Background: Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk or 'Father of the Turks.' Under his leadership, the country adopted radical social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950 election victory of the opposition Democrat Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of formal political power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the ouster - popularly dubbed a 'post-modern coup' - of the then Islamic-oriented government. An unsuccessful coup attempt was made in July 2016 by a faction of the Turkish Armed Forces.

Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 35 00 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 783,562 km²
Land: 769,632 km²
Water: 13,930 km²
Rank: 38
Comparative: slightly larger than Texas

Land boundaries
Total: 2,816 km
Border countries: (8) Armenia 311 km; , Azerbaijan 17 km; , Bulgaria 223 km; , Georgia 273 km; , Greece 192 km; , Iran 534 km; , Iraq 367 km; , Syria 899 km

Coastline: 7,200 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea: 12 nm in Black Sea and in Mediterranean Sea

Climate: temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior

Terrain: high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several mountain ranges

Elevation
Mean elevation: 1132 m
Lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
Highest point: Mount Ararat 5,137 m

Natural resources: coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone, magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable land, hydropower

Land use
Agricultural land: 49.7% (2011 est.)
Forest: 14.9% (2011 est.)
Other: 35.4% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 52,150 km² (2012)

Natural hazards: severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van; landslides; floodingvolcanism: limited volcanic activity; its three historically active volcanoes; Ararat, Nemrut Dagi, and Tendurek Dagi have not erupted since the 19th century or earlier

Geography
Note: strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link the Black and Aegean Seas; the 3% of Turkish territory north of the Straits lies in Europe and goes by the names of European Turkey, Eastern Thrace, or Turkish Thrace; the 97% of the country in Asia is referred to as Anatolia; Istanbul, which straddles the Bosporus, is the only metropolis in the world located on two continents; Mount Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's ark, is in the far eastern portion of the country

Population
Distribution: the most densely populated area is found around the Bosporus in the northwest where 20% of the population lives in Istanbul; with the exception of Ankara, urban centers remain small and scattered throughout the interior of Anatolia; an overall pattern of peripheral development exists, particularly along the Aegean Sea coast in the west, and the Tigris and Euphrates River systems in the southeast: 82,017,514 (July 2020 est.)
Rank: 18
Growth rate: 0.45% (2020 est.)
Growth rate rank: 158
Below poverty line: 21.9% (2015 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Turk(s)
Adjective: Turkish

Ethnic groups: Turkish 70-75%, Kurdish 19%, other minorities 7-12% (2016 est.)

Languages: Turkish (official), Kurdish, other minority languages

Religions: Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)

Age structure
0-14 years: 23.41% (male 9,823,553/female 9,378,767)
15-24 years: 15.67% (male 6,564,263/female 6,286,615)
25-54 years: 43.31% (male 17,987,103/female 17,536,957)
55-64 years: 9.25% (male 3,764,878/female 3,822,946)
65 years and over: 8.35% (male 3,070,258/female 3,782,174) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 49.1
Youth dependency ratio: 35.7
Elderly dependency ratio: 13.4
Potential support ratio: 7.5 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 32.2 years
Male: 31.7 years
Female: 32.8 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 111

Population growth rate: 0.45% (2020 est.)
Rank: 158

Birth rate: 14.8 births/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 122

Death rate: 6.1 deaths/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 160

Net migration rate: -4.3 migrant(s)/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 190

Population distribution: the most densely populated area is found around the Bosporus in the northwest where 20% of the population lives in Istanbul; with the exception of Ankara, urban centers remain small and scattered throughout the interior of Anatolia; an overall pattern of peripheral development exists, particularly along the Aegean Sea coast in the west, and the Tigris and Euphrates River systems in the southeast

Urbanization
Urban population: 76.1% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 2.04% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 15.190 million Istanbul, 5.118 million ANKARA (capital), 2.993 million Izmir, 1.986 million Bursa, 1.771 million Adana, 1.704 million Gaziantep (2020)

Environment
Current issues: water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; land degradation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic; conservation of biodiversity
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 22.3 years (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 15.8 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 16.9 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 14.6 deaths/1000 live births (2020 est.)
Rank: 94

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.7 years
Male: 73.3 years
Female: 78.2 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 110

Total fertility rate: 1.96 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Rank: 117

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 69.8% (2018)

Drinking water source
Urban: 1.4% of population
Rural: 0% of population
Total: 1.1% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 4.2% (2017)

Physicians density: 1.85 physicians/1000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density: 2.8 beds/1000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population
Rural: 8.4% of population
Total: 2.7% of population (2017 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate note: NA
People living with hivaids note: NA
Deaths note: NA

Major infectious diseases: Covid-19 (2020)
Note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout Turkey; as of 8 December 2020, Turkey has reported a total of 533,198 cases of COVID-19 or 6,322 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 1 million population with 174 cumulative deaths per 1 million population

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 32.1% (2016)
Rank: 17

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 1.5% (2018/19)
Rank: 121

Education expenditures: 4.3% of GDP (2015)
Rank: 86

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 96.2%
Male: 98.8%
Female: 93.5% (2017)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 18 years
Male: 19 years
Female: 18 years (2018)

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Turkey
Conventional short form: Turkey
Local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti
Local short form: Turkiye
Etymology: the name means Land of the Turks

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Ankara
Geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 32 52 E
Time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time): etymology: Ankara has been linked with a second millennium B.C. Hittite cult center of Ankuwash, although this connection is uncertain; in classical and medieval times, the city was known as Ankyra (meaning 'anchor' in Greek and reflecting the city's position as a junction for multiple trade and military routes); by about the 13th century the city began to be referred to as Angora; following the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, the city's name became Ankara

Administrative divisions: 81 provinces (iller, singular - ili); Adana, Adiyaman, Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol, Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Igdir, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir (Smyrna), Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon (Trebizond), Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak

Independence: 29 October 1923 (republic proclaimed, succeeding the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday: Republic Day, 29 October (1923)

Constitution
History: several previous; latest ratified 9 November 1982
Amendments: proposed by written consent of at least one third of Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) members; adoption of draft amendments requires two debates in plenary TBMM session and three-fifths majority vote of all GNA members; the president of the republic can request TBMM reconsideration of the amendment and, if readopted by two-thirds majority TBMM vote, the president may submit the amendment to a referendum; passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote; amended several times, last in 2017

Legal system: civil law system based on various European legal systems, notably the Swiss civil code

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Turkey
Dual citizenship recognized: yes, but requires prior permission from the government
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (chief of state since 28 August 2014; head of government since 9 July 2019); Vice President Fuat OKTAY (since 9 July 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (head of government since 9 July 2019; chief of state since 28 August 2014); note - a 2017 constitutional referendum eliminated the post of prime minister after the 2018 general election 
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 24 June 2018 (next scheduled for June 2023)
Election results: Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN reelected president in the first round; Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (AKP) 52.6%, Muharrem INCE (CHP) 30.6%, Selahattin DEMIRTAS (HDP) 8.4%, Meral AKSENER (IYI) 7.3%, other 1.1%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi (600 seats - increased from 550 seats beginning with June 2018 election; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms - increased from 4 to 5 years beginning with June 2018 election)
Elections: last held on 24 June 2018 (next to be held in June 2023)
Election results: percent of vote by party - Peoples Alliance 53.7% (AKP 42.6%, MHP 11.1%), Nation Alliance 33.9% (CHP 22.6%, IYI 10%, SP 1.3%), HDP 11.7%, other 0.7%; seats by party - Peoples Alliance 344 (AKP 295, MHP 49), National Alliance 189 (CHP 146, IYI 43), HDP 67; composition - men 496, women 104, percent of women 17.3%; note - only parties surpassing a 10% threshold can win parliamentary seats

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Constitutional Court or Anayasa Mahkemesi (consists of the president, 2 vice presidents, and 12 judges); Court of Cassation (consists of about 390 judges and is organized into civil and penal chambers); Council of State (organized into 15 divisions - 14 judicial and 1 consultative - each with a division head and at least 5 members)
Judge selection and term of office: Constitutional Court members - 3 appointed by the Grand National Assembly and 12 by the president of the republic; court president and 2 deputy court presidents appointed from among its members for 4-year terms; judges serve 12-year, nonrenewable terms with mandatory retirement at age 65; Court of Cassation judges appointed by the Board of Judges and Prosecutors, a 13-member body of judicial officials; Court of Cassation judges serve until retirement at age 65; Council of State members appointed by the Board and by the president of the republic; members serve renewable, 4-year terms
Subordinate courts: regional appeals courts; basic (first instance) courts; peace courts; aggravated crime courts; specialized courts, including administrative and audit; note - a constitutional amendment in 2017 abolished military courts unless established to investigate military personnel actions during war conditions

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CERN (observer), CICA, CPLP (associate observer), D-8, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EU (candidate country), FAO, FATF, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF (partner), SCO (dialogue member), SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Serdar KILIC (since 21 May 2014)
In the us chancery: 2,525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 612-6,700
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 612-6,744
In the us consulate: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador David M. SATTERFIELD (since 28 August 2019)
From the us telephone: [90] (312) 455-5,555
From the us embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 6,100 Ankara
From the us mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5,000, APO AE 9,823
From the us FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019
From the us consulate:

Flag description: red with a vertical white crescent moon (the closed portion is toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening; the flag colors and designs closely resemble those on the banner of the Ottoman Empire, which preceded modern-day Turkey; the crescent moon and star serve as insignia for Turkic peoples; according to one interpretation, the flag represents the reflection of the moon and a star in a pool of blood of Turkish warriors

National symbols: vertical crescent moon with adjacent five-pointed star; national colors: red, white

National anthem
Name: Istiklal Marsi (Independence March)
Lyricsmusic: Mehmet Akif ERSOY/Zeki UNGOR
Note: lyrics adopted 1921, music adopted 1932; the anthem's original music was adopted in 1924; a new composition was agreed upon in 1932

Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real:
Real note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 174

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2010 dollars
Rank: 92

Gross national saving:
Rank: 57

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 59.1% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 14.5% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 29.8% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1.1% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 24.9% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -29.4% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 6.8% (2017 est.)
Industry: 32.3% (2017 est.)
Services: 60.7% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, hazelnuts, pulses, citrus; livestock

Industries: textiles, food processing, automobiles, electronics, mining (coal, chromate, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper

Industrial production growth rate: 9.1% (2017 est.)
Rank: 18

Labor force: 25.677 million (2020 est.)
Note: this number is for the domestic labor force only; number does not include about 1.2 million Turks working abroad, nor refugees
Rank: 20
By occupation agriculture: 18.4%
By occupation industry: 26.6%
By occupation services: 54.9% (2016)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 170

Population below poverty line: 21.9% (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.1%
Highest 10: 30.3% (2008)

Budget
Revenues: 172.8 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 185.8 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 91

Taxes and other revenues: 20.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 151

Public debt:
Rank: 169

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 216

Current account balance:
Rank: 26

Exports:
Rank: 23
Partners: Germany 9.6%, UK 6.1%, UAE 5.9%, Iraq 5.8%, US 5.5%, Italy 5.4%, France 4.2%, Spain 4% (2017)
Commodities: apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment

Imports:
Rank: 27
Commodities: machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport equipment
Partners: China 10%, Germany 9.1%, Russia 8.4%, US 5.1%, Italy 4.8% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 24

Debt external:
Rank: 26

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2020)
Production: 261.9 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 16
Consumption: 231.1 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 18
Exports: 1.442 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 49
Imports: 6.33 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 31
Installed generating capacity: 78.5 million kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 15
Generation sources fossil fuels: 53% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 143
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 199
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 33% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 64
Generation sources other renewable sources: 14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 64

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 55,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 51
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 208
Crude oil imports: 521,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 17
Crude oil proven reserves: 341.6 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 51

Refined petroleum
Products production: 657,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products production rank: 27
Products consumption: 989,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products consumption rank: 21
Products exports: 141,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products exports rank: 37
Products imports: 560,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products imports rank: 16

Natural gas
Production: 368.1 million m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 75
Consumption: 53.6 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 15
Exports: 622.9 million m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 42
Imports: 55.13 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 6
Proven reserves: 5.097 billion m³ (1 January 2018 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 92

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 379.5 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 17

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 11,283,768
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13.82 (2019 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 17
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 79,068,023
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 96.84 (2019 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 20

Broadcast media: Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) operates multiple TV and radio networks and stations; multiple privately owned national television stations and 567 private regional and local television stations; multi-channel cable TV subscriptions available; 1,007 private radio broadcast stations (2019)

Internet
Country code: .tr
Users total: 57,725,143
Users percent of population: 71.04% (July 2018 est.)
Users rank: 15

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 13,407,226
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2018 est.)
Rank: 15

Military expenditures:
Rank: 57

Military and security forces: Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Turkish Land Forces (Turk Kara Kuvvetleri), Turkish Naval Forces (Turk Deniz Kuvvetleri; includes naval air and naval infantry), Turkish Air Forces (Turk Hava Kuvvetleri); Ministry of Interior: Gendarmerie of the Turkish Republic, Turkish Coast Guard Command (2019)

Military service age and obligation: President Erdoğan on 25 June 2019 signed a new law cutting the men’s mandatory military service period in half, as well as making paid military service permanent; with the new system, the period of conscription was reduced from 12 months to six months for private and non-commissioned soldiers (the service term for reserve officers chosen among university or college graduates will remain 12 months); after completing six months of service, if a conscripted soldier wants to and is suitable for extending his military service, he may do so for an additional six months in return for a monthly salary; under the new law, all male Turkish citizens over the age of 20 will be required to undergo a one month military training period, but they can obtain an exemption from the remaining five months of their mandatory service by paying 31,000 Turkish Liras (2019)

Terrorist groups: Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Turkey; Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Kurdistan Workers' Party; al-Qa'ida; Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (2019)
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in a title='Appendix-T' href='../appendix/appendix-t.html'>Appendix-T/a>

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 11 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 618
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 115,595,495 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 5,949,210,000
Note: mt-km (2018)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: TC (2016)

Airports: 98 (2013)
Rank: 58
With paved runways total: 91 (2013)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 16 (2013)
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 38 (2013)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 17 (2013)
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 16 (2013)
With paved runways under 914 m: 4 (2013)
With unpaved runways total: 7 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (2013)

Heliports: 20 (2013)

Pipelines: 14,666 km gas, 3,293 km oil (2017)

Railways
Total: 12,710 km (2018)
Standard gauge: 11,497 km
Note: 1.435-m gauge (1.435 km high speed train) (2018)
Rank: 21

Roadways
Total: 67,333 km (2018)
Paved: 24,082 km
Note: (includes 2,159 km of expressways) (2018)
Unpaved: 43,251 km (2018)
Rank: 73

Waterways: 1200 km (2010)
Rank: 60

Merchant marine
Total: 1234
By type: bulk carrier 57, container ship 54, general cargo 363, oil tanker 124, other 636 (2019)
Rank: 23

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Aliaga, Ambarli, Diliskelesi, Eregli, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit), Mersin (Icel), Limani, Yarimca
Container port: Ambarli (3,131,621), Mersin (Icel) (1,592,000) (2017)
LNG terminal: Izmir Aliaga, Marmara Ereglisi

Disputes international: complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in the Aegean Sea; status of north Cyprus question remains; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in Iraq; in 2009, Swiss mediators facilitated an accord reestablishing diplomatic ties between Armenia and Turkey, but neither side has ratified the agreement and the rapprochement effort has faltered; Turkish authorities have complained that blasting from quarries in Armenia might be damaging the medieval ruins of Ani, on the other side of the Arpacay valley

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 3,638,420 (Syria), 170,000 (Afghanistan), 142,000 (Iraq), 39,000 (Iran), 5,700 (Somalia) (2020)
IDPs: 1.099 million (displaced from 1984-2005 because of fighting between the Kurdish PKK and Turkish military; most IDPs are Kurds from eastern and southeastern provinces; no information available on persons displaced by development projects) (2018)
Stateless persons: 117 (2018)

Illicit drugs: key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe and, to a lesser extent, the US - via air, land, and sea routes; major Turkish and other international trafficking organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert imported morphine base into heroin exist in remote regions of Turkey and near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and over output of poppy straw concentrate; lax enforcement of money-laundering controls