GEOGRAPHY
Turkey is a large peninsula that bridges the continents of Europe and Asia. Turkey is surrounded on three sides by the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Aegean Sea. Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey, is built on land in the Bosporus seaway. The city is partly in Europe and partly in Asia. Turkey is larger than the state of Texas.
Turkey is one of the most earthquake prone areas on Earth and has suffered from 13 earthquakes in the past 70 years. The North Anatolian Fault extends hundreds of miles from the Sea of Marmara in the western part of the country to the Eastern Anatolian Highlands. The fault moves back and forth about 8 inches (20 centimeters) a year.
Turkey's highest mountain, Mount Ararat has two peaks, with Great Ararat reaching 16,945 feet (5,165 meters). The mountain is considered sacred by many people and is believed to be where Noah beached his ark after the great flood.
PEOPLE & CULTURE
The Turkish people are from diverse backgrounds, a reminder of the many different groups that conquered Turkey over thousands of years. The majority of the population lives in cities, and children who want to go to high school must move to a city. The people are primarily Sunni Muslim. One fifth of the population is Kurdish.
Children who live in the European side of Istanbul may cross the Bosporus by ferry to visit grandparents in Asia. Turks are family oriented and are very hospitable people. They invite visitors to their homes and make sure they have something to eat and drink before they leave.
One of their favorite meals is kebab made from grilled lamb. Their diet includes lamb, eggplant, and yogurt. A sweet flavored candy with rose petals called Turkish delight, or lokum, is sold in many flavors and colors.
To find work, about two million Turks are currently guest workers in Germany and have formed their own communities there.
Soccer is the most popular sport in Turkey. There are three popular teams based in Istanbul. Turks excel at weightlifting and a form of wrestling called Turkish wrestling.
"The torch that the Turkish nation holds in her hand and in her mind, while marching on the road of progress and civilisation, is positive sciences "
NATURE
Turkey is a resting location for birds on their migratory journey between their summer and winter homes. They flock to Kus Golu, or Bird Lake in a protected national forest that is surrounded by reed marshes. The first national park in Turkey opened in 1958.
Today there are 39 parks where rare species and their habitats are protected. Several species are at risk, including the northern bald eagle which is critically endangered.
At one time, Turkey was home to jackals, lynx, wolves, and bears but those animal species are rare now. The Turkish horned viper snake has spikelike scales that poke upward near their eyes.
Once known as Cotton Castle, the white cliffs in Pamukkale in western Turkey are made of a calcium-rich mineral called travertine. The cliffs look like a sheet of ice covering a hillside from a distance. A spring flows from pool to pool. The cascade is 1.7 miles (2.7 kilometers) long.