The Republic of Turkey is a transcontinental country located in South-East Europe and Western Asia. It’s bordered by eight countries, including Bulgaria, Greece, Iraq and Syria. Its application for membership in the European Union began in 2005 and is expected to take more than a decade to negotiate.
Turkey has an emerging market economy, meaning that it has the characteristics to become a developed market but is currently newly industrialised. It's one of the world’s leading producers of agricultural products, as well as textiles, motor vehicles, ships and electronics, with an estimated GDP of $820.827 billion. It has a growing private sector, although the state still has a noticeable input over the industry, banking, transport and communications. The country has fifteen floating docks and one dry dock with shipbuilding exports worth about $1.2 billion a year. The automotive industry is also prominent within Turkey with over one million vehicles being produced in 2012.
Turkey was listed as the sixth most popular tourist destination in 2013, bringing in over 35 million foreign visitors. It’s home to eleven heritage sites, including the Göreme national park and the archaeological site of Troy. To help accommodate this huge influx of visitors, Turkey is also currently aiming to build the world’s largest airport in Istanbul (Turkey’s largest city).
Turkey has a wide range of serviced apartments, mostly located in Istanbul, Ankara and Anatolia. With 21 airports and a developed road network, transport is relatively easy throughout the country. Serviced apartments offer the ideal accommodation option for both individuals and groups of corporate travellers looking for extended stays.
Key Facts
Capital: Ankara
Population: 74 million
Currency: Turkish Lira (kr) (TRY)
Dominant religion: Islam
Language: Turkish
Time Zone: (UTC+2)
Main exports: Clothing, Textiles, Metal manufactures
Internet domain: .tr
International dial code: +90