

services

60.7% (2017 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$851.5 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$27,000 (2017 est.)

$25,500 (2016 est.)

$25,000 (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$2.186 trillion (2017 est.)

$2.034 trillion (2016 est.)

$1.972 trillion (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Real Growth Rate

7.4% (2017 est.)

3.2% (2016 est.)

6.1% (2015 est.)

Gross National Saving

25.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

24.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

24.8% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%

30.3% (2008)

lowest 10%

30.3% (2008)

Imports

$225.1 billion (2017 est.)

$191.1 billion (2016 est.)

Imports Commodities

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

Imports Partners

China 10%, Germany 9.1%, Russia 8.4%, US 5.1%, Italy 4.8% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

9.1% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

11.1% (2017 est.)

7.8% (2016 est.)

Labor Force

31.3 million (2017 est.)

note

this number is for the domestic labor force only; number does not include about 1.2 million Turks working abroad, nor refugees

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture

18.4%

industry

26.6%

services

54.9% (2016)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

$188.9 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$219.8 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$195.7 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

21.9% (2015 est.)

Public Debt

28.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

28.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

$107.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$106.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$119.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$108.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

$47.44 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$38.31 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment At Home

$180.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$133.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$610.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$549.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

$119.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$108.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes And Other Revenues

20.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

10.9% (2017 est.)

10.9% (2016 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

379.5 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

521,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Production

245,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

341.6 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

electrification - total population

100% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

231.1 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

1.442 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

53% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

33% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

6.33 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

78.5 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

261.9 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

53.6 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

622.9 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

55.13 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

368.1 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

5.097 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

989,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

141,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

560,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

657,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

15 (2017 est.)

total

11,924,905 (2017 est.)

Broadcast Media

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

Internet Country Code

.tr

Internet Users

percent of population

58.3% (July 2016 est.)

total

46,838,412 (July 2016 est.)

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; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 105 telephones per 100 persons (2016)

general assessment

comprehensive telecommunications network undergoing rapid modernization and expansion, especially in mobile-cellular services (2016)

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 (2016)

Telephones Fixed Lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

14 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

11,308,444 (2017 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

96 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

77,800,170 (2017 est.)

Airports

98 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

17 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m

38 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

16 (2013)

over 3,047 m

16 (2013)

total

91 (2013)

under 914 m

4 (2013)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

4 (2013)

total

7 (2013)

under 914 m

2 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

TC (2016)

Heliports

20 (2013)

Merchant Marine

by type

bulk carrier 78, container ship 50, general cargo 432, oil tanker 121, other 604 (2017)

total

1,285 (2017)

National Air Transport System

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

2,882,162,000 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

96,604,665 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

531 (2015)

number of registered air carriers

15 (2015)

Pipelines

12603 km gas, 3038 km oil (2016)

Ports And Terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Ambarli (2,803,133), Mersin (Icel) (1,453,000) (2016)

LNG terminal(s) (import)

Izmir Aliaga, Marmara Ereglisi

major seaport(s)

Aliaga, Ambarli, Diliskelesi, Eregli, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit), Mersin (Icel), Limani, Yarimca

Railways

standard gauge

12,008 km 1.435-m gauge (3,216 km electrified) (2014)

total

12,008 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

352,268 km (includes 2,127 km of expressways) (2012)

total

385,754 km (2012)

unpaved

33,486 km (2012)

Waterways

1,200 km (2010)

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 Forces (Turk Hava Kuvvetleri) (2013)

Military Expenditures

1.73% of GDP (2016)

1.85% of GDP (2015)

1.9% of GDP (2014)

1.96% of GDP (2013)

2.05% of GDP (2012)

Military Note

the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has actively pursued the goal of asserting civilian control over the military since first taking power in 2002; the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) role in internal security has been significantly reduced; the TSK leadership continues to be an influential institution within Turkey, but plays a much smaller role in politics; the Turkish military remains focused on the threats emanating from the Syrian civil war, Russia's actions in Ukraine, and the PKK insurgency; primary domestic threats are listed as fundamentalism (with the definition in some dispute with the civilian government), separatism (Kurdish discontent), and the extreme left wing; Ankara strongly opposed establishment of an autonomous Kurdish region in Iraq; an overhaul of the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) taking place under the "Force 2014" program is to produce 20-30% smaller, more highly trained forces characterized by greater mobility and firepower and capable of joint and combined operations; the TLFC has taken on increasing international peacekeeping responsibilities including in Afghanistan; the Turkish Navy is a regional naval power that wants to develop the capability to project power beyond Turkey's coastal waters; the Navy is heavily involved in NATO, multinational, and UN operations; its roles include control of territorial waters and security for sea lines of communications; the Turkish Air Force adopted an "Aerospace and Missile Defense Concept" in 2002 and has initiated project work on an integrated missile defense system; Air Force priorities include attaining a modern deployable, survivable, and sustainable force structure, and establishing a sustainable command and control system; Turkey is a NATO ally and hosts NATO's Land Forces Command in Izmir, as well as the AN/TPY-2 radar as part of NATO Missile Defense (2014)

Military Service Age And Obligation

21-41 years of age for male compulsory military service (in case of mobilization, up to 65 years of age); 18 years of age for voluntary service; 12-month conscript obligation for non-university graduates, 6-12 months for university graduates (graduates of higher education may perform 6 months of military service as short-term privates, or 12 months as reserve officers); conscripts are called to register at age 20, for service at 21; women serve in the Turkish Armed Forces only as officers; reserve obligation to age 41; Turkish citizens with a residence or work permit who have worked abroad for at least 3 years (1095 days) can be exempt from military service in exchange for 6,000 EUR or its equivalent in foreign currencies; a law passed in December 2014 introduced a one-time payment scheme which exempted Turkish citizens 27 and older from conscription in exchange for a payment of $8,150 (2013)

Disputes International

complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in the Aegean Seastatus of north Cyprus question remainsTurkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in Iraqin 2009, Swiss mediators facilitated an accord reestablishing diplomatic ties between Armenia and Turkey, but neither side has ratified the agreement and the rapprochement effort has falteredTurkish authorities have complained that blasting from quarries in Armenia might be damaging the medieval ruins of Ani, on the other side of the Arpacay valley

Illicit Drugs

key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe and, to a lesser extent, the US - via air, land, and sea routes; major Turkish and other international trafficking organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert imported morphine base into heroin exist in remote regions of Turkey and near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and over output of poppy straw concentrate; lax enforcement of money-laundering controls

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

IDPs

1.113 million (displaced from 1984-2005 because of fighting between the Kurdish PKK and Turkish military; most IDPs are Kurds from eastern and southeastern provinces; no information available on persons displaced by development projects) (2017)

refugees (country of origin)

3,622,366 (Syria), 170,000 (Afghanistan), 142,000 (Iraq), 39,000 (Iran), 5,700 (Somalia) (2018)

stateless persons

117 (2017)

Terrorist Groups Foreign Based

al-Nusrah Front

aim(s): overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-ASAD's regime, absorb like-minded Syrian rebel groups, and ultimately, establish a regional Islamic caliphatearea(s) of operation: some facilitation networks (April 2018)

al-Qa'ida (AQ)

aim(s): radicalize the Turkish populace and eventually overthrow the Turkish Government as part of a long-term plan to establish a pan-Islamic caliphate under a strict Salafi Muslim interpretation of shariaarea(s) of operation: maintains facilitation networks (April 2018)

Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)

aim(s): advance Kurdish autonomy, political, and cultural rights in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syriaarea(s) of operation: operational predominantly in the southeast; the group's primary targets include government, military, and security personnel and facilities; majority of members inside Turkey are Turkish Kurds, along with Kurds from Iran, Iraq, and Syria; the group is outlawed in Turkey (April 2018)

Terrorist Groups Home Based

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) networks in Turkey

aim(s): replace the Turkish Government with an Islamic state and implement ISIS's strict interpretation of shariaarea(s) of operation: moves fighters and supplies across the Turkey-Syria border; has periodically conducted attacks against civilian and government security targets (April 2018)

Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C)

aim(s): install a Marxist-Leninist government in Turkeyarea(s) of operation: membership centered in Turkey, leadership primarily spread throughout Europe; in recent years has revived its attacks against Turkish Government elements, primarily in Istanbul; outlawed in Turkey (April 2018)