TURKEY

Turkey is considered to be the gateway between Europe and

Asia; it is an Eurasian country located on the Mediterranean
stretching across the Anatolian peninsula in southwest Asia
and the Balkan region of southeastern Europe. It is bordered
by the Black Sea, the Marmara Sea, the Aegean Sea and
Mediterranean Sea.
MAP OF TURKEY
 GENERAL INFORMATION
Capital: Ankara
Area: 780,580 sq. km.
Currency: New Turkish Lira (TRY) 1 EUR = 1.77209
TRY
Official language: Turkish
Time zone: GMT +2
Emergency services: 112
Religions: 99% Muslim, 1% other
Government: Parliamentary Republic
Population: ~68 million
Population density: 93/km (240/sq. miles)
Gross Domestic Product (GDP): USD $791 billion
(est.); per capita USD 10,380 (est.)
Human Development Index (HDI): 0.775 (medium)
Average temperatures: The country can be devided
into the following regions with reference to
temperature:
Marmara coasts - (Istanbul): Hot summers and mild
winters.
Aegean coasts - (Izmir): Hot summers and mild
winters.
Mediterranean coasts - (Antalya): Hot summers
and mild winters.
Black Sea coast - (Trabzon): Temperate climate,
warm summers, mild winters and relatively high
rainfall.
Central Anatolia - (Ankara): Steppe climate with
hot, dry summers; cold winters.
Eastern Anatolia - (Erzurum): Long snowy, cold
winters and mild summers.
 PRESIDENT
RECEP TAYYIP EDROGAN

Recep Tayyip Erdoan is the current

President of Turkey, and has held the
position since 2014. He previously
served as Prime Minister of Turkey
from 2003 to 2014 and as Mayor of
Istanbul from 1994 to 1998.
Turkish alphabet (trkalfabesi)
Ottoman Turkish script ()
COUNTING
BASIC TURKISH GREETINGS
EDUCATION SYSTEM
 EDUCATION
Turkish education system is under the supervision and control of
the state, namely the Ministry of National Education. According to
the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey, everyone has the right to
receive education. Education is compulsory from ages 6 to 14 and
free in state schools. The country's primary schools currently have a
98 percent participation rate.
The academic year in Turkish education institutions generally begins
in the mid-September or early October and continues to May or early
June. There is also a two-week winter break in February.
 Stages of the Education System
Pre-School Education: Optional kindergarten education, up to 6 years of age.
Primary Education: Compulsory and free basic education for eight years (5
years elementary + 3 years secondary), 6-14 years of age.
Secondary Education: 4 years of High School (Lise), or Vocational High School
education, 15-17/18 years of age. Some schools might have an additional year of
language study. High schools are mostly owned by the government and provide
free education.
Higher Education: 4 years of University, or 2 years at Higher Vocational
Schools. Some schools have an additional year of language study. Under normal
circumstances, Master's study lasts 2 years; PhD 3-5 years. This category
includes all educational institutions which will provide post-secondary
education. They are under the supervision of Higher Educational Council (YOK).
LET'S TRAVEL NOW TO TURKEY
DO'S AND DONT'S
 VISITING MOSQUES
Do remove shoes or sandals before you go inside any of the mosques
in Turkey.
Do wear modest clothing, meaning no shorts or strappy tops for
women and no shorts for men either.
Do cover your head if you are female.
Dont visit any mosque on a Friday, the Muslim day for worship.
Dont talk or laugh loudly in a Mosque.
Dont walk in front of a person who is praying because, according to
Muslim belief, the prayer will not be counted.
 Visiting Traditional (Non-Tourist) Areas
Do wear conservative clothing when visiting anywhere outside of
cities. Short sleeved shirts are acceptable.
Do remember that public displays of affection (even between
husband and wife) are not looked kindly upon in Muslim countries.
Dont sit beside or talk to single or young Turkish women if you are a
male traveller because this is a threatening move to them.
Dont expect any Turkish male, such as merchandise sellers, to talk to
a female traveller with a male traveling companion. Turkish men will
only speak to male companions to protect the females honour.
 Interacting with Turkish people
Do be courteous. Turkish people place heavy emphasis on good manners.
Do learn some polite phrases or words such as, tesekkr ederim which
means thank you and ltfen which means please. A downward nod of the
head means yes whereas nodding in an upward manner with raised
eyebrows whilst making a click sound with the tongue means no.
Do remember evet means yes and hayir means no in Turkish.
Dont make the ok sign as it is known in the West by putting the thumb and
forefinger together to form the letter o, because this is considered obscene
in Turkish culture.
Dont make negative remarks about Kemal Atatrk, the Turkish Republics
Founding Father.
 In Restaurants or Cafes
Do remember that alcohol abstinence is encouraged in Muslim countries,
including Turkey. A glass of wine is tolerable but drunkenness is not.
Do be aware that smoking is common in Turkish cafes and restaurants. It
would be rude to ask others to refrain from lighting up in this circumstance
so just select a restaurant of caf with a no smoking section if you would
rather.
Do pay for the whole meal if you initiated an invitation. Splitting the bill if
you invited your guest is considered rude in Turkey.
Do return the gesture if someone else offers to pay the bill, and make sure
you invite that person to lunch or dinner before you leave.
Do remember that burping, picking your teeth and blowing your nose in a
restaurant of caf is considered to be impolite in Turkey.
TRANSPORT - GETTING THERE
 Main International Airports:
for the capital city: Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International
Airport (SAW) and Istanbul Atatrk International Airport
(IST); for the Mediterranean coast: Antalya International
Airport (AYT); for the Aegean coast: Dalaman International
Airport (DLM)

Ports and Terminals:

Aliaga, Diliskelesi, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit), Mercin Limani,
Nemrut Limani
 TRANSPORT - GETTING THERE
Turkish Airlines and British Airlines (plus the low-cost
easyJet) fly direct to Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir all year
round. During the holiday season (May October),
cheap charter flights from operators like Thomas Cook
and My Travel go to the coastal airports of Dalaman,
Antalya and Bodrum.
 VISA INFORMATION
European citizens will find it quite easy to get a permission to
enter the country as they will only have to complete a couple
of forms on arrival.
While .....
Philippine nationals, or more commonly known as Filipinos,
require visas before they can travel to Turkey. They must
lodge their visa applications at the Embassy of Turkey in
Manila, or the Honorary Consulate General in Cebu City, as
visas are not obtainable to them at the ports of entry.
 VISA INFORMATION
General Requirements:
a.Philippine passport with minimum validity of 3 months beyond the expiry of visa
requested.
b.Fully accomplished visa application form (downloadable in .doc format / online
visa application)
c.1 passport size photograph affixed to the top left corner of the visa application
form.
d. Documents supporting the purpose of visit (e.g., letter of invitation, travel
itinerary, round trip ticket, hotel reservation with payment guarantee, etc.).
e. Proof of means of subsistence during stay in Turkey.
f. For business visa: Invitation letter from counterpart company in Turkey.
g.Non-refundable visa fee.
 PLEASE NOTE !!!!
The Embassy reserves the right to ask for additional
documentation when deemed necessary.
Filipino visa applicants may need to appear personally to lodge
their visa applications.
Visa processing fees may vary depending on the type of visa
applied for and nationality of the applicant. Please contact the
Embassy to obtain the most accurate information on visa fees.
 VISA INFORMATION
Holders of diplomatic and official passports are also exempted from
this Article.
Philippines: Nationals of the Philippines holding diplomatic and
official/service passport are exempted from visa for their travels up to
30 days.

Ordinary passport holders are required to have visa. Holders of such

passports may obtain their 30-day single-entry e-visas via the
website www.evisa.gov.tr, provided that they have a valid Schengen
members or USA, UK, Ireland visa or residence permit.
CLOTHING
FOOD
FOOD
MENEMEN
This traditional Turkish breakfast item
is scrambled eggs cooked in sauted
vegetables and served hot with bread.
Dip it, spread it, or spoon it up.

KOFTE
A Turkish staple, kfte is balls or
patties of ground beef or lamb, and can
be served stewed, in sandwiches, over
salads, or plain with yogurt.
FOOD
IMAM BAYILDI
This stuffed aubergine entree is delicious,
hearty, and versatile. Aubergines can be
filled with rice, bulgur, mince, and/or other
veg and smothered in oil and butter before
being baked or cooked on the stovetop.

MERCIMEK KOFTESI
This vegetarian meat balls made from
lentils, bulgur, and chopped vegetables are a
common Turkish appetiser.
FOOD
Knefe
This unique Turkish dessert, made from
cheese baked with shredded pastry dough
and topped with pistachio, is a common
treat for nights out as it's difficult to make at
home.
Glla
A traditional dessert most often served
during Ramadan, glla is a uniquely
textured treat made from dough, milk,
rosewater, nuts, and pomegranate seeds.
You might find other fruit or chickpeas in
some variations.
TOURIST DESTINATIONS
BLUE MOSQUE
With its six minarets and sweeping
architecture the Sultan Ahmed or Blue
Mosque in Istanbulimpresses from the
outside. While still used as a mosque, the
Blue Mosque has also become one of the
most popular tourist attractions in Istanbul.
It was built between 1609 and 1616 and like
many other mosques contains the tomb of
the founder. Inside the mosque, the high
ceiling is lined with the 20,000 blue tiles
with different patterns that give the mosque
its popular name.
BODRUM CASTLE
Located in the city of Bodrum in southwest
Turkey, Bodrum Castle was built by the
Crusaders in the 15th century as the Castle
of St. Peter. It is one of the worlds best
preserved monuments dating back to
medieval times. The castle now operates as a
museum, with the focus on the Museum of
Underwater Archaeology. It overlooks the
internal marina of Bodrum filled with
millions of dollars worth of sailing crafts.
HAGIA SOPHIA
Located in Istanbul, the Hagia Sophia was
originally a basilica constructed for the
Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I in the
sixth century. A masterwork of Roman
engineering, the massive dome (31 meters
or 102 feet in diameter) covers what was
for over 1000 years the largest enclosed
space in the world. The church was looted
by the fourth Crusaders in 1204, and
became a mosque in the 15th century
when The Ottomans conquered the city.
The Hagia Sophia was converted into a
museum in 1935 and is now one of the top
attractions in Turkey.
LIBRARY OF CELSUS
The ruins of Ephesus are a popular tourist
attraction on the west coast. The city of
Ephesus was once famed for the Temple of
Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient
world, which was destroyed by a mob led by the
archbishop of Constantinople in 401 AD. Some of
the structures can still be seen however including
the Great Theater and the Library of Celsus. The
library was built around 125 AD to store 12,000
scrolls and to serve as a monumental tomb for
Celsus, the governor of Asia. The faade was
carefully reconstructed in the 1970s to its present
splendid state from the original pieces.
PAMUKKALE
Pamukkale, meaning cotton castle in
Turkish, is an unreal landscape in western
Turkey, famous for its white terraces. The
terraces are made of travertine, a
sedimentary rock deposited by water with a
very high mineral content from the hot
springs. People have bathed in its pools for
thousands of years. The ancient Greek city of
Hierapolis was built on top of the hot springs
by the kings of Pergamon. The ruins of the
baths, temples and other Greek monuments
can be seen at the site.
FEASTS
Feast of the Sacrifice
(OCTOBER)
In Turkey, every year two religious
festivals are celebrated: Ramadan and
the Feast of the Sacrifice. Both of them
are celebrated ten days earlier than the
year before every year, since
celebration days are calculated
according to the lunar calendar.
According to the lunar calendar the
Feast of the Sacrifice is celebrated on
the tenth day of the month Zilhicce.
Celebration lasts four days.
Republic Day (October 29)
Republic Day marks the creation of the
Turkish Republic in 1923. After Turkeys
victory in the War of Independence
(1919-1923), the Turkish parliament
proclaimed the new Turkish state as a
republic. A new constitution, which the
parliament adopted on October 29, 1923,
replaced the constitution of the Ottoman
Empire. The leader in the Turkish War of
Independence, Mustafa Kemal Atatrk,
became the countrys first president on
the same day
Tatrk Memorial Day (November 10)
Mustafa Kemal Atatrk, the founder of Turkish Republic died on November 10,
1938. Since then, every year November 10, Turkish people pay tribute to Atatrk. At
9.05 a.m, the moment of his death for about a minute the Turkish people stand
silent in commemoration of him. Many people visit Antkabir memorial tombin
Ankara during this day.
National Sovereignty and Childrens Day (April 23)
Many people in Turkey commemorate the first gathering of the Grand National
Assembly (the Turkish Parliament), which took place on April 23, 1920, by attending
local ceremonies or laying wreaths at monuments of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the
founder of the Turkish Republic. The biggest ceremony takes place at the Ataturk
Mausoleum in Ankara.
Hdrellez (May )
The Hdrellez, which falls on May 5-6, is a celebration of the day of Hzr --
which is the day that the prophets Hzr and lyas met in Islamic belief. It is
believed that all wishes that are made on that night will be granted within the
span of a year.