Ottomans and Ataturk

The history of Turkey is a long and colourful one. A recent archaeological discovery in East Turkey (Gobekli Tepe) dating back about 11,500 years has turned the world of archaeology on its head with the discovery of the oldest manmade place of worship in the world. The Ottoman Empire based in Constantinople (today Istanbul) ruled over vast areas of Europe and Asia from the late 13th Century until 1922. In 1923 the republic of Turkey was set up with Ataturk as the first president of the secular republic.

A leader of production in many fields

Turkey is among the world's leading producers of agricultural products, textiles, motor vehicles, ships and other transportation equipment, construction materials, consumer electronics and home appliances. Turkey has the 17th largest GDP in the world and is often classified as a newly industrialised country by economists. Turkey's growth was averaging around 5% before the global financial crisis and while it has suffered from the crisis, it is better placed than most Middle Eastern countries to come out of it strongly.