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Turkey has been called "the cradle of civilization"by travelling through this historic land, tourists will discover exactly what is meant by this phrase. The world's first town, a neolithic city at Catalhoyuk, dates back to 6.500 B.C. From the days of Catalhoyuk up to the present. Turkey boasts a rich culture that through the centuries has made a lasting impression on modem civilization. The heir to many centuries of cultures makes Turkey a paradise of infotmation and cultural wealth. Hattis. Phrygians, Urartians, Lycians, Lydians, Ionians, Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans have all made important contributions to Turkish history and ancient sites and ruins scattered throughout the country give proof of each civilization's unique distinction. Turkey also has a very fascinating recent history. Upon the decline of the Ottoman Empire a young man named Mustafa Kemal Ataturk founded the Republic of Turkey on October 29, 1923. He led his country into peace and stabality, with tremendous esconomic growth and complete modemization. Through decades of change and growth, Turkey still boasts this success, living by its adopted motto of "Peace in the World"
According to a 1995 census, Turkey has 65 million inhabitants, 41 % of whom live in the countryside. The major cities are:Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Adana Antalya and Bursa. The Turkish language belongs to the Ural-Altaic group and has an affinity with the FinnoHungarian languages. Turkish is written in the Latin alphabet and is spoken by some 150 million people around world. Although Turkey is 99 % Moslem, it is a secular state that guarantees complete freedom of worship to non-Moslems. Tourism: In recent years, Turkey has become a major tourist destination in Europe. With the rapid development of both summer and winter resorts, more and more people from around the world are able to enjoy the history, culture and beautiful sites of Turkey. From swimming in the Mediterranean to skiing in Uludag, Turkey has something to offer every tourist. Agriculture:This plays a very important role in the Turkish economy. The main crops are weat, rice cotton, tea, tpbacco, hazlnuts and fruit. Sheep are Turkey's most important livestock, and Turkey is one of the major cotton and wool producers. Southeast Anatolia Projeject (GAP): GAP is a multi-purpose, integrated development project comprising of dams, hydroelectric power plants and irrigation facilities currently being on the Firat (Euphrates) and Dicle (Tigris) rivers. It will affect agriculture, transportation, education, tourism, health and other sectors. ATATURK DAM, included in the project, is among the first 10 dams in the world. Natural resources: The principal minerals extracted are coal, chrome (an important export), iron copper, bauxite, marble and sulphur. Industry: Industry is developing rapidly and is directed mainly towards the processing of agricultural products, metallurgy, textiles and the manufacture of automobiles and agricultural machinery.
The Turkish Republic is based on a secular democratic, pluralist and parliamentary system, where human rights are protected by law and social justice. The national Assembly is elected by popular vote and the nation is govemed by the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. Turkey is a founding member of OECD, the Black Sea Economic Coperation Organization, a member of NATO, th European Council and the European Parliament.
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