If the land now known as the Republic of Turkey could reveal
its storied history, what you'd heard would assuredly take as long as Earth's
existence. It was here in this country that spans parts of Europe and Asia that
civilization literally began, with proof of the earliest Neolithic settlements
evident. While today Ankara is the republic's capital, for a time Byzantium
(known later as Constantinople and now Istanbul) was regarded as the center of
the world, gaining prominence as the "new Rome" after the fall of the Western
Roman Empire.
Through centuries of political and trade dominance as part
of the Ottoman Empire, then as a republic formed initially under the
administration of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (whose legacy is still regarded highly
among Turkish people), Turkey presently ranks fifteenth in annual global gross
domestic product. Following a boom in the last decade, Turkey is viewed as a
growing economic power in the Next Eleven group, with reliance on industry
moving the country away from agricultural growth. Tourism, an important factor
in Turkey domestic profit, average $20 billion to the country alone.
Top exports of the Republic of Turkey include:
Construction Materials - Cement, lime, steel and byproducts
are traded regularly to Turkey's main export partners, Germany and the United
Kingdom, and Italy.
Textiles - Cotton and synthetic fabric are used to create
some of softest, most luxurious fabrics available. When you shop for bath
towels and bed sheets, more than likely you look for Turkish made brands before
you go anywhere else.
Petroleum and Byproducts - Given the country's location,
Turkey is rich in the resources needed by other countries for refinement and
use as fuel.
Shipbuilding - As a ship and luxury yacht builder, Turkey is
ranked among the top countries in the world, just behind Asian powers China,
Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan.
With regards to importing products, the Turkish population
has generated a high demand for the following:
Civilian Aircraft - While Turkey has the means to produce
machinery, particularly airplane engines, they rely on the United States
especially for transportation materials.
Raw Cotton - Turkey does an outstanding trade in completed
fabrics, yet does not produce much of the raw materials needed to make clothing
and upholstery.
Foodstuffs - Staples like eggs, dairy, fish, and vegetables
are imported from around the world to satisfy the need for a balance diet. Rice
is especially in high demand in recent years.
Though the republic's GDP growth has slow since their mid
2000s boom of 7%, Turkey remains a trader of importance in Europe and Asia. The
rise in domestic production of mechanical equipment and automobiles, for two,
contribute along with the country's others assets to make Turkey one to watch
in the next decade.
Photo by Uspn|Bjørn Christian Tør