World Factbook
Turkey
Turkey Cumhuriyeti
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: red with a vertical white crescent moon and five-pointed white star centered just outside the crescent's opening meaning: the flag colors and designs closely resemble the Ottoman Empire's flag; the crescent moon and star serve as insignia for Turkic peoples; according to one interpretation, the flag represents the reflection of the moon and a star in a pool of blood of Turkish warriors
Capital
name
Ankara
etymology
the name probably derives from the Indo-European root word ang , meaning "bend" and relating to the settlement's original location in a winding gorge; the city was referred to as Angora by the 13th century; the name was officially modified to Ankara in 1923 when the Republic of Turkey was founded
time difference
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
39 56 N, 32 52 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Turkey
dual citizenship recognized
yes, but requires prior permission from the government
residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Constitution
history
several previous; latest ratified 9 November 1982
amendment process
proposed by written consent of at least one third of Grand National Assembly (GNA) of Turkey (TBMM) members; adoption of draft amendments requires two debates in plenary TBMM session and three-fifths majority vote of all GNA members; the president of the republic can request TBMM reconsideration of the amendment and, if readopted by two-thirds majority TBMM vote, the president may submit the amendment to a referendum; passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote
Country name
note
note: Turkiye is an approved English short-form name for Turkey
etymology
the name means "Land of the Turks"
local long form
Turkey Cumhuriyeti
local short form
Turkey
conventional long form
Republic of Turkey
conventional short form
Turkey
Independence
29 October 1923 (republic proclaimed, succeeding the Ottoman Empire)
Legal system
civil law system based on various European systems, notably the Swiss civil code
Government type
presidential republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Constitutional Court or Anayasa Mahkemesi (consists of the president, 2 vice presidents, and 12 judges); Court of Cassation (consists of about 390 judges and is organized into civil and penal chambers); Council of State (organized into 15 divisions -- 14 judicial and 1 consultative -- each with a division head and at least 5 members)
subordinate courts
regional appeals courts; basic (first instance) courts; peace courts; aggravated crime courts; specialized courts, including administrative and audit
judge selection and term of office
Constitutional Court members - 3 appointed by the Grand National Assembly and 12 by the president of the republic; court president and 2 deputy court presidents appointed from among its members for 4-year terms; judges serve 12-year, nonrenewable terms with mandatory retirement at age 65; Court of Cassation judges appointed by the Board of Judges and Prosecutors, a 13-member body of judicial officials; Court of Cassation judges serve until retirement at age 65; Council of State members appointed by the Board and by the president of the republic; members serve renewable, 4-year terms
Executive branch
cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the president
chief of state
President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (since 28 August 2014)
election results
2023: Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN reelected president in second round - Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (AKP) 52.2%, Kemal KILICDAROGLU (CHP) 47.8% 2018: Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN reelected president in first round - Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (AKP) 52.6%, Muharrem INCE (CHP) 30.6%, Selahattin DEMIRTAS (HDP) 8.4%, Meral AKSENER (IYI) 7.3%, other 1.1%
head of government
President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (since 9 July 2018)
most recent election date
14 May 2023, with a runoff on 28 May 2023
election/appointment process
president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)
expected date of next election
2028
National holiday
Republic Day, 29 October (1923)
National color(s)
red, white
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
22 (20 cultural, 2 mixed)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Archaeological Site of Troy (c); Ephesus (c); Diyarbakır Fortress and Hevsel Gardens Cultural Landscape (c); Hierapolis-Pamukkale (m); Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia (m); Göbekli Tepe (c); Historic Areas of Istanbul (c); Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex (c); Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük (c); Bursa and Cumalıkızık: the Birth of the Ottoman Empire (c); Gordion (c); Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği (c); Hattusha: the Hittite Capital (c); Nemrut Dağ (c); Xanthos-Letoon (c); City of Safranbolu (c); Pergamon and its Multi-Layered Cultural Landscape (c); Archaeological Site of Ani (c); Aphrodisias (c); Arslantepe Mound (c); Wooden Hypostyle Mosques of Medieval Anatolia (c); Turkmenistan (c); Sardis and the Lydian Tumuli of Bin Tepe (c)
Political parties
Democracy and Progress Party or DEVA Democrat Party or DP Democratic Regions Party or DBP Felicity Party (Saadet Party) or SP Free Cause Party or HUDA PAR Future Party (Gelecek Partisi) or GP Good Party or IYI Grand Unity Party or BBP Justice and Development Party or AKP Labor and Freedom Alliance (electoral alliance includes YSGP, HDP, TIP) Nationalist Movement Party or MHP New Welfare Party or YRP Party of Greens and the Left Future or YSGP People's Alliance (electoral alliance includes AKP, BBP, MHP, YRP) Peoples' Democratic Party or HDP Republican People's Party or CHP Workers' Party of Turkey or TIP
Legislative branch
term in office
5 years
number of seats
600 (all directly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
legislature name
Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi (T.B.M.M))
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
5/14/2023
expected date of next election
May 2028
percentage of women in chamber
19.9%
parties elected and seats per party
Justice and Development Party (Ak Party) (267); Republican People's Party (CHP) (130); Green and the Left Party of the Future (YSGP) (57); Nationalist Action Party (MHP) (50); Good Party (İyi Party) (44); Other (52)
National anthem(s)
title
"Istiklal Marsi" (The March of Independence)
history
lyrics adopted 1921, music adopted 1932; the anthem's original music was adopted in 1924
lyrics/music
Mehmet Akif ERSOY/Zeki UNGOR
National symbol(s)
vertical crescent moon with adjacent five-pointed star
Administrative divisions
81 provinces ( iller , singular - ili ); Adana, Adiyaman, Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol, Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Igdir, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir (Smyrna), Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon (Trebizond), Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 612-6744
chancery
2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 612-6700
chief of mission
Ambassador Sedat ÖNAL (since 17 June 2024)
consulate(s) general
Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
email address and website
embassy.washingtondc@mfa.gov.tr T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı - Turkish Embassy In Washington, D.C. (mfa.gov.tr)
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[90] (312) 467-0019
embassy
1480 Sokak No. 1, Cukurambar Mahallesi, 06530 Cankaya, Ankara
telephone
[90] (312) 294-0000
consulate(s)
Adana
mailing address
7000 Ankara Place, Washington, DC 20512-7000
chief of mission
Ambassador Thomas J. BARRACK (since 14 May 2025)
consulate(s) general
Istanbul
email address and website
Ankara-ACS@state.gov https://tr.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CERN (observer), CICA, CPLP (associate observer), D-8, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EU (candidate country), FAO, FATF, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF (partner), SCO (dialogue member), SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
note: Turkey is an EU candidate country and must complete accession criteria before being granted full membership
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt