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Republic of Turkey
Trkiye Cumhuriyeti
A Teachers Guide
Compiled by the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies
Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University
http://ceres.georgetown.edu
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3-6
7-10
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Turkish Culture
12-14
13-16
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National anthem:
Name: "Istiklal Marsi" (Independence March)
Lyrics/music: Mehmet Akif Ersoy/Zeki Ungor
Note: lyrics adopted 1921, music adopted 1932; the anthem's original music was adopted in
1924; a new composition was agreed upon in 1932
Economy Overview: Turkey's largely free-market
economy is increasingly driven by its industry and
service sectors, although its traditional agriculture
sector still accounts for about 25% of employment. An
aggressive privatization program has reduced state
involvement in basic industry, banking, transport, and
communication, and an emerging cadre of middleclass entrepreneurs is adding dynamism to the
The Lira: is the currency of Turkey. On
January 1, 2005, the government removed six
economy and expanding production beyond the
zeros from the currency, and introduced the
traditional textiles and clothing sectors. The
new Turkish lira. New currency
automotive, construction, and electronics industries
denominations resemble those of the U.S. dollar.
are rising in importance and have surpassed textiles
Taken directly from
within Turkey's export mix. Oil began to flow through
http://www.tcmb.gov.tr/yeni/eng/
the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in May 2006,
marking a major milestone that will bring up to 1
million barrels per day from the Caspian to market. Several gas pipelines projects also are
moving forward to help transport Central Asian gas to Europe through Turkey, which over the
long term will help address Turkey's dependence on imported oil and gas to meet 97% of its
energy needs. 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. 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 rebounded strongly to around 9% in 2010-11, as exports returned
to normal levels following the recession. Growth dropped to roughly 3-4% in 2012-13. Turkey's
public sector debt to GDP ratio has fallen below 40%, and two rating agencies upgraded
Turkey's debt to investment grade in 2012 and 2013. Turkey remains dependent on often
volatile, short-term investment to finance its large current account deficit. The stock value of FDI
reached nearly $195 billion at year-end 2013, reflecting Turkey's robust growth even in the face
of economic turmoil in Europe, the source of much of Turkey's FDI. Turkey's relatively high
current account deficit, domestic political uncertainty, and turmoil within Turkey's neighborhood
leave the economy vulnerable to destabilizing shifts in investor confidence.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.167 trillion (2013 est.); Country comparison to the world:
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GDP - real growth rate: 3.8% (2013 est.); Country comparison to the world: 85
GDP - per capita (PPP): $15,300 (2013 est.); Country comparison to the world: 90
Agriculture: 8.9%
Industry: 27.3%
Services: 63.8% (2013 est.)
Agriculture: 25.5%
Industry: 26.2%
Services: 48.4% (2010)
Industries: textiles, food processing, autos, electronics, mining (coal, chromite, copper, boron),
steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper.
Current account balance: -$58.35 billion (2013 est.); Country comparison to the world: 187
Exports (commodities): apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment.
Exports (partners): Germany 8.6%, Iraq 7.1%, Iran 6.5%, UK 5.7%, UAE 5.4%, Russia 4.4%,
Italy 4.2%, France 4.1% (2012)
Imports (partners): Russia 11.3%, Germany 9%, China 9%, US 6%, Italy 5.6%, Iran 5.1%
(2012)
Debt (external): $359.5 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
Turkish liras (TRY) per US dollar: 1.899 (2013 est.)
Military service age and obligation: 21-41 years of age for male compulsory military service;
18 years of age for voluntary service; 15 months conscript obligation for non-university
graduates, 6-12 months for university graduates; 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; under a law passed in November 2011, men aged 30 and older, or who have worked 3
years in foreign countries, may pay $16,200 in lieu of mandatory military service (2013)
Military expenditures: 2.31% of GDP (2012); Country comparison to the world: 35
History of Turkey
_______
Text taken directly from Library of Congress Website:
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/trtoc.html
Mehmet II (1432-1481)
Mehmed II, byname Mehmed Fatih
(Turkish: Mehmed the Conqueror).
Mehmed may be considered the most
broadminded and freethinking of the
Ottoman sultans. A great military leader,
he captured Constantinople and
conquered the territories in Anatolia and
the Balkans that comprised the Ottoman
Empires heartland for the next four
centuries.
One of the tasks on which Mehmed II set
his heart was the restoration of
Constantinople. To encourage the return
of the Greeks, he returned their houses
and provided them with guarantees of
safety. He restored the Greek Orthodox
Patriarchate and established a Jewish
grand rabbi and an Armenian patriarch in
the city. Fifty years later, Constantinople
had become the largest city in Europe.
The conqueror reorganized the Ottoman
government and, for the first time,
codified the criminal law and the laws
relating to his subjects in one code,
whereas the constitution was elaborated
in another, the two codes forming the
nucleus of all subsequent legislation.
From:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/to
pic/373174/Mehmed-II
enemies--Persia, Poland, Austria, and Russia. The implications of the decline of Ottoman power,
the vulnerability and attractiveness of the empire's vast holdings, the stirrings of nationalism
among its subject peoples, and the periodic crises resulting from these and other factors became
collectively known to European diplomats in the nineteenth century as "the Eastern Question." In
1853 Tsar Nicholas I of Russia described the Ottoman
Empire as "the sick man of Europe."
The 1860s and early 1870s saw the emergence of the
Young Ottoman movement among Western-oriented
intellectuals who wanted to see the empire accepted as
an equal by the European powers. They sought to adopt
Western political institutions, including an efficient
centralized government, an elected parliament, and a
written constitution. The "Ottomanism" they advocated
also called for an integrated dynastic state that would
subordinate Islam to secular interests and allow nonMuslim subjects to participate in representative
parliamentary institutions.
On August 2, 1914, the Ottomans concluded a secret
treaty of alliance with Germany. Within eight months,
the Ottoman army of about 800,000 men was engaged in
a four-front war that became part of the greater conflict
of World War I. The Ottoman government signed an
armistice at Mudros on October 30, 1918 and on April
1920th the Treaty of Svres, which partitioned the
Empire amongst the Allies.
Atatrk returned to Istanbul at the end of the war, his
military reputation untarnished by the defeat of the
empire that he had served. Revered by his troops as well
as the Turkish masses, Atatrk soon emerged as the
standard-bearer of the Turkish nationalist movement
that resisted the dismemberment of Turkish-speaking
areas by the Allies. After several years of fighting, in
July 1923 the Treaty of Lausanne recognized the
present-day territory of Turkey.
Modern Turkey:
On assuming office, Atatrk initiated a series of radical
reforms of the country's political, social, and economic
life that were aimed at rapidly transforming Turkey into
a modern state. A secular legal code, modeled along
European lines, was introduced that completely altered
laws affecting women, marriage, and family relations.
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7000 BC Catalhoyuk in central Turkey is considered the worlds first urban center.
1250 BC The Trojan War fought between the armies of Troy and Achaea.
323 BC Temple of Artemis, considered one of the 7 architectural wonders of the ancient world.
537 AD Hagia Sofia, the largest church in the world, was built by Emperor Justinian.
11th-14th AD Turkish Seljuk Empire conquers and rules Anatolia
1299 AD Beginning of the Ottoman Empire.
1453 AD Constantinople (now Istanbul) fell to Sultan Mehmet II.
1534 AD Ottoman Empire extended from Hungary to Baghdad.
1718 AD Beginning of the Tulip Era (Arts, Culture, Architecture flourish)
1914-23 During WWI Ottoman Empire collapses
(Following Text taken directly from BBC News. Timeline: Turkey. Available at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/1023189.stm)
Turkish Culture
_______
Text taken directly from the World InfoZone. Turkey Information. Available at:
http://www.worldinfozone.com/country.php?country=Turkey
Food
A Turkish meze.
Arts
Turkey's history has left a rich legacy in the arts. Its earliest art dates back to prehistory. Large
wall paintings from Neolithic times have been found at the site of Catalhoyuk, 45 km south of
Konya.
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Byzantine frescoes and mosaics can be seen in churches converted by the Ottoman Turks into
mosques. One of the best examples of rediscovered Byzantine art is that found at the Kariye
Mosque, formerly the Church of St Saviour in Khora.
Poetry and music are an integral part of Turkish culture. The
oral tradition of poetry goes back to the early Turkish clans.
Various forms of poetry covered subjects such as nature,
love, courage, war and death. Music, classical, religious and
folk, has always been important to the Turkish way of life.
Turkish musical instruments include the baglama (a long
necked lute), cymbal, flute, zither and drums.
A Baglama
The creation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923 gave impetus to Turkish culture. The founder of
Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, encouraged the Turkish people to recognise their own culture.
Painting, sculpture and architecture flourished, with developments in the world of music, theatre
and film.
Sports
Turkish basketball and football are popular team games.
Turkey reached their first European Football Championship in 1996 and in 2000 played in the
quarter final of the UEFA Championship. The striker Hakan Sukur is said to be one of the best
Turkish football players of the twentieth century.
Other popular sports are athletics, weightlifting and wrestling. Gold medals have been awarded
at the Olympics for Greco-Roman wrestling, judo and weightlifting.
Turkey's long coastline and good weather are ideal for water sports such as diving and
windsurfing.
Holidays
Religious holy days include the Feast of Ramadan and the Feast of the Sacrifice.
Other holidays are New Year's Day (1 January), National Sovereignty & Children's Day (23
April), Ataturk's Commemoration & Youth and Sports Day (19 May), Victory Day (30 August)
and Republic Day (29 October 1923).
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There was once a woman who had a son. To whatever school she sent him, he always ran
away. Perplexed, the mother asked the boy "Where shall I send you?" To which he answered:
"Do not send me, but go with me; if I like the place I will not run away." So she took him with
her to market, and there they watched a number of men working at various handicrafts, and
among them was a wizard.
The boy was very much attracted by this last, and requested his mother to apprentice him
to the wizard. She went to the man and told him her son's desire. The matter was soon arranged
to their mutual satisfaction, and the boy was left with his master, as the wizard was henceforth to
be.
In the course of time the youth had learnt all that the wizard was able to teach him, and
one day his master said: "I will transform myself into a ram; take me to market and sell me, but
be sure to keep the rope." The youth agreed, and the wizard accordingly changed himself into a
ram. The youth took the animal to the auctioneer, who sold it in the marketplace. It was bought
by a man for five hundred piastres, but the youth kept the rope as he was instructed. In the
evening the master, having resumed his human form, escaped from the buyer of the ram and
came home.
Next day the wizard said to his pupil: "I am now going to transform myself into a horse;
take me and sell me, but guard the rope." "I understand," answered the youth, and led the horse
to market, where it was sold by auction for a thousand piastres. The pupil kept the rope,
however, and came home. An idea struck him: "Now let me see," said he to himself, "whether I
cannot help myself," and he went to his mother. "Mother," said he when they met, "I have learnt
all that was to be learnt. Many thanks for apprenticing me to that wizard; I shall now be able to
make a great deal of money." The poor woman did not understand what he meant, and said: "My
son, what will you do? I hope you are not going to run away again and give me further trouble."
"No," he answered. "Tomorrow I shall change myself into a bathing establishment, which you
will sell; but take care not to sell the key of the door with it, or I am lost."
While the youth was thus discoursing with his mother, the wizard escaped from the man
who had bought him as a horse, and came home. Finding his apprentice not there, he became
angry. "You good-for-nothing; you have sold me completely this time, it seems; but wait until
you fall into my hands again!" That night he remained at home, and next morning went out in
search of his truant pupil.
The youth transformed himself into a beautiful bathing establishment, which his mother
put up for sale by auction. All the people of the town were astonished at its magnificence, and
multitudes collected round the auctioneer. The wizard was among the crowd, and guessed at
once that this stately building was in reality his rascally pupil. He said nothing of that, however,
but when all the pashas, beys, and other people had bid their highest he bid higher still, and the
building was knocked down to him. The woman was called, and when the wizard was about to
hand her the money she explained that she could not give up the key. Then the wizard said he
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would not pay unless he received it. He showed her that he had
plenty of money, and observed to the woman that that particular
key was of no importance to her; she could easily buy another if
she must have one. Many of the bystanders expressed their
agreement with the purchaser, and as the woman knew not the
true significance of keeping the key, she parted with it to the
wizard in return for the price of the bathing establishment. When
she gave up the key the youth felt that his time had come, so he
changed himself into a bird and flew away. His master, however,
changed himself into a falcon and pursued him. They both flew a
long distance until they reached another town, where the
Padishah was entertaining himself with his court in the palace
garden.
As a last resource, the youth now changed himself into a
beautiful rose and fell at the feet of the Padishah. The King
expressed his surprise at seeing the rose, as that flower was not
then in season. " It is a gift from Allah," he concluded. "It smells
so sweetly that not even in the rose-flowering season could its equal be found."
The wizard now resumed his human form and entered the garden, lute in hand, as a
minnesinger. As he was striking his instrument he was observed by the Padishah, who, calling
him, ordered him to play and sing his songs. In one of his impromptu ballads the singer
requested the Padishah to give him the rose. Hearing this the King was angry, and said: "What
say you, fellow? This rose was given me by Allah! How dare you, a mere wanderer, demand it?"
"O Shah," answered the singer, " my occupation is obvious; I have fallen in love with the rose
you possess. I have been seeking it for many years, but till now have I been unable to find it. If
you give it not to me I shall kill myself. Would not that be a pity? I have followed it over hill and
fell, to find it now in the hands of the mild and gracious Padishah. Have you no pity for a poor
man like me, who has lost love and light and happiness? Is it seemly to afflict me thus? I will not
move from this spot until you give me the rose."
The Padishah was moved, and said to himself: "After all, of what consequence is the rose
to me? Let the unfortunate man attain his object." Saying these words he stepped forward and
handed the flower to the singer. But before the latter could grasp it, it fell to the ground and was
changed into millet pulp. Quickly the wizard transformed himself into a rooster and ate it up.
One grain, however, fell under the Padishah's foot and so escaped the roosters attention. This
grain suddenly changed into the youth, who picked up the rooster and wrung its neck--in other
words, he disposed of his master.
The Padishah was astonished at these strange proceedings, and commanded the young
man to explain the riddle. He told the King everything from beginning to end, and the monarch
was so delighted with his skill in magic that he appointed him Grand Vezir and gave him his
daughter in marriage. The young man was now able to provide for his mother, and thus
everybody lived happily ever after.
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