Turkey

Turkey is a beautiful country with many great values and long traditions. Heritage runs deep in those lands. For certain a place anyone should love to visit.




Interesting facts about turkey

Turkey’s highest peak, Mt. Ararat, was supposed to be the resting place of Noah’s Ark after the flood.

Adana, Turkey (where I visited) is on the route Mark Anthony took to Tarsus to meet Cleopatra.

97% of Turkey is in Asia, and 3% is in Europe.

Istanbul was once known as Byzantium and later as Constantinople.

99% of the population is Islam. The Turks do respect your freedom to worship as you please. However, you may not interfere with another person’s choice of beliefs. Sorry, no “spreading the word” here.

The Turkish fishing industry’s #1 catch: Anchovies!!

It is against the law to insult a Turkish citizen, the flag, the currency, and especially the country’s founder, Ataturk. These are punishable by jail! Average sentence: 2-3 years.

The automatic sentence for possession or use of heroine or cocaine: life in prison.
The current exchange rate is $1 US = 660,000 Turkish Lira. A “Million Lira Bill” is worth $1.50. (2001)
(The rate has changed to 900,000 Turkish Lire = $1 US in 2002)

Turkey covers over 300,000 square miles and is located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea. It has a dry climate, with hot, sunny summers and cold winters. The population is 61,000,000.

The nomadic forebears of the modern Turks came out of Central Asia in the 11th Century, conquered the Arab and Byzantine Empires, and set themselves up as rulers. It was at this time Islam replaced Christianity as the principle religion of the region.

The modern Republic of Turkey was founded in 1923 by Mustafa Kemal (later Ataturk) from a portion of the Ottoman Empire, following the empire’s collapse as a result of World War I (1914-1918). Mustafa Ataturk is revered throughout Turkey. It is his teachings and philosophies that guide modern Turkey. At the birth of the country in 1923, less than 10% of the population was literate. Now that rate is 82%. School is mandatory for children for 5 years. Unfortunately, in 1995, only 63% of children were enrolled in secondary school (middle/high school). Ataturk taught the people to be kind, honest, and hard working.

Adana and Incirlik are located in Southeast Turkey near Tarsus (see the red arrow on the map)

Notice the neighboring countries: Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and Iraq. Tough neighborhood!

Source