A country located in South-West Asia and partially in Southern Europe, occupying today the territory on which the ancient states were located (Persia, Rome, Byzantium, Armenia and others), is called the Republic of Turkey. Its area is 783 562 square meters. km A state familiar to a large part of Russians as a holiday destination on the Black and Mediterranean coasts.
Location
Turkey occupies a position that is commonly called strategically important and favorable. Through its territory there are paths connecting Asia with Europe, connected by a sea passage from the Black to the Aegean Sea, which includes a small Sea of Marmara, the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus.
The land area of Turkey is 769 thousand square meters. km and occupies the territory of the Armenian Highlands and the Anatolian Peninsula, as well as a small part of the Balkan Peninsula, concluded between two seas - the Black and the Mediterranean. Favorable nature of the country. Forest area covers more than 102 thousand square meters. km An important role is played by the warm seas: the Mediterranean, Aegean, Marmara and Black, washing Turkey from three sides. The water area is almost 14 thousand square meters. km
It consists of two parts: European - 3% and Asian - 97% of the total area, which are called East Thrace (Rumelia) and Anatolia (Asia Minor), respectively. Favorable living conditions, agricultural land make up a large part of the territory of Turkey. Area in sq. km is 394 thousand.
History
It is not possible to trace the history of the appearance of the Turks. The first mention of their distant ancestors, the Oghuz tribes, dates back to the VI century. Historians have established that they lived in the Altai mountains, from where they came to Asia Minor, first to Turkestan, and towards the end of the 10th century. owned almost its entire territory, including Persia, the Caucasus, Syria and Egypt.
Since the 9th century, in the territory where Turkey is now located, Islam has become the dominant religion. And the year 1299 was marked by the creation of the Ottoman state. The strongest and most powerful in Asia Minor, which subjugated a large territory, from Bukhara to Iran, the territory of the Balkan countries, the Caucasus, the Crimean peninsula and the most powerful empire - Byzantium, which stood for a millennium.
Russia and Turkey
At that time, the area of Turkey was truly large. The empire that conquered Byzantium is a developed state with a rich history, professing Islam, and as a result began to pray in Orthodox churches, subdued by their beauty. This country was in continuous wars, most of them were with Russia - the former heiress of Byzantium, who did not want to put up with constant raids on Russian settlements and the theft of Orthodox people into slavery.
The most important contradictions between our countries were the Crimean peninsula, the North Caucasus, whose possession would enable Turkey to be the sovereign mistress in the Black Sea, but this did not happen, despite the support of England and France. As a result of these wars, Turkey was bloodless and weakened. At the end of the XIX century. Turkey secured the support of Germany, with whom they were allies during the First World War.
Modern turkey
On October 29, 1923, Turkey became a republic led by the first president Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Religion is separated from the state, and Turkey becomes the first secular state in the Middle East. The capital was moved from Istanbul to the center of the country, to the city of Ankara.
Located at the intersection of the most important geographical and trade routes, Turkey has combined much of the valuable experience of these civilizations. Today it is an economically prosperous country, with good transport interchange, industry and highly developed agriculture. Tourism brings big income to the country. People from all over the world are eager to see the cultural monuments of various times and peoples living here, and want to get acquainted with the culture of the country.
Most tourists are eager for the Black Sea coast, although recently the Mediterranean resorts of Antalya have been in demand. In Kemer (Turkey), the resort area stretches 70 kilometers between the sea and the beautiful Taurus Mountains.
