Contents• Location and Geography• Brief History• Ottoman Empire• Modern Turkey and culture• Religion• Clothes • Traditional art and customs

Location & Geography

Population: 79~million

Largest Cities:

Istanbul 10.378 million; ANKARA (capital) 3.846 million; Izmir 2.679 million;Bursa 1.559 million; Adana 1.339 million

Ethnic Groups:Turks 76%Kurds 15%Other 8.3%

Brief History

• Ottoman Empire 14th ~20th centuries• Large convergence of Nations and rich

culture• The Present Turkey was built in 1923• Modern Turkey and culture

The Ottoman Empire

Modern Turkey and Culture

Religion• Islam : 99.8% (mostly Sunni),• other 0.2% (mostly Christians

and Jews

Turkish Clothing

Clothing culture is also mostly based on Islamic rules.( women have to hide some parts of her body)

Each region has its own characteristics in the way of clothing, headwear, scarves and socks.

Traditional Arts

• Turkish music has combined the distinct cultural values of all those civilizations which have lived in Anatolia and the Ottoman territories.(Middle East)

Saz Ney Darbuka

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsE05nXQPwo&feature=related

Turkish Folk dancesFolk dances have different characteristics based on region and location. Even each has special costumes, steps, rhythms and instrumentsEvery region's dance reflects the characteristics of that region's people. The best known folk dances are:

• Mevlana Dance• Horon• Kasik oyunu• Kilic kalkan• Zeybek

Mevlana Dance(Sema)

HoronThis Black Sea dance is performed by men only, dressed in black with silver trimmings.

Zeybek DanceDance of Western Anatolia. Zeybek Dances that are to be danced whether single or with a group, display the Efe's and Zeybek's self-assurances, mainly braveness and their challenges

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZCsYWRu4bI&feature=related

ArchitectureThe architectural styles and structural systems of Turkish buildings are unique convergence of West and Middle East Remind the both Islamic and western style of architecting. Mostly the Minarets and Mosques were built very beautiful with the hard customization on both insterior and outside of buildings.

Traditional Turkish house• Safranbolu Mosque Sultan- Ahmet

Turkish Cuisine• Turkish cuisine (Turkish: Türk mutfağı) is largely the heritage

of Ottoman cuisine, which can be described as a fusion and refinement of Central Asian, Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisines

• Turkish cuisine has in turn influenced those and other neighbouring cuisines, including those of western Europe.

• Turkish cuisine varies across the country. The cooking of Istanbul, Bursa, Izmir, and rest of the Aegean region inherits many elements of Ottoman court cuisine, with a lighter use of spices, a preference for rice over bulgur, and a wider use of seafoods.

Most populous tastes from TurkeyTurkish Kebabs Dolma

Baklava

Turkish coffee

Turkey has a coffee culture from the history which coffees taste more bitter and stronger than original one. And making style of it is also different .

Kahvehane and NarghileKahvehane (coffe house) is the most popular social place in Turkey where people have coffee, tea and Narghile at the same time play pocker together. It is one of the important activity of people in Turkey, where we can see tens of people at any time.

Tea Culture• Tea is an important part of the Turkish culture• Offering tea or coffee is considered to be a sign of friendship and

hospitality• Turkish tea is traditionally offered in small tulip-shaped glasses which are

usually held by the rim, in order to save the drinker's fingertips from being burned, as the tea is served boiling hot.

• Tea is offered with some delights after the meal or when having a dialogue and talk with others.

Meeting and Greeting Etiquette. When meeting shake hands firmly. When departing it is not always customary to shake hands although it is practised occasionally.

Friends and relations would greet each other with either one or two kisses on the cheek. Elders are always respected by kissing their right hand then placing the forehead onto the hand.

Greet people with either the Islamic greeting of 'Asalamu alaykum' (peace be upon you) or 'Nasilsiniz' (How are you? pronounced na-sul-su-nuz). Other useful phrases are 'Gunaydin' (Good Morning, pronounced goon-ay-dun), 'iyi gunler' (Good Day, pronounced ee-yee gun-ler) or 'Memnun Oldum' (pleased to meet you).

Questions

• Capital city of Turkey?• What people do to play game and drink tea?• Turkish and Western architecture are same?• Reason of having a rich culture of Turkey?