History
Turkey's astoundingly long and rich history of about 10 000 years unites the civilisations of many glorius ancient and historic empires such as the Hittites, the Persians, the Greeks and the Romans and, of Turkish origin, the Seldjuks and Ottomans. The Rebuplic of Turkey has kept all that was of value from Ottoman Empire and aims at blending this inheritance with the culture and technology of the West.
Geography and Population
Turkey, with an area of 780576 sq.km., is situated partly in Asia and partly in Europe. Turkey has about 70 million inhabitants of which 57% live in rural areas. The population density is greatest in the western coastal regions. The major cities are Istanbul, Ankara (capital), Ýzmir, Bursa, Antalya and Adana.
Istanbul the magic city
Istanbul is the meeting point of East and West, offering friendly welcome and warm hospitality. It is a metropolis, proud of its rich history and uniequelled natural beauty standing on 2 continents divided by the Bosphorus waterway. Istanbul, formerly Byzantium, founded in 508 B.C., was conquered by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II in 1453 AD. Its long lasting period as capital city ended with the foundation of the Rebuplic of Turkey in 1923. During its 2600 years of history, Istanbul has served for 1600 years as capital to three empires : Roman, Byzantine and the Ottoman Empire.
Climate and dress
In Istanbul the weather in May is often sunny, but not warm. One is advised to take a jacket and a sweater for the evenings.
Important
It is strictly forbidden to export objects of antique, historical or archaeological value.
Currency and exchange
The unit of currency is the Turkish Lira (TL). Exchange rates are announced daily. Major credit cards are accepted by most hotels, restaurants and shops.
Electric current
Voltage in use is 220.
Local time
Turkey is two hours ahead of GMT and one hour ahead of Central European Time.
Office Hours
Offical office hours are as follows:
Goverment and Banks: 08.30-12.30/13.30-17.30
Shops: 09.00-13.00/14.00-19.00
Smaller shops may stay open until late hours.
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