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Turkey lies partly in Europe and partly in Asia, and is divided by a narrow waterway. For more 600 years, Turkey was part of the powerful Ottoman Empire. Today turkey is a Republic and the country is a mix of Islamic and Western tradition. Most people app turkish-speaking Muslim although there is no official religion. Turkey has a varied landscape and climate, and is a popular tourist destination. Many types of crop grown up and the country is self-sufficient in food.
Agriculture: About half of the Turkish Workforce is employed in agriculture , growing crops such as wheat, cotton, tobacco, sugar beet, and fruit.Tea is grown along the Black sea Coast and is a popular drink. Much of the work in the field is done by women with plenty of for fertile Farmland.
Kemal Ataturk: Kemal Ataturk was the founder and first president of the modern state of Turkey after the collapse of Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century. He brought about many reforms in Turkish society, including greater freedom for women and better educaton for all.
The Kurds: The Kurds, numbering bout 25 million, are one of the largest groups of people in the word who have no homeland. They live in a mountianous area split bweteen four contries: Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. The Kurds have sought to from their own state - Kurdistan.
Ephesus: Each year, million of tourists visit Turkey for its sunny weather, sandy beaches, and acient sites. These include the ruined city of Ephesus on the Aegean coast, famous for its huge, open-air theatre, carved out of the hillside in the first century AD, with seating for 24.000 people. Tourism is one of Turkeys major industries.
Markets: Bustling steet markets, or bazaars, are common sight in many Turkish towns and cities. Turkey is famous for its arts and crafts, particilarly for its fine carpets, pottery, beaten copperware, and leatherwork. Carpets are woven from silk, wool, and cotton and decorated with beautiful geometric and floral designs, often symbolizing the maker's family or area of origin.
Street cafes: Street cafes are popular meeting places, especially with men. They visit them to drink tea or Turkish coffee, smoke pipes, and chat Games, such as cards or backgammon, are often played.
Istanbul: Istanbul is only cityin the world to lie in two continents. It is split between Europe and Asia by a narrow channe of water called the Bosphorus. Bridges link the two parts of the city. Istanbul is a mix of old and new, Eastern and Western, with elegant mosques side-by-side with sprawling slums. It is Turkey's largest city and main port. Until the move to Ankara in 1932, it was also Turkey's capital.
