“Cradle of Civilizations”, “Mosaic of Cultures”, “Land where the Continents meet”…
these are only few of the many names given to Asia Minor, or the geographical area where today the modern Republic of Turkey is located. It is here where the world’s first cities were built, the first coins were minted and the first Christian churches erected, where there is much more to discover that defines the modern civilizations of today!

The best preserved beaches and the least polluted waters of the Mediterranean and Aegean coast, the high mountains of East Anatolia, the fertile plains of Central Anatolia and the green coast of the Black Sea – all those feature Turkey’s landscape. People from 51 different backgrounds live there as one, united peacefully as Turkish Citizens. All of those speak their own languages, practice their individual religions, and retain their century old culture and traditions while still calling themselves Turkish Citizens.

With its modern cities, magnificently preserved ancient settlements, natural as well as cultural wonders and its people of such diverse ethnic origins, Turkey has so much to offer to its visitors that one year alone would hardly be enough to discover all its beauties and mysteries. Regardless where you are from, be it from North, Central or Latin America, Western or Eastern Europe, Near or Far East, you will at ease here at once and enjoy the world-famous hospitality of Turkish families

Facts at a glance »»

Country name: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti / Republic of Turkey
Area: 814,578 km²
Population: 70 million
Capital city: Ankara
Language: Turkish, official language of the country, belongs to the Ural-Altaic group and has an affinity with the Finno-Hungarian languages. Turkish is written using the Latin alphabet and is spoken by an estimated 150 million people around the world.
Religion: The majority of the Turkish population is Muslim, while there are Jewish, Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Protestant minorities as well. The Turkish constitution grants it’s people freedom of religion, hence everybody is free to choose his religion based on personal belief. The constitution also ask for a separation of Religion and State, which means that Islamic law is not implemented in the Turkish legal system.
Government: Secular parliamentary democracy
President: Abdullah Gül

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Geography »»

Turkey is located on both, the Asian as well as the European continent. The two parts are separated by the Sea of Marmara, which is connected to the Black Sea as well as the Mediterranean through the two straits northern and southern to it, known as the Bosporus and the Dardanelles.
Anatolia is a high plateau rising progressively towards the east, broken up by the valleys of some 15 rivers including the Tigris and the Euphrates. There are numerous lakes and some, such as Lake Van, are as large as inland seas. In the North, the eastern Black Sea Mountain chain runs parallel to the Black sea; in the Mediterranean south, the Taurus Mountains sweep down almost all the way to the narrow, fertile coastal plain along the coast. Turkey enjoys a variety of climates, ranging from the temperate climate of the Black Sea region, to the continental climate of the interior and the Mediterranean climate of the Aegean and Mediterranean coastal regions. The coastline of Turkey’s four seas adds up to more than 8,333 km.

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Climate »»

Black Sea Coast: Warm summers, mild winters and relatively high rainfall.
Central Anatolia: Steppe climate with hot, dry summers and cold winters.
Eastern Anatolia: Long snowy, cold winters and mild summers.
Southeast Anatolia: Hot summers and mild, rainy winters.
Aegean and the Mediterranean: Hot and humid summers and mild, rainy winters.

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History »»

Turkey has been called “The Cradle of Civilizations” and by traveling through this historic land people will discover what is meant by that phrase. The world’s first town, a Neolithic city at Çatalhöyük dates back to 6,500 BC. From the days of Çatalhöyük up to the present, Turkey has seen a millennia old history and was host to many of the ancient richest civilizations. Since then Turkey is blessed with a great cultural wealth and some of the most important archeological sources for ancient history.
Hattians, Hittites, Phrygians, Urartians, Lycians, Lydians, Ionians, Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans have all contributed greatly to the Turkish history. Ancient sites and ruins of those times are scattered throughout the country and provide evidence of each civilization’s unique qualities and wealth.

Turkey’s recent history is equally fascinating. After the decline of the Ottoman Empire, a young man named Mustafa Kemal, who was a soldier by occupation but should proof as a visionary by character, will always be linked with the modern Turkish Republic. After the Empire’s defeat in World War I he liberated Turkey from invaders and proclaimed the Republic of Turkey on October 29th, 1923. From that day on, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk would also be the first president of the newly founded Republic. In this position he led the young country into peace and stability, with strong economic growth and a complete modernization. Supported by the Turkish people he and his followers established a secular, modern state that combined the Western and Eastern values and lifestyles in a unique and unprecedented way. Through decades of change and growth, Turkey still sees its success, living up to its adopted motto, once proclaimed by Atatürk:

“Peace at Home, Peace in the World.”

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Economy »»

Agriculture: Today agriculture still plays a significant role in Turkey’s economy. The main crops are wheat, rice, cotton, tea, tobacco, hazelnuts and fruit. Turkey’s most important livestock are sheep and Turkey is one of the major cotton and wool producers.
Natural Resources: The principal minerals extracted are coal, chromium ore (one of Turkey’s most important export product up until the seventies), iron, copper, bauxite, marble and sulfur.
Industry:The Turkish industry is developing rapidly and its main outputs are processed agricultural products, metallurgy, textiles, electric and electronic household equipment as well as the manufacturing of automobiles and agricultural machinery.
Tourism: In recent years Turkey has become one of Europe’s major tourist destinations. With the rapid development of summer as well as winter resorts, more and more people from around the world are able to enjoy the history, culture and geography of Turkey. From swimming in the Mediterranean to skiing in Uludag, Turkey has something to offer to every Tourist.

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Political Structure »»

The Turkish Republic is based on a secular, democratic, pluralistic and parliamentary system, where law protects human rights and social justice. The Parliament is elected by popular vote and the nation is governed by the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. Turkey is a founding member of the OECD and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization, a member of NATO, the European Council and the European Parliament and is also an associate member of the European Union, preparing itself for full membership.

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Culture »»

Turkey uniquely combines the influences of East and West in its literature, art, music and architecture. If you visit a global city like Istanbul, you will see mosques standing side by side with churches, a shopping and entertainment district with 18th and 19th century European style houses as well as the famous Ottoman Grand Bazaar, possibly one of the most oriental shopping centers in the world.

We sing Turkish folk and classical music with friends when we drink “Raki” (an aniseed flavored alcoholic drink) and eat Turkish food. We have opera houses, philharmonic and symphonic orchestras and numerous museums of art, history, culture and military. We can truly boast of a very vivid pop, rock and jazz music scene with lots of young musicians mixing eastern and western sounds in the most creative ways. We also have international music, theatre and film festivals and biennials all throughout Turkey.

We like to cook and eat Ottoman food, which is an incredibly rich blend of all ethnic groups living in Turkey. Soccer is a national game for us and you will find plenty of opportunities and facilities to play the game, while of course there are opportunities for other sports as well.

Turkey’s modern writers have been translated into many languages and in their books you can find the most beautiful manifestation of our unique cross-cultural experience as Turkish people. Yashar Kemal, Orhan Pamuk, Aziz Nesin and Latife Tekin are only some of our most frequently translated writers.

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Events »»

Turkish people enjoy a number of festivals and celebrate four times a “Bayram” (Islamic religious holiday or national holiday) throughout the year. With spring, the festival season starts and it last until the end of September. If you are in Istanbul you can enjoy the International Istanbul Film Festival in April, several international Jazz, Blues and other music festivals in June, July, August and September, the theatre festival in March and April and the International Istanbul Biennial in September. Ankara, Antalya and Izmir also enjoy several festivals throughout the year. Twice a year we celebrate a religious “Bayram” in Turkey for a few days. The dates for those holidays are not fixed, as their position in the calendar shifts by 10 days with the Islamic calendar each year.

Our national days are:

January 1st (New Year’s Day)

April 23rd (National Independence and Children’s Day)

May 19th (Youth and Sports Day)

August 30th (Victory Day)

October 29 (Republic Day)

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Facts for the AFS Participant »»

Residence Permit: You have to apply for a residence permit within the first two months of your stay in Turkey. An Application costs around $60 and you need to submit 8 photos of yourself as well.
Vaccinations: Inoculation against Hepatitis B is recommended
Currency: New Turkish Lira (YTL), 1,35 YTL ~ 1 USD
Time: GMT+2
Electricity: 220V, 50Hz
Weights and measueres: metric
Business Hours: Monday-Friday 09:00-17:30
Shopping Hours: Monday-Saturday 09:00-19:00

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Attractions »»

With regard to its tourist attractions, Turkey is one of the world’s richest countries. Therefore we advise you to visit the official website of the Ministry of Culture for a broad range of information on Turkey’s major tourist venues.

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Activities »»

AFS Turkey has been organizing a welcome tour for the hosted students each year. However, you will have plenty of opportunities to travel with your host family during your stay here as well.

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Hemen Başvur!

Republic of Turkey

“Peace at home, peace in the world”

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Founder of Turkey

“Heroes who shed their blood and lost their lives! You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours. You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.”

A tribute to ANZACs who died in Gallipoli during the First World War, by Atatürk