Republic of Türkiye

Most of the Republic of Türkiye lies in Asia, on the Anatolian peninsula, with a smaller part in Europe, in Eastern Thrace. The country is bordered by the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara, the Aegean and the Mediterranean. It covers 783,600 square kilometres and, according to TÜİK, had 86,092,168 inhabitants on 31 December 2025. The capital is Ankara, the largest city is Istanbul, the state language is Turkish and the currency is the Turkish lira. The country is divided into 81 provinces.

History

After the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 the Oghuz Turks settled Anatolia in large numbers, and the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum was founded there. One of the beyliks of the 13th–14th centuries, the Ottoman principality, grew into an empire spanning three continents and conquered Constantinople in 1453.

After the First World War the country faced occupation. The War of Independence (1919–1922), led by Mustafa Kemal Pasha, ended in victory, and the Treaty of Lausanne was signed on 24 July 1923. On 29 October 1923 the Grand National Assembly proclaimed the Republic, and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk became its first president.

Geography

Broad plateaus fill central Anatolia, with the Pontic Mountains to the north and the Taurus Mountains to the south. The highest point is Mount Ararat (Ağrı Dağı, 5,137 m). Lake Van is the country's largest lake, and both the Euphrates and the Tigris rise in Türkiye.

Government

Following the 2017 referendum Türkiye adopted a presidential system of government. Legislative power belongs to the 600-member Grand National Assembly. It is a secular state, and the great majority of the population is Muslim. Türkiye has been a member of NATO since 1952 and is a G20 member; in 2009 it was among the founders of the Organization of Turkic States (then the Turkic Council).

Economy

Türkiye is one of the world's large economies. Automotive manufacturing, textiles, agriculture, construction, tourism and the defence industry are key sectors. The country is the world's leading hazelnut producer and holds most of the world's boron reserves.