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Global presence of Turkey:
Geography : Turkey's land mass is 814,578 sq.km. The European and Asian sides are divided by the Bosphorus (Istanbul Bogazi), the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles (Canakkale Bogazi). Anatolia is a high plateau region rising progressively towards the east, broken by the valleys of about 15 rivers, including the Dicle (Tigres) and the Firat (Euphrates). There are numerious lakes and some, such as Lake Van, are as large as inland seas. In the north, the Eastern Black Sea Mountain chain runs parallel to the Black Sea; in the south, the Taurus mountains sweep down almost to the narrow, fertile coastal plain along the coast. Turkey enjoys a variety of climates, changing from the temperate climate of the Back Sea region, to the continental climate of the interior, then, to the Mediterranean climate of the Aegean and Mediterranean costal regions. The coastline of Turkey's four seas is more than 8,333 km long.
History : Turkey has heen called "the cradle of civilizaton" and by traveling through this historic land, tourists will discover exactly what is meant by this pharase. The world's first town, a neolithic city at Catalhoyuk, dates back to 6,500 B.C. From the days of Catalhoyuk up to the present, Turkey boasts a rich culture that through the centuries has made a lasting impression on modern civilization. The heir to many centuries of cultures makes Turkey a paradise of information and cultural wealth. Hattis, Hittitess, Phrygians, Urartians, Lycians, Lydians, Ionians, Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks, and Ottomans have all made important contributions to Turkish history, and ancient sites and ruins scattered throughout the country give proof of each civilizaton's unique distinction.
Turkey also has a very fascinating recent history. Upon the decline of the Ottoman Empire, a young man named Mustafa Kemal, who was a soilder by ocupation but in character, a great visionary, took the defeat of World War I and turned it into a shining victory by liberating Turkey of all foreign invaders. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk has founded the Republic of Turkey on October 29, 1923. He led his country into peace and stability, with tremendous economic growth and complete modernization. Through decades of change and growth, Turkey still boasts this succes, living by its adopted motto of "Peace at Home, Peace in the World".
Population : According to a 1990 census, Turkey has 57 million inhabitants, 41% of whom live in the countryside. The major cities are: istanbul (7.4 mil); Ankara,the capital(3.2mil); izmir (2.7 mil); Adana (1.9 mil) ; Antalya (1.1 mil)and Bursa(1.6mil).
Language : The Turkish language belongs to the Ural-Altaic group and has an affinity with the finno-Hungarian languages.Turkish is written in the Latin alphabet and is spoken by some 150 million (it suppoused 600 million with dialects) people around the world.
Religion : Although Turkey is 99% Moslem, it is a secular stale that guarantees complete freedom of worship to non-Moslems.
Economy :
Tourism : In recent years, Turkey has become a major tourist destination in Europe. With the rapid development of both summer and winter resorts, more and more peoole from around the world are able to enjoy the history, culture, and beautiful sites of Turkey. From swimming in the Mediterranean to skiing in Uludag,Turkey has something to offer every tourist.
Agriculture : This plays a very important role in the Turkish economy. The main crops are wheat, rice, cotton, tea, tobacco, hazelnuts, and fruit. Sheep are Turkeys most important livestock, and Turkey is one of the major cotton and wool producers.
Natural resources : The principal minerals extracted are coal, chrome (an important export), iron,copper, bauxite, marble and sulphur.
Industry : Industry is developing rapidly and is directed mainly towards the processing of agricultural products, metallurgy, textiles, and the manufacture of automobiles and agricultural machinery.
Political structure : The Turkish Republic is based on a secular democratic, pluralist and parilamentary system. The National Assembly is elected by popular vote and the nation is governed by the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. Turkey is a founding member of OECD, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization,a member of NATO, the European Council and the European Parliament.
Global presence of Malta:
Geography & History : The Maltese Islands are a group of small, barren rocks, jutting out of the middle of the dark blue Mediterranean sea. In these conditions, they would have been relegated to the footnotes of history. Yet, ever since the archipelago was first colonised thousands of years ago, they have never been far from the centre of events and have often played a crucial role in the making of history. Their strategic situation in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea makes up for all the lack of resources that nature endowed the rest of the globe. Malta, the largest island, and her sister islands of Gozo, Comino, Filfla and other very small islands, are strategically placed in the narrow channel joining the eastern and the western basins of the Mediterranean. Or if you like, a bridge between Southern Europe and North Africa, or between Western Europe and the Middle East. This had landed the Maltese Islands right in the middle of the most important historic events: the wars between Rome and Carthage, the rise of Islam, the Crusades, the wars between Christians and Moslems, the rise and fall of Napoleon, the rise and fall of the British Empire, the fight for democracy against Fascism and Nazism, the Cold War, the rise of a United Europe and the challenges of the Third Millennium.
Population : The resident population of Malta, which includes foreigners residing in Malta for at least a year, as at 27 November 2005 was estimated at 404,039 of whom 200,715 (49.7%) were males and 203,324 (50.3%) were females. Of these, 17.1 per cent were aged 14 and under, 68.2 per cent were within the 15–64 age bracket whilst the remaining 13.7 per cent were 65 years and over. Malta's population density of 1,282 per square kilometre (3,322/sq mi) is by far the highest in the EU, and one of the highest in the world.
Language : Malta has two official languages, Maltese and English. The English language is a leftover of about 160 years of British colonisation of Malta. Maltese, whose closest languages are Maghrebi Arabic, Syrian, Lebanese and Palestinian, is the only Semitic language which is written in Roman alphabet. Italian, too, is widely spoken among the younger generation, particularly due to the television programs which are transmitted from nearby Italy.
Religion : The Roman Catholic faith is predominant in Malta. There are 365 catholic churches on the islands and the church is a very prominent aspect of the Maltese way of life. Nevertheless, other faiths have been imported to Malta and some of them have been embraced by various Maltese people.
Economy & Industry :
Malta has gone a long way from being a strategic landmark on the military maps of long-gone empires to a strategic location in today's globalised business community. Until 1800, Malta had very few industries except the cotton, tobacco, and shipyards industry. The dockyard was later used by the British for military purposes. At times of war, Malta's economy prospered due to its strategic location. This could be seen during the Crimean War of 1854. This did not only benefit those who had a military role, but also the craftsmen.
In 1869, the opening of the Suez Canal benefited Malta's economy greatly as there was a massive increase in the shipping which entered in the port. Entrepot trade saw many ships stopping at Malta's docks for refuelling, this brought great benefits to the population.
By the end of the 19th century, the economy began declining and by the 1940s, Malta's economy was in serious crisis. This was partially due to the longer range of newer merchant ships which required less frequent refuelling stops.
Nowadays, Malta’s major resources are limestone, a favourable geographic location, and a productive labour force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited freshwater supplies, and has no domestic energy sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade (serving as a freight trans-shipment point), manufacturing (especially electronics and textiles), and tourism. Tourism infrastructure has increased dramatically over the years and a number of good-quality hotels are present on the island.
When it obtained its independence from Britian in 1964 Malta had to wake up and transform its economy based on military spending by foreign powers in Malta to a peace-time economy.
Tourism : Malta is both an outstanding summer vacation destination as well as a living microcosm of Mediterranean history. Few people realize or expect that on such a small cluster of islands one can come across such a wealth of historic traditions. Besides archeological and architectural gems Malta's great attraction are the numerous village "festas" falling mostly during summer. These festivities in honor of the village patron saint are characterized by band marches, colourful street decorations, spectacular firework displays and a religious procession where the statue of the patron saint is carried through the village streets. At the same time, Malta's many beaches are an obvious place to spend the time waiting for the celebrations to begin or to have a break from the rich historical tapestry of the islands.
Agriculture: Like all other countries with a long tradition of interaction among people, Malta has a rich element of folk life. Some Maltese traditions are closely related to Catholic Mediterranean folklore, however, there are several aspects which work either independently from organized religion, and sometimes even counter to the religious beliefs. The folk music and singing tradition of Malta is a good example of Maltese Folklore not associated with Christianity. Maltese gastronomy is a fascinating blend of influences that reflects Malta's location and history. Primarily Italian in character, Maltese cuisine also borrows extensively from the kitchens of North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. Over the centuries, all of these distinct components have been integrated into a uniquely wholesome and flavourful melange.
Political structure : Malta is parliamentary democracy. It has been an independent nation since 1964 and a consitituional republic since 1974. The Head of State (President) appoints as the Head of Government (Prime Minister) the leader of the party that gains a plurality of seats in the quinquennial elections for the unicameral legislature. The President is appointed by the Prime Minister in consultation with the cabinet memebers. The police are commanded by a civilian commissioner under the effective supervision of the Government. The Government is strongly committed to human rights. An independent judiciary upholds the Constitution's protections for individual rights and freedoms. Cultural and religious patterns reinforce the homogeneity of the Maltese society.
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