ABOUT TURKEY

Official Name: The Republic of Turkey (Türkiye Cumhuriyeti)
Founder: Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK ( 1881-1938 )
Capital: ANKARA
Population: 65.3 million (as of 2000)
Language: Turkish (uses Latin Alphabet)
Currency: Turkish Lira (TL)
Electricity: 220 volts a.c. all over Turkey
Weights and Measures: Metric and Kilo system
Flag: Red background with a white crescent and star in the middle

Cuisine
Half the fun at a Turkish table is the road leading to the entre which consists of lamb, beef (always fresh) or fish (always jumping!): a multitude of hors d'oeuvres called 'meze'. These range from börek (ground meat or parsley and white cheese wrapped in flaky pastry and fried in vegetable oil), spiced rice wrapped in vine leaves (dolma), well chilled cucumber and dill in yoghurt dressing (cacik) and aubergine dishes to freshly cooked shrimp in butter and tomato sauce.

Population
An estimated 70.2 million people, with an annual growth rate of 1.6%. 

Language
Turkish, an Altaic language, written in the Latin script since 1928.
Most well-educated Turks and especially those involved in the tourism business speak excellent English and often French and German as well.

Government
Turkey has been a Republic since 1923.  The form of government is a secular, multiparty democracy with a unicameral legislature, a President and a Prime Minister.

Major Commercial Cities
Istanbul, the cultural and business center with a population of 9.8 million.
Ankara, the political capital, with 3.2 million inhabitants.
Izmir, the economic capital of the Aegean region, with 2.2 million people.
Adana, the fast-growing southern city, a magnet for industry and agriculture, with a population of 1.1 million.

Climate
Turkey has the best of Mediterranean climates, though warmer and more reliable than the western Med but not as humid and sweltering as the eastern or southern Med. Spring begins in May and summer reaches deep into October along the lower Aegean and throughout the Mediterranean coasts. Istanbul, central and eastern parts of Anatolia become quite cold between December and April.

Clothing
Spring and summer travellers to Turkey need to bring T-shirts, shorts, sunhat, pants, swim-wear, a sweater or a light jacket for that chilly evening after a suntan, and a sturdy pair of walking shoes. Those arriving in Turkey in the winter must pack rain-gear and a warm overcoat together with gloves, hats and warm woollens.  During the Congress the weather could be warm with balmy evenings but one should not forget also the possibility of rain showers and cool evenings.

Economy
Turkey has an industrialized economy with a large agricultural sector.  Major sectors are automotive, iron and steel, household appliances and electronics, textiles and apparel, consumer goods, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, cement, building materials, glass, ceramics and financial services.  The economy is based on free-market principles, although the state sector is still quite large.

Public Holidays
During the Congress the Moslem Holy month of Ramadan will be in its last days.  The post-Congress tours will take place during the Eid El Fitr  (Seker Bayram in Turkish)

Opening Hours
For most offices 9 am - 6pm, many bank branches close between 12:30am – 1.30pm for lunch.  Large stores and the Grand Bazaar are generally open from 10 am - 6:30 pm.
Small shops stay open till all hours, generally opening between 9 - 10 in the morning.
In the middle of summer in hot southern locations, some shops may close in mid afternoon for a short siesta and then stay open till 9 or 10 at night. Breakfast (7 - 10am ) and lunch (12am - 2:30pm ) at standard times. Dinner tends to be late, around 8 - 9pm and even later during the summer months, although restaurants are generally open for service by 7 pm.