Portal:Turkey

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Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a smaller part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran to the east; Iraq, Syria, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south; and the Aegean Sea, Greece, and Bulgaria to the west. Turkey is home to over 86 million people; most are ethnic Turks, while Kurds are the largest ethnic minority. Officially a secular state, Turkey has a Muslim-majority population. Ankara is Turkey's capital and second-largest city. Istanbul is its largest city and economic center. Other major cities include İzmir, Bursa, and Antalya.

First inhabited by modern humans during the Late Paleolithic, present-day Turkey was home to various ancient peoples. The Hattians were assimilated by the Hittites and other Anatolian peoples. Classical Anatolia transitioned into cultural Hellenization after Alexander the Great's conquests, and later Romanization during the Roman and Byzantine eras. The Seljuk Turks began migrating into Anatolia in the 11th century, starting the Turkification process. The Seljuk Sultanate of Rum ruled Anatolia until the Mongol invasion in 1243, when it disintegrated into Turkish principalities. Beginning in 1299, the Ottomans united the principalities and expanded. Mehmed II conquered Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) in 1453. During the reigns of Selim I and Suleiman the Magnificent, the Ottoman Empire became a global power. From 1789 onwards, the empire saw major changes, reforms, centralization, and rising nationalism while its territory declined.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, persecution of Muslims during the Ottoman contraction and in the Russian Empire resulted in large-scale loss of life and mass migration into modern-day Turkey from the Balkans, Caucasus, and Crimea. Under the control of the Three Pashas, the Ottoman Empire entered World War I in 1914, during which the Ottoman government committed genocides against its Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian subjects. Following Ottoman defeat, the Turkish War of Independence resulted in the abolition of the sultanate and the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne. Turkey emerged as a more homogenous nation state. The Republic was proclaimed on 29 October 1923, modelled on the reforms initiated by its founder and first president, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Turkey remained neutral during most of World War II, but was involved in the Korean War. Several military interventions interfered with the transition to a multi-party system.

Turkey is an upper-middle-income and emerging country; its economy is the world's 16th-largest by nominal and 11th-largest by PPP-adjusted GDP. As the 15th-largest electricity producer in the world, Turkey aims to become a hub for regional energy transportation. It is a unitary presidential republic. Turkey is a founding member of the OECD, G20, and Organization of Turkic States. With a geopolitically significant location, Turkey is a NATO member and has its second-largest military personnel. It may be recognized as an emerging, a middle, and a regional power. As an EU candidate, Turkey is part of the EU Customs Union.

Turkey has coastal plains, a high central plateau, and various mountain ranges with rising elevation eastwards. Turkey's climate is diverse, ranging from Mediterranean and other temperate climates to semi-arid and continental types. Home to three biodiversity hotspots, Turkey is prone to frequent earthquakes and is highly vulnerable to climate change. Turkey has a universal healthcare system, growing access to education, and increasing levels of innovativeness. It is a leading TV content exporter. With numerous UNESCO World Heritage sites and intangible cultural heritage inscriptions, and a rich and diverse cuisine, Turkey is the fourth most visited country in the world. (Full article...)

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Map of the Turkish people around the world

Turks (Turkish: Türkler), or Turkish people, are the largest Turkic ethnic group, comprising the majority of the population of Turkey and Northern Cyprus. They generally speak the various Turkish dialects. In addition, centuries-old ethnic Turkish communities still exist across other former territories of the Ottoman Empire. Article 66 of the Constitution of Turkey defines a Turk as anyone who is a citizen of the Turkish state. While the legal use of the term Turkish as it pertains to a citizen of Turkey is different from the term's ethnic definition, the majority of the Turkish population (an estimated 70 to 75 percent) are of Turkish ethnicity. The vast majority of Turks are Sunni Muslims, with a notable minority practicing Alevism.

The ethnic Turks can therefore be distinguished by a number of cultural and regional variants, but do not function as separate ethnic groups. In particular, the culture of the Anatolian Turks in Asia Minor has underlain and influenced the Turkish nationalist ideology. Other Turkish groups include the Rumelian Turks (also referred to as Balkan Turks) historically located in the Balkans; Turkish Cypriots on the island of Cyprus, Meskhetian Turks originally based in Meskheti, Georgia; and ethnic Turkish people across the Middle East, where they are also called Turkmen or Turkoman in the Levant (e.g. Iraqi Turkmen, Syrian Turkmen, Lebanese Turkmen, etc.). Consequently, the Turks form the largest minority group in Bulgaria, the second largest minority group in Iraq, Libya, North Macedonia, and Syria, and the third largest minority group in Kosovo. They also form substantial communities in the Western Thrace region of Greece, the Dobruja region of Romania, the Akkar region in Lebanon, as well as minority groups in other post-Ottoman Balkan and Middle Eastern countries. The mass immigration of Turks also led to them forming the largest ethnic minority group in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands. There are also Turkish communities in other parts of Europe as well as in North America, Australia, and the post-Soviet states. Turks are the 13th largest ethnic group in the world. (Full article...)

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General images

The following are images from various Turkey-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1A Turkish belly dancer (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 2Selection of Turkish food (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 3Thrace and the Thracian Odrysian kingdom in its maximum extent under Sitalces (431-424 BC) (from History of Turkey)
Image 4An oil wrestling tournament (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 5View of Beydağları Coastal National Park (from Geography of Turkey)
Image 6A view of Levent from Kanlıca across the Bosporus. (from Geography of Turkey)
Image 7Kilitbahir in Gallipoli (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 8Kitesurfers in Akyaka, Muğla (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 9The sultan of the golden age, Suleiman the Magnificent. (from History of Turkey)
Image 10Elif Şafak, a prominent writer and LGBT activist. (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 11A lady handweaves a carpet in Cappadocia (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 12Beaches and marina of Kemer near Antalya on the Turkish Riviera. (from Geography of Turkey)
Image 13Visit of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany to Turkey in October 1917. Together with the Mehmed V and Enver Pasha (from History of Turkey)
Image 14View of Dilek Peninsula-Büyük Menderes Delta National Park (from Geography of Turkey)
Image 15Karagöz and Hacivat are the lead characters of Turkish shadow play, popularized during the Ottoman period. (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 16Hıdırellez celebrations (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 17Map showing the Anatolian Plate, the North Anatolian Fault and East Anatolian Fault in Turkey. (from Geography of Turkey)
Image 18Nuri Bilge Ceylan (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 19Roosevelt, İnönü and Churchill at the Second Cairo Conference which was held between 4–6 December 1943. (from History of Turkey)
Image 20Kaçkar Mountains. (from Geography of Turkey)
Image 21Recaizade Mahmud Ekrem (1847–1914) was another prominent Turkish poet of the late Ottoman era. (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 22Turkish coffee (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 23Tevfik Fikret (1867–1915) was a prominent Turkish poet of the late Ottoman era. (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 24A woman in traditional clothing (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 25Aziz Sancar was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 26Map of earthquakes in Turkey 1900–2023 (from Geography of Turkey)
Image 27Regions of Roman Anatolia (from History of Turkey)
Image 28The Ottoman Empire in 1683, at the start of the Great Turkish War (1683–1699) (from History of Turkey)
Image 29Bronze Age Anatolia (from History of Turkey)
Image 30100th year anniversary in Republic Day (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 31Atatürk on the cover of the Time magazine, Vol. I No. 4, March 24, 1923. Title: "Mustapha Kemal Pasha" (from History of Turkey)
Image 32Istanbul (from Geography of Turkey)
Image 33Yalıs along Sarıyer (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 34Mehmed II enters Constantinople by Fausto Zonaro (from History of Turkey)
Image 35'Two Musician Girls' of Osman Hamdi Bey. (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 36Turkish folk dance regions (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 37Halide Edip Adıvar was a novelist, teacher, and a nationalist and feminist intellectual. (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 38Ankara (from Geography of Turkey)
Image 39Antalya (from Geography of Turkey)
Image 40Mount Erciyes near Kayseri (from Geography of Turkey)
Image 41Turkey women's national volleyball team won 22 consecutive matches in 2023. In that period, they completed the Nations League, European Championship and Olympic Qualification Round / FIVB World Cup matches undefeated. Being the first team to do so in history. (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 42Lake Van (from Geography of Turkey)
Image 43Sami Frashëri (1850–1904) and his wife Emine, May 1884. (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 44Köppen climate types of Turkey (from Geography of Turkey)
Image 45Turkish national basketball team won the silver medal in the 2010 FIBA World Championship. (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 46Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul, built by the Balyan family (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 47Topkapı Palace in Seraglio Point (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 48Mount Ararat (from Geography of Turkey)
Image 49Selimiye Mosque in Edirne (1568–1574) (from Culture of Turkey)
Image 50Istanbul LGBT Pride 2013 at Taksim Square during Gezi Park protests (from History of Turkey)

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... that the Khedive Palace in Istanbul, Turkey, once a mansion for Ottoman governors, now serves as an upscale restaurant? (December 15, 2008) Wikipedia:Recent additions 236
... that yaylag, the Turkic tradition of moving to highland pastures in the summer, started in the fourth millennium BCE? (April 12, 2007) Wikipedia:Recent additions 133
... that as requested in his will, the grave of Turkish folk singer Neşet Ertaş was placed at the foot of his father's? (November 14, 2012)
... that Trabzonspor were the first Turkish soccer team entitled to participate in the UEFA Women's Champions League? (September 19, 2009) Wikipedia:Recent additions 248
... that Kazakhstan and Turkey have sought to promote closer bilateral relations and foster close ties between Turkic nations of Central Asia? (October 16, 2008) Wikipedia:Recent additions 232
... that the Şeyh Süleyman Mosque in Istanbul was almost certainly an annex of Constantinople's Monastery of Pantokrator in the Byzantine Age? (December 8, 2010)
... that Levantine architect of French descent Raymond Charles Père (1854-1929), who designed the landmark of Izmir (pictured) in Turkey, was a native of Izmir? (February 18, 2009) Wikipedia:Recent additions 241

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Image 1The tughra of Mahmud II. "Mahmud Han bin Abdulhamid muzaffer daima" ("Mahmud Khan son of Abdulhamid is forever victorious").
Image 2A faculty of Sakarya University
Image 3the Bosphorus Bridge
Image 4Lahmacun
Image 5Ölüdeniz
Image 6Antalya
Image 7A Kocek
Image 8Cappadocia
Image 9Tünel, Istanbul
Image 10The ancient Lake Abant Nature Park in Bolu
Image 11Flag of Turkey, from flowers
Image 12Kemer
Image 13the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne
Image 14Safranbolu
Image 151. picture on portal: The prominent towers of Dayro d-Mor Gabriel; 15th December 2005
Image 16Rize
Image 17Lake Akdoğan in Muş
Image 18An airplane with a nazar boncuğu symbol that is said to offer protection from the "evil eye".
Image 19Aydilge Sarp; Turkish singer, songwriter and novelist
Image 2018th-century Ottoman barber's apron
Image 21Mount Nemrut
Image 22The sun setting over the Golden Horn in the city of Istanbul.
Image 23Tarkan with Hungarian fans
Image 24The Temple of Athena at Priene, an ancient site near Turunçlar in Aydın province.
Image 25Iznik, 16th-century vase
Image 26A tram in Istanbul
Image 27Atatürk praying

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Tuncay in 2016

Tuncay Şanlı (Turkish pronunciation: [tunˈdʒaj ˈʃanɫɯ]; born 16 January 1982), often known mononymously as Tuncay, is a Turkish former footballer.

He naturally played as a striker, but was also positioned as an attacking midfielder and on either wing. He was in the Turkey team that finished in third place in both the 2003 Confederations Cup and the 2008 European Championships. With 22 international goals in 80 caps, he is Turkey's third-highest scorer of all time, and tenth-most capped player. (Full article...)

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Video shot in Goreme in Cappadocia showing the terrain

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Videos from Turkey on Wikimedia Commons

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“

Today the Soviet Union is a friend and an ally. We need this friendship. However, no one can know what will happen tomorrow. Just like the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires it may tear itself apart or shrink in size. The people that it holds so tightly in its grip may one day slip away. The world may see a new balance of power. It is then that Turkey must know what to do. Ally Soviets have under their control our brothers with whom we share language, beliefs and roots. We must be prepared to embrace them. Being ready does not mean that we will sit quietly and wait. We must get ready. How does a people get prepared for such an endeavour? By strengthening the natural bridges that exist between us. Language is a bridge... Religion is a bridge... History is a bridge... We must delve into our roots and reconstruct what history has divided. We can't wait for them to approach us. We must reach out to them.

”

29 October 1933 ~ Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

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Turkish proverbs in Wikiquote

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Recognized content

	Alanya, Byzantine Empire, SMS Goeben, The Turk, List of sultans of the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul, Italian War of 1521–1526, Italian War of 1542–1546, List of battleships of the Ottoman Empire, Rhodes blood libel
	2004 Istanbul summit, 2008 Turkish Grand Prix, Battle of Manzikert, Battle of Marash, Battle of Vaslui, Church of St. Polyeuctus, First Crusade, Great Zab, Hood event, Limyra Bridge, Siege of Szigetvár, Night Attack at Târgoviște, Third Perso-Turkic War, Walls of Constantinople, Gallipoli Campaign, Battle of Lone Pine