Location:
Turkey straddles the borders of Europe and Asia with the
majority of the country in Southwest Asia. It has a total
area of 780,580 sq.km. that lies within Europe. The country
is bordered at the east by Georgia, Armenia and Iran with
Iraq, Syria and the Mediterranean Sea on the south. The Aegean
Sea, Greece and Bulgaria are to the west, and the Black Sea
forms the northern border. Turkey's geographical coordinates
are 36o 00' to 42o 00' north latitude and 26o 00' to 45o 00'
east longitude.
Geographical
Regions:
Turkey, which has 80 administrative provinces, is divided into
seven geographical regions; the Black Sea region, the Marmara
region, the Aegean region, the Mediterranean region, Central
Anatolia, the East and Southeast Anatolia regions.
Turkey
is surrounded by sea on three sides, by Black Sea in the north,
the Mediterranean Sea in the south and the Aegean Sea in the
west. In the northwest, there is an internal sea, the Sea of
Marmara, between the straits of the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus,
which are important waterways that connect the Black Sea with
the rest of the world. The coastline of Turkey (excluding islands)
is 8333 km. The
Climate:
Although Turkey is situated in a geographical location where
climatic conditions are quite temperate, the diverse nature
of the landscape, and the existence in particular of the mountains
that run parallel to the coasts, result in significant differences
in climatic conditions from one region to the other. While the
coastal regions enjoy milder climates, the inland Anatolia plateau
experiences hot summers and cold winters with limited rainfall.
Language:
The Turkish language is spread over a large geographical area
in Europe and Asia; it is spoken in the Azeri, the Turkmen,
the Tartar, the Uzbek, the Baskurti; the Hogay, the Kyrgyz,
the Kazakh, the Yakuti, the Guvas, and other dialects. The Turkish
spoken in Turkey represents that of the Turkish language group
coming from the southwest branch of the Uralic-Altayic language
family. The oldest written records of Turkish are found upon
stone monuments in Central Asia, in the Orhun, Yenisey and Talas
regions within the boundaries of present day Mongolia, and belong
to the years 725, 732 and 735 A.D. After the formation of the
Turkish Republic in 1923 and following the achievement of national
unity, Latin alphabet using Turkish phonetics was adopted in
1928
Population:
On the general basis, the population in Turkey is characterised
by youth and dynamism. According to a 1997 population census,
Turkey has 62.6 million inhabitants. Although there has been
a marked migration into town, approximately 47 percent of the
population still lives in the rural areas. Although the official
language is Turkish, English is widely spoken in Turkey. There
are many high schools and universities where the curriculum
is based on English. German and French are other commonly spoken
foreign languages. Istanbul, which was the capital of three
empires, is Turkey's largest city, with approximately 9.1 million
inhabitants. Ankara, the capital city, has 3.69 million in habitants.
The next largest cities are Izmir, Konya and Adana.
Religion
and Secularity:
99% of the Turkish population is Moslem. However, everyone in
Turkey has freedom of religion and beliefs. The first phases
in the introduction of secularism were the abolition of the
Caliphate and the Ministry of Sheria and Pious Foundations on
March 4th, 1924, followed by the introduction of separate educational
and judicial systems, the hat reform, the closure of dervish
retreats and religious sects, the acceptance of a Sunday weekend
holiday rather than the Moslem Friday and finally the adoption
of the principle of secularism in the constitution on 1937.
In secular Turkey, all religious affairs are carried out by
a central government organisation affiliated to the Prime Ministry,
namely the Department of Religious Affairs.
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FETHIYE
Fethiye; ancient name Telmessos, with its cultural
wealth, natural beauties and geography, is one of the most popular
resorts in Turkey. It is famous for its works of art belonging
to Persians, Lycians, Carians and Romans. This charming county
is in a bay within Fethiye Gulf where both large and small islands
are scattered. The rear of the bay is surrounded by pine forests.
The new town of Fethiye is a very Turkish port and trading town
on the SW Mediterranean coast. Fethiye balances the attractions
of a bustling resort town with the functionality of a working
regional centre. Arrival at the bus station may give you the
impression that you've come to the wrong place with no evidence
of the sea, hotels, restaurants or any trappings of the tourist
industry but a 5 minute taxi or dolmus ride into town will begin
to reveal the place to you in it's true colours. Fethiye's strength
is in it's role as a base for exploring the surrounding coastline
and countryside. You'll find a good range of shops, eating places
and accommodation and excellent transport services to surrounding
attractions.
Fethiye is within easy reach of the popular Calis beach and
Sovaliye Island opposite the town. In May, basking under a warm
sun, it is not unusual to see the snow capped peaks of the mountains
in the distance to the east and south.
The climate is a Mediterranean climate, which is hot and dry
during summers and warm and rainy during winters. Temperature,
which is approximately 30 degrees during summer months, is generally
over 10 degrees during winter. Sea water temperature never decreases
under 16 degrees during each season.
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CALIS
Situated 5km from Fethiye, it is a small but growing
resort which appeals to people who like to combine sun, sand
and sea with a bit of local colour. It is set on an inlet protected
by 12 islands, forming a natural harbour shared by fishing boats,
yachts and water taxis. Its long, un crowded sand and shingle
beach is great for children.
It’s
only a five-minute walk to the shops, where you can buy a range
of goods at bargain prices, including T-shirts, jackets, jeans,
fake designer labels, watches and jewellery. The larger resort
of Fethiye, which boasts a lively Tuesday market, is only 5km
away, and dolmuses leave every 10 minutes. Alternatively take
the water dolmus between the two.
It’s
the perfect place to unwind, but when you feel the urge to be
active, there are plenty of things to do. You could go on a
jeep safari to explore the Xanthos valley, the Roman ruins of
Cadianda and the unspoiled village of Uzumlu. On Sundays a boat
trip takes you to the colourful market at Gocek - watch out
for dolphins on the way.
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UZUMLU
Uzumlu is situated fifteen kilometres (20 minutes drive)
inland from the bustling harbour town of Fethiye. It is situated
in a lush green valley, surrounded by breathtakingly beautiful
mountains. Some describe it as being reminiscent of Switzerland,
only with sun!. Uzumlu will appeal to people who want a scenic
and tranquil setting, whilst having easy access to all the faciities
that nearby Fethiye and Calis Beach have to offer. |
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HISARONU
- OVACIK
Situated on a high plateau 4km from the coast and surrounded
by stunning mountains, the once sleepy villages of Hisaronu
and Ovacik have combined to create a lively resort which has
a distinctly British atmosphere. The nearest beaches are the
famous lagoon of Oludeniz or the pebble and sand beach of Belcekiz.
A dolmus leaves every five or ten minutes.
The village is full of bars, restaurants and shops. This is
certainly the place to haggle for any imitation designer gear.
The cool mountain air can be quite a relief after a day in the
sun and there is plenty to do in the evening.
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KALKAN
This beautiful and sophisticated bougainvillea-covered
harbour village is set in a breathtaking landscape in the heart
of the old Lycian region. The ancient sites of Xanthos, Letoon,
Pinara, Tlos and Patara are all close by, with Kekova, Demre,
Myra, Phaselis, Olympos and Aspendos slightly further afield,
but all easily accessible.
Strict
conservation laws have ensured that the heart of the village
retains an authentic ambience that attracts (according to the
Sunday Times) the sort of visitor who might also be enchanted
by, say, Tuscany or the Dordogne. The result is a discerning
mix of predominantly British guests together with Istanbul Turks
attracted by Kalkan's reputation within Turkey.
Kalkan
is growing at a gentle pace, with predominantly private villas
being authorised outside the periphery of the old village. Kalkan's
many official 'Green Areas' are being carefully preserved and
we are genuinely optimistic that Kalkan will retain its charm
and special ambience for many years to come
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KAYAKOY
Kayakoy is not a far place from Fethiye. It's just
5 minutes from Hisarönü village, which is on the way
to Oludeniz. Only 15 km. from Fethiye. |
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