 |
| Turkey Facts -Interesting Facts About Turkey Country |
Turkey is a transcontinental country located in Western Asia and Southeast Europe. The nation is bordered by Greece and Bulgaria to its northwest, the Black Sea to its north, Georgia to its upper east, Armenia, the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan and Iran to its east, Iraq, and Syria to its southeast, the Mediterranean Sea to its south, and the Aegean Sea to its west. If you searching for facts about Turkey country history, culture, food? You have come to the right place. Check out the following list of interesting facts about Turkey.
Turkey Facts -Interesting Facts About Turkey Country
1. The country officially called the Republic of Turkey.
2. The country name "Turkey" may have come from Turchia.
3. Istanbul is the largest city and Ankara is the capital in the country.
 |
| Istanbul is the largest city in the country |
4. Gazi Mustafa Kemal, a.k.a. Atatürk was the founder of modern Turkey and he was born in 1881, the Ottoman city of Selanik, now Saloniki, in Greece. Though, his mother and his father’s ancestors were Turks from Anatolia.
5. The nation all of the population is Muslim but Turkey is not officially a Muslim country. Since 1927, Turkey has officially declared a secular country.
6. Turkey is home the grease wrestling, also it's the national sport. The Grease wrestling match was hosted in 1362.
7. Approximately 70 to 80 percent of the citizens of the nation identifies as Turkish and Kurds are the biggest minority, 15 to 20 percent of the population.
8. When Mustafa Kemal Ataturk rose to power in 1921, he lifted the ban on alcohol, adopted the Gregorian calendar instead of the Islamic, changed the Turkish alphabet from Arabic letters to Roman, made Sunday a day of rest instead of Friday, and mandated that the call to prayer be in Turkish rather than Arabic. Also, he banned the iconic red Turkish fez hat.
9. The turkey bird is called Hindi in the nation of Turkey because they believe it originated in India.
 |
| Turkey Bird |
10. The oldest shipwreck on the Earth was found in the Mediterranean region, Uluburun about 6 miles SE of Kaş of Turkey. It was dated to be at around 3,300 years old. t is currently being displayed in the Submarine Archaeology Museum.
11. Turkish people drink 10 or more cups of tea per day, and the nation has the highest per-capita consumption of tea on the planet at nearly 7 lbs. per person in a year. 96% percent of the population drinks tea each day. Turkey also ranks in the top 10 tea producers in the world.
12. About one-quarter of the roses grown on the earth come from Turkey.
13. The world's oldest continually inhabited city in Gaziantep, Turkey.
14. The word “turquoise” comes from turc (Turkish) and was derived from the beautiful color of the Mediterranean Sea on the southern Turkish coast.
15. Istanbul was the capital of three empires for 2,000 years: the Roman, Byzantine Empires, and the Ottoman.
16. Turkey has two places that are part of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. They are the Temple of Artemis and Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.
17. Turkey is one of the few nations on the earth that refers to sports directly in its constitution, in Article 59, which reads, “The State takes measures to develop the physical and mental health of Turkish citizens of all ages and encourages the spread of sports among the masses. The State protects successful athletes.”
18. The nation takes equality between men and women very seriously. Turkey has had institutions that uphold women’s rights, since 1750.
19. The country has more than ten UNESCO World Heritage Sites found.
20. Turkey has 82,693 mosques, more than any other nation per capita in the world.
 |
| Süleymaniye Mosque Stanbul inTurkey |
21. The famous Gordian Knot is located in Ankara, which was untangled by Alexander the Great.
Cool Facts About Turkey Country
22. The world’s only city spreading two continents' names is Istanbul. 3% percent is in Europe and 97% percent in Asia. The Asian part is called Anatolia (Anadolu).
23. In the 3rd century A.D. - Santa Claus, also known as St. Nicholas, was born in Patara, Turkey.
24. 33% percent of the 9,000 plant species found in Turkey are endemic, which means they grow only in that nation and no place else.
25. The most significant silk carpet on the earth, with 144 knots per square centimeter, is in the Mevlâna Museum in Konya, Turkey.
26. More than 5,000 art exhibits feature the Antalya Museum and it's one of the best in the world.
27. The oldest domestic plants, a cherry tree was first introduced to Rome, and then to Europe, from Giresun in northern Turkey in 69 B.C. It is thought to be one of the earliest domesticated plants, about 10,000 years ago.
 |
| Cherry Fruit |
28. The country is the 6th most popular tourist destination on the earth and had 35 million foreign tourists in 2013.
29. Istanbul is the last stop for the famous Simplon Orient Express. It is as known the “king of trains and train of kings.”
30. Turkey has a home to five unique mammal species, 13 reptile species, and 52 freshwater fish species not found anyplace else on Earth.
31. Mount Ararat (Ağri Daği) is the highest point in the country at 16,949 feet (5,166 m) and It's actually a dormant volcano.
32. The first man-made Neolithic paintings walls found were discovered in Catalhoyuk, Turkey.
33. Most interesting facts about turkey, There are at least 150 archaeological digs going on every year.
34. Istanbul Tünel is the world’s second-oldest underground railway in on the European continent, after the London underground. It starts operating in 1975.
35. The "Tulip" word originates from the Turkish word for turban, tülbent. Tulips were introduced with Europe through Dutch merchants by the Turks in the 17th century. Also, the tulip is the national flower Netherlands.
 |
| Tulip word Originates from the Turkish word and the national flower Netherlands. |
36. The Turkish Mediterranean resort city of Antalya holds the world record for having the highest number of “Blue Flag” certified beaches on the planet, awarded for highest water quality, beach cleanliness, and most environmental standards.
37. The first-ever university known to man is founded in Harran, Turkey.
History Facts Facts About Turkey
38. The world’s largest outdoor market may be Istanbul’s Kapalıçarşı or Grand Bazaar and also one of the oldest market. With 64 streets, 4,000 shops, and 25,000 workers. It was built in the 15th century by the order of the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror.
39. Çatalhöyük is as known as the oldest human city in Turkey, which shows signs of settlement from the 7th century B.C.
 |
| Çatalhöyük is as known as the oldest human city in Turkey, Image source |
40. Istanbul's old name was Constantinople, previously known as Byzantium. In the 20th century, renamed Istanbul. It was the capital of the Roman Empire for a brief time under Emperor Constantine.
41. Between A.D. 1098 and 1268, by men built the first Christian church, Cave Church or Grotto, of St. Peter was built in Antioch, Turkey.
42. The stones found at Göbekli Tepe in Turkey in 1994 imprint it as the world's first temple and one of the most significant archeological sites at any point found. Carbon dating shows the 45 stones might be as old as 13,000 years of age which makes it the oldest site by an amazing edge, considering Stonehenge was built about 2,000 to 3,000 years ago and the pyramids of Giza 2,500 years prior.
43. The Asklepios has been called one of the world’s first full-service health clinics in Pergamum, Turkey.
44. One of the world’s earliest civilizations, the Hittites, flourished in Turkey around 1600 B.C. They were among the first people to work iron and use a system of writing.
45. The Hagia Sofia (Turkish: Ayasofya), or Church of the Holy Wisdom, the cathedral in Istanbul was the biggest cathedral on the planet for almost a thousand years. Following the Ottoman triumph of Constantinople in 1453, it was transformed into a mosque, and it has been a museum since 1935.
46. In the seventh century B.C., the first-ever coins known to man were discovered in Sfard, Turkey
47. The legendary city of Troy of the Trojan horse, Achilles, and Helen and Paris is located on the Aegean coast on Turkey.
Culture Facts About Turkey
48. It's common to kiss an elderly individual’s hand as a sign of respect.
49. Most Turkish did not have surnames until a law was passed requiring it in 1934. The most common last names in Turkey are Yılmaz (never gives up, undaunted), Demir (iron), Şahin (falcon or hawk), Kaya (rock), and Çelik (steel).
50. All major life events begin with eating sweets, according to Turkish tradition. A baby is welcomed at birth with halva, and it is also made again for a funeral. When a woman gives birth, she is given sweet fruit drinks to drink.
51. Backgammon, or tavla, is deeply established in Turkish culture. It is one of the most ancient of all table games, with roots dating as far back as 3000 B.C, and Turks pay attention to playing it very seriously.
52. The fez hat is a traditional, conical, red felt cap worn by Turkish men, but they are almost never worn nowadays. In 1925, The fez hat was banned by the government.
 |
| Fez Hat Turkey, Photo source |
53. The expression “Whirling Dervish” actually refers to Turkish dancers who follow the spiritualist Rumi. They turn during their religious meditative spinning ceremony, known as the Sema, which speaks the spiritual ascent of man.
Food Facts Facts About Turkey
55. Jam beans started as an American version of the "Turkish Delight" (lokum) dessert.
56. During the Ottoman raids into Central and Eastern Europe in the 16th century, Turks introduced coffee to Europe.
57. Turkish coffee is the most famous in Europe.
58. Soup is a common part of Turkish cuisine. They have it before every meal.
59. You will find a dessert made out of chicken in Turkey and It's called Tavuk Gogsu.
 |
| Tavuk Gogsu is a dessert made out of chicken in Turkey |
60. Imam bayıldı is a Turkish dish made using eggplant cooked with olive oil and loaded up with onions, garlic, and tomatoes and served at room temperature. It interprets as the "imam swooned," recommending that the dish was tasty to the point that the imam, or prayer leader of the mosque, fainted out at the sight and taste of it.
61. Ice cream street vendors also perform circus-clown performances to attract customers and it's very interesting facts about Turkey.
62. Turkey has been producing wine since 4000 B.C.
63. Turkey is the world’s fourth-biggest producer of tomatoes. In 2011, Turkish farmers grew more than 11 million metric tons of tomatoes.
64. The last meal on Noah’s ark, a desert and sour pudding called “ashure” (Turkish aşure), is still filled as a dessert all through Turkey. It supposedly contained 40 different ingredients, which were the remainders of his supplies.
I hope, you have enjoyed the interesting facts about Turkey. If you need more Nation facts, keep with this blog and share Turkey facts on social media with your friends. Thanks for visiting this blog.