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President Ahmet Necdet SEZER (seven-year term, elected on 16 May 2000)

Unicameral system (550 seats / five-year term)
Last general elections held on November 3, 2002

Justice and Development Party (AKP), absolute majority government
Prime Minister: Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (March 11, 2003)
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs: Abdullah GÜL (March 11, 2003)

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$489,7 billion (2002 forecast) (Purchasing Power Parity)

Approximately $ 7,300 (Purchasing Power Parity)

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• In terms of population, Turkey is the second largest country in Europe (after Germany), with 70 million people. In 2020, it is projected to be the most populous European country, with a population of 83 million. • Four million Turks live abroad. Of that number, almost 2.5 million live in Germany. • Geographically, Turkey straddles two continents, Europe in the west and Asia in the east. • The two continents are divided by the Istanbul and Dardanelles straits, which are located in Turkey. • Turkey is unique in being on the one hand Balkan and European, and on the other, Middle Eastern, Caucasian and Asian. It is also as much a Black Sea country as it is an Aegean and Mediterranean one. • Another unique aspect of Turkey is the fact that it is the only democratic, secular country among the Muslim nations of the Middle East. • In addition to being a pioneering country in the Islamic world, Turkey has also become fully integrated into Europe since 1923, when the Republic was established. She is a member of almost all European/European-related institutions, such as the Council of Europe, OSCE, NATO, OECD. Turkey has been an associate member of the European Union since 1963 and a candidate for full membership in the Union since 1999. • Turkey has the second biggest Army in NATO after the United States. • Turkey also entertains relations of strategic cooperation with the United States. • Turkey lies in close proximity to 70 percent of the world's proven energy resources and is a prospective regional centre for storage and distribution of oil and natural gas. • Turkey is among the world's 20 largest economies and she is a member of the Group of 20 countries. • The Turkish economy has been identified as being one of the 10 significant emerging markets by U.S. sources. • Turkey is a prominent producer and exporter of many commodities. Here are some examples: • Turkey is the leading cement producer in Europe and the seventh-ranked producer in the world. • Turkey is the second-ranked producer of glass-made items in Europe and fourth-ranked producer in the world. • Turkey has 40% of the world marble reserves. • Turkey is the second-ranked exporter of jewelry in the world. • Turkey is the world's leading supplier of processed leather. • Turkey is the second-ranked supplier of textiles and garments to the EU. • Turkey is the fifth-ranked carpet exporter in Europe. • Turkey is the sixth-ranked cotton producer in the world. • Turkey is the world's principal supplier of hazelnuts, chickpeas, fresh and dried figs, and apricots. • Turkey is the second-ranked supplier of cherry and watermelon in the world. • Turkey is the second-ranked producer of pine tree honey in the world. • Turkey is the second-ranked supplier of red lentils in the world. • Turkey is the third-ranked producer of tomatoes and second-ranked producer of tomato paste in the world. • Turkey is the third-ranked producer of olives and fourth-ranked producer and exporter of olive oil in the world.