Turkey

Area: 780,580 sq. km. Cities: Capital--Ankara (pop. 4.77 million). Other cities--Istanbul (13.256 million), Izmir (3.949 million), Bursa (2.605 million), Adana (2.085 million), Gaziantep (1.701 million).

Geography

Nationality: Noun--Turk(s). Adjective-Turkish. Population (December 2010 estimate): 73.7 million. Ethnic groups: Turkish, Kurdish, other. Religions: Muslim 99% (majority Sunni), Christian, Bahai, and Jewish. Languages: Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian, Greek.

People

Type: Republic Parliamentary Democracy Independence: October 29, 1923. National holiday: Republic Day, October 28-29.

Government

President of the Republic: Abdullah Gul Prime Minister: Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Principal Government Officials

The People
Turks are extremely patriotic. They are proud of their ancestors and of the achievements of their modern society. The family is the most important social unit. Each person is dependent upon and loyal to the family. Rural life is still traditional, but in cities women frequently work outside the home.

Turkish music and literature form great examples of such a mix of cultural influences, which were a result of the interaction between the Ottoman Empire and the Islamic world along with Europe, thus contributing to a blend of Turkic, Islamic and European traditions in modern-day Turkish music and literary arts. Turkish literature was heavily influenced by Persian and Arabic literature during most of the Ottoman era, though towards the end of the Ottoman Empire, particularly after the Tanzimat period, the effect of both Turkish folk and European literary traditions became increasingly felt. The Tanzimat reforms of 1839 1876 brought changes to the language of Ottoman written literature, and introduced previously unknown Western genres, primarily the novel and the short story.

Literature

Meeting and Greeting Shake hands with everyone present--men, women and children--at a business or social meeting. Shake hands with elders first. Shake hands again when leaving. It is common for Turkish men and women to cheek-kiss one another when meeting and parting.

Corporate Culture Consideration, politeness, respect and courtesy are very important to the Turks. Shake hands with each person upon arriving at an office. When visiting a factory, shake hands with all the workers when you arrive and again when you leave. Turks engage in small talk before they begin business discussions. Decisions are made at the top.

Culture and Practices

Dining and Entertainment Be punctual for a dinner party. 7:00 p.m. means 7:00 p.m. Business can be discussed at anytime during the meal Some Turks who are Muslim drink alcohol, but those Turks who are strict Muslims never do. When finished eating, leave no food on your plate, and place your knife and fork side by side on your plate. "Dutch treat" does not exist in Turkey. If you invite someone to dine, you pay the bill.

Dress For business, men should wear conservative suits or a sports coat and tie. In very hot weather, men may go without a jacket, but they still wear a tie. Women should wear suits, dresses and heels. Avoid short skirts, low-cut blouses or shorts.

Culture and Practices

Gifts Always bring the hostess a gift when invited to someone's home. Do not bring a gift that is too lavish. Give: flowers (roses or carnations), candy, chocolates, wine (if host drinks). Do not give alcohol if you are not sure whether your host drinks. Don't expect your hostess to open a gift when presented.

Culture and Practices

Tourist spots in Turkey

10. Aspedos Theatre

Aspendos boasts one of the best preserved ancient theatres of antiquity. The theatre of Aspendos was built in 155 AD during the rule of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius and could seat between 15,000 and 20,000 spectators.

9. Patara Beach
At 14 kilometers (9 miles), Patara is one of the longest stretches of sandy beach found anywhere in the Mediterranean. The beach is backed only by ancient Lycian and Roman ruins and swooping dunes with no buildings visible except of a small caf.

8. Pamukkale
Pamukkale, meaning cotton castle in Turkish, is an unreal landscape in western Turkey, famous for its white terraces. The terraces are made of travertine, a sedimentary rock deposited by water with a very high mineral content from the hot springs.

7. Bodrum

With its sandy beaches, shop-lined streets and sophisticated restaurants, the city of Bodrum has long been the favorite seaside retreat in Turkey. Unfortunately a series of earthquakes destroyed the monument but other historical attractions such as Bodrum Castle, built by the Crusaders in the 15th century, can still be found here.

6. Mount Nemrut
Nemrut is a 2,134 meter (7,001 ft) high mountain in southeastern Turkey, near the city of Adiyaman. In 62 BC, King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene built a tomb-sanctuary flanked by huge statues of himself, two lions, two eagles and various Greek, and Persian gods on the mountain top.

5. Oldeniz
ldeniz is a small village located on the south west coast on the Aegean Sea. It has a secluded sandy bay at the mouth of ldeniz, on a blue lagoon. This beach is famous for its shades of turquoise and remains one of the most photographed beaches on the Mediterranean.

4. Blue Mosque
With its six minarets and sweeping architecture the Sultan Ahmed or Blue Mosque in Istanbul impresses from the outside. While still used as a mosque, the Blue Mosque has also become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Istanbul.

3. Library of Celsus
The ruins of Ephesus are a popular tourist attraction on the west coast.. The library was built around 125 AD to store 12,000 scrolls and to serve as a monumental tomb for Celsus, the governor of Asia.

2. Greme Fairy Chimneys

Cappadocia is famous for its weird and wonderful natural rock formations and unique historical heritage. One of the best places to see these strange formations is the town of Greme, which is located among a large number of tuff cones, termed fairy chimneys. The fairy chimneys have been formed as the result of wind and water erosion of two different volcanic layers.

1. Hagia Sophia

Located in Istanbul, the Hagia Sophia was originally a basilica constructed for the Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I in the sixth century. A masterwork of Roman engineering, the massive dome (31 meters or 102 feet in diameter) covers what was for over 1000 years the largest enclosed space in the world.. The Hagia Sophia was converted into a museum in 1935 and is now one of the top attractions in Turkey.

Philippines

The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107 islands with a total land area, including inland bodies of water, of approximately 300,000 square kilometers (120,000 sq mi). Its 36,289 kilometers (22,549 mi) of coastline makes it the country with the 5th longest coastline in the world. It is located between 116 40', and 126 34' E. longitude and 4 40' and 21 10' N. latitude and is bordered by the Philippine Sea to the east, the South China Sea to the west, and the Celebes Sea to the south. Situated on the western fringes of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

Geography

The People
The great majority of the people of the Philippines belong to the Malay group and are known as Filipinos. Other groups include the Negritos (negroid pygmies) and the Dumagats (similar to the Papuans of New Guinea), and there is a small Chinese minority. The Filipinos live mostly in the lowlands and constitute one of the largest Christian groups in Asia. Roman Catholicism is professed by over 80% of the population; 5% are Muslims (concentrated on Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago. The official languages are Pilipino, based on Tagalog, and English; however, some 70 native languages are also spoken.

Philippine literature is the literature associated with the Philippines and includes the legends of prehistory, and the colonial legacy of the Philippines. Most of the notable literature of the Philippines was written during the Spanish period and the first half of the 20th century in Spanish language. Philippine literature is written in Spanish, English, Tagalog, and/or other native Philippine languages. Francisco Balagtas the poet and playwright who wrote Florante at Laura is recognized as a preeminent writer in the Filipino language. Jos Rizal wrote the novels Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not) and El Filibusterismo (The Filibustering, also known as The Reign of Greed) and is considered a national hero.

Literature

Popular Philippine Festivals and Cultural Calendar that are world renowned. People in the Philippines is known to be festival lovers. Festivals are celebrated in the Philippines by honoring patron saints, some festivals is to commemorate an event in history or show gratitude for a good harvest. Festivals in the Philippines are celebrated to boost up tourism and to attract tourist. Here are some of the festivals in the Philippines that are popular and known to the world.

Philippine Festivals and Culture

Ati-Atihan Festival

The Ati-Atihan, held every third sunday of January in the town of Kalibo, Aklan, is the wildest among Philippine fiestas.

Philippine Festivals and Culture

Panagbenga Festival

Also known as Baguio Flower Festival celebrates the festival in February and the highlights of the festivities includes flower, flower exhibits, lectures, garden tours, floral contest and a parade of floats.

Philippine Festivals and Culture

Lanzones Festival

Celebrated every October in Mambadjao Camiguin with a weekend street dancing, parade and beauty pageant.

Philippine Festivals and Culture

Feast of the Black Nazarene

Every January 9, thousands of devotees from all walks of life come to the district of Quiapo to take part in the procession as a way of strengthening their faith or fulfilling their "panata" (vow) to Lord.

Philippine Festivals and Culture

Dinagyang Festival

The Dinagyang Festival is a very colorful festival that the people are shouting the thundering words of "Hala Bira" and makes the celebration so lively. Dinagyang Festival is celebrated every fourth Sunday of January.

Philippine Festivals and Culture

Flores de Mayo in Manila

The Flores de Mayo tradition is an enduring expression of Filipino Catholic religiosity celebrated every year during May.

Philippine Festivals and Culture

Giant Lantern Festival

An annual festival held in December (Saturday before Christmas Eve) in The City of San Fernando. It features competition of giant lanterns. San Fernando is tagged as Christmas Capital of the Philippines.

Philippine Festivals and Culture

Higantes Festival

Celebrated on the 23rd of November in Angono town. It features mache giants that were caricatures of people.

Philippine Festivals and Culture

MassKara Festival This festival is a Mardi Gras like celebration that masked and costumed street dancers, with fairs and carnivals. Bacolod City celebrates this festival in the third weekend of October that is close to October 19.

Philippine Festivals and Culture

Moriones Festival

The festival is the most unique festival in the world. The Moriones festival is celebrated in Marinduque every Holy Week.

Philippine Festivals and Culture

Pahiyas festival

Every May 15, the fronts of houses in Lucban, Quezon are are elaborately decorated with brightly colored rice wafer, called kiping, a type of rice dough made from a traditional recipe.

Philippine Festivals and Culture

Pintados Kasadyahan Festival

The Pintados festival of Tacloban City is a Filipino festival with its own unique flavor. Celebrated every 29th of June.

Philippine Festivals and Culture

Sinulog Festival

Sinulog is a dance ritual in honor of the miraculous image of the Santo Nio. The dance is performed to seek help from the Santo Nio. This popular festival is celebrated in the 3rd Sunday of January.

Philippine Festivals and Culture

Dagupans Bangus Festival

It is one of the most well known and anticipated festivals in the country. With Dagupenos celebrating the local bangus industry and establishing their town as the Bangus Capital of the World, the event is sure to be a surefire hit for foodies and tourists alike. The festival will start on April 13 and will last until May 1.

Philippine Festivals and Culture

Tourist spots in the Philippines

Puerto Princesa Underground The Puerto Princesa River - Palawan

Underground River is located about 50 km north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. It features a limestone karst mountain landscape with an 8.2 km. navigable underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it winds through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. It includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and several large chambers.

Chocolate Hills - Bohol

The Chocolate Hills of Bohol are a spectacular natural wonder in the Philippines. It consists of nearly 1800 small cute little hills that are spread over an area of 20 square miles. The hills are located in 3 towns of Bohol namely Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan. A viewing station is available in the government resort Chocolate Hills Complex in the town of Carmen, Bohol which is a distance of about 34 miles from Tagbilaran City. Sagbayan Peak Mountain Resort offers an alternative viewing station of the worldrenowned and popular Chocalate Hills in the town of Sagbayan, a distance of 47 miles from Tagbilaran City.

Mayon Volcano - North of Legazpi Mayon Volcano has a worldwide City, Albay, Bicol reputation as the most perfectly

formed volcano in the world because of its near-perfect conical shape and form. Mayon Volcano is the champion among the best competitors for the world's most perfectly coned volcanoes like Osorno Volcano of Chile, Mount Fuji of Japan, Mount Taranaki of New Zealand, Mount Cotopaxi of Ecuador, Volcan Arenal of Costa Rica and Shishaldin Volcano of Alaska, USA. Because of its natural elegance and beauty, it is listed on the World's Top 10 Wonders of Nature. Visitors traveling to Mayon Volcano from Manila would take an hour by plane getting to Legazpi City then 10 miles north of Legazpi city is the magnificent Mayon Volcano, the most popular landmark of the province of Albay, Philippines.

Camarines Sur

Better known as CamSur, the province had a dramatic 117.2 % increase in tourists, welcoming an estimated 1.5 million visitors last year. In 2008, more than 720,000 went wakeboarding at the CamSur Watersports Complex. Events like the First Aqua Fest Celebrity Challenge, Ironman 70.3 Triathlon, International Dragon Boat Competition and Bagasbas Summer Surf gave travelers excellent reasons to visit this tourist spot in the Bicol region.

Baguio City

The summer capital of the Philippines experienced a 20% increase in tourists after the Kabayan mummies discovered the place after the Kabayan mummy burial caves were featured in documentaries on cable. European visitors made up the bulk of visitors to the Cordilleras where Baguio is located.

Boracay
Taiwanese tourists to the island paradise increased by 72% since China Airlines started chartering flights there twice a week. Shanghai Airlines flights from Shanghai and Philippine Airlines flights from Hangzhou also boosted arrivals to Boracay.

Cagayan de Oro
The City of White Water Rafting and River Trekking, Cagayan de Oro not only boasts of splendid views but also very warm and hospitable locals.

Fort Santiago Intramuros, Manila, Philippines

Fort Santiago is a famous historic Spanish fortress in which once stood the palace of the Muslim chieftain, Rajah Suleiman before the Spaniards ever set foot on Philippine soil. This fort is a very significant site in the history of the Philippine independence from Spain. Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines was imprisoned here and spent his last night before being executed in 1896. The fort has a museum containing Spanish artifacts, wares, documents and other historic articles. Within the fort is Rizal Shrine which houses the utensils, garments, shoes, housewares, kitchen wares, books, manuscripts, drawings, artworks, artifacts and other objects used and worn throughout the life of the genius and multi-talented Philippine national hero.

Pagsanjan Falls
One of the most famous Philippines waterfalls is the Pagsanjan Falls in Laguna. You have to ride a canoe and cruise the Pagsanjan river to get to the falls.

MT. APO (KIDAPAWAN-MAGPET TRAIL) Kidapawan City and Magpet, North Cotabato
The highest mountain in the Philippines is Mt. Apo, towering over Southern Mindanao, covering the provinces of Davao del Sur and North Cotabato. At 2,956 MASL, it possesses a formidable array of landscapes, from craggy rockscapes to virgin forests; from mossy swamps to volcanic structures. Indeed, Mt. Apo possesses the widest spectrum of environments, and provides an experience for mountaineers that lives up to their expectations from the countrys highest.