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Turkey - Essential Information
Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Climate: The climate in Turkey can change dramatically from one region to another depending on whether it is a coastal or mountain region. The Marmara, Aegean and Mediterrean coasts have a typical Mediterrean climate with hot summers and mild winters with relatively low rainfall. Central Anatolia has dry hot summers and very cold winters. Eastern Anatolia has long snowy cold winters with mild summers and South Eastern Anatolia has hot summers with mild rainy winters.

Geography: There is no doubt that Turkey is in a league of its own, where two continents, Europe and Asia, meet surrounded by the Agean, Black, Mediterrean and Marmara seas. The European and Asian sides are divided by the beautiful Bosphorous in Istanbul (formerly known as Constantinopole, which flows past one of the oldest civilisations. This wonderful country has a land mass of approximately 779,000 sq km with over 8333km of stunning coastline. Enjoying a variety of climates due to its varied topography surrounded by four different seas with a vast array of idyllic lakes, it really does have to be seen to be believed. Almost 35% of Turkey's land area is covered with forests and mountains. Turkey is made up of seven different regions: Black Sea Region, East Anatolia Region, South Eastern Anatolia Region, Mediterranean Region, Aegean Region, Central Anatolia Region and the Marmara Region, it is a land of extremes with wide rivers cutting across beaches to reach the shimmering sea. With Greece, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbajan, Syria, Iran, Iraq and Bulgaria as it's neighbours it really is easy to see why Turkey is so cosmopolitan.

Major Towns: The main cities are Istanbul, Ankara (capital), Trabzon, Erzurum and Diyarbakir. All of the main cities have diverse scenery, climate, and historical monuments, one could easily be overwhelmed by the choice available to do and see.

Language: Turkish is the official language and English is widely used and understood in official and commercial circles.

Time: Local time is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Household Items & Services: Most household appliances are available in Turkey at about the same price as Europe. Most international makes and models are available (Whirlpool, Kelvinator, Candy, Philips, Pioneer, Panasonic, Siemens, Arthur Martin, Bosch, Tefal, Beko, Sony etc

Running Costs: The living costs in Turkey are much cheaper than the UK and the majority of Europe. The main costs are electricity which costs around 4 pence per KW. (approx. £ 15 monthly per house), water costs £2 for 0-20 tons of water per month and an annual council tax is less than £ 40 (£2.90 per month which includes waste collection, pavement and road cleaning, etc.) 1 gas canister costs approximately £6 and lasts as long as 2/3 months. There is an annual property tax of £80.

Cuisine: The cuisine in Turkey is very similar to the cuisine in North Cyprus. Turkish Cypriot cooking is a delicious blend of Eastern and Western cuisine. A typical diet consists of: local fruits; melons, Clementine's, oranges, lemons, grapes, apricots, peaches, bananas the list is endless. There is a whole variety of salad and root vegetables, grown according to the region, including tomatoes, asparagus, artichokes, sweet corn, peppers, spinach and potatoes. The local breads are delicious and are available freshly baked each day. Locally produced cheeses, meats, jams etc vary according to region. Renowned for their Turkish coffee: thick, black, aromatic and very sweet, it is sure to wake you up whatever time of day you drink it! The 'meze' is a very important part of meal times and is eaten depending on the region you happen to be in, generally consisting of; delicious fishes, meats, kebabs, cheeses, sausages, fresh salads, hoummous, taramaslata, yoghurt, stuffed olives, beans, potatoes. Wine and beer are available and are of good quality.

Banks & Currency: All of the usual types of banking services are provided in the main banks. There are numerous Turkish and Turkish Cypriot banks as well as branches of HSBC. Turkish lira is used as the local currency. Exchanging currency in banks, and bureau de change is fairly easy. Credit and Debit cards and traveller's cheques can be used in the majority of shops. Small outlets generally accept cash only.

Mains Service: Power supply is different depending on which region you choose to buy in. The water and electricity in Turkey is supplied by the mains. Gas supplies can be mains or canisters depending on region.

Pets: Pets can be brought into the country from Europe with relative ease. A certificate stating that your animal is free from disease, which can be supplied by your vet, is needed.

Accommodation: Turkey has a large selection of accommodation ranging from 5-star hotels, small family hotels, motels, self-catering villas, apartments and camping facilities.

Transportation: Visitors can get to Turkey via air or by sea. Cars drive on the right in Turkey. Cyprus Turkish Airlines, Turkish Airlines, British Airways and a variety of other major carriers all fly there. The Major airports are Istanbul, Antalya and Ankara. There are several ferry operators in the majority of large ports in Turkey. Apart from local taxi's and hire cars, public transport in the form of buses is generally used, but this is mainly confined to the major cities.

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