The Republic of Turkey was established on October 29, 1923 from the remnants of the Ottoman Empire and has a land area of 783,562 sq kms.  
Mustafa Kemal Pasha is recognised as being the founder of the modern Turkish Republic and was granted the name Atatürk (meaning father of Turks) by the National Assembly.
Turkey has borders with 8 countries and these are, going clockwise from left, Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq and Syria.  Turkey has border gates with all 8 countries, bar Armenia and also has 4 seas on its coastline, which are the Black Sea, the Mediterranean, the Aegean and the Marmara.
The population of Turkey is close to 71,000,000 and is a moderate Muslim state, with approximately 98% of the country being Muslim.  The Turkish Government takes the question of religious freedom very seriously and the Turkish Constitution strictly forbids any discrimination on religious grounds.
The capital city is Ankara but Istanbul, the largest city, encompasses nearly a third of Turkey’s population and straddles the Bosphorous Straits, with Southeast Europe on one side and Southwest Asia on the other.
Turkey is a full member of NATO and the Turkish Armed forces, with a combined troop strength of 635,500 people, is the second largest standing force in NATO after the United States.
The majority of Turkey’s people are warm, friendly and incredibly welcoming and tolerant, though since the popularity of this region with Europeans, there are lot of very unpleasant Turks looking to relieve you of your life savings.    Like most people the world over, the Turks have no time for violence, trouble and strife but just want to enjoy life and what nature has bestowed on them in this magnificent country.  Turkey is truly breathtaking, with a diversity that’s hard to take in.  All religions and people live in perfect harmony here and nowhere is it more apparent than in Istanbul.  Turkey is becoming very popular with Europeans, in spite of the rip-off prices and PM Erdogans swingeing alcohol tax.   Turkey also boasts a large ex-pat population in the coastal areas of the Mediterranean, numbering over 50,000.
One could live here for 100 years and not see all of its treasures.  The Ampitheatres at Aspendos and Side host music and dance festivals every year and we have been fortunate enough to see Swan Lake being performed both at the Side and Aspendos Ampitheatres.  Please be sure to visit my other site www.joli-triste.com   for more information about Turkey and a comprehensive database of reliable tradespeople.