Turkey is a rapidly modernising country with one foot in Europe and in the Middle East.

Turkey has so much to offer visitors; unique historical and archaeological sites, steadily improving hotel and tourist infrastructure, breathtaking natural beauties, a tradition of hospitality and competitive prices.Due to Turkey’y diverse geography, one can experience four different climates in any one day.The rectangular shaped country is washed on three sides by three different seas. Its shores are laced with beaches, bays, coves, ports, islands and peninsulas. The summers are long, lasting as long as eight months in some areas. Turkey is also blessed with majestic mountains and valleys, lakes, rivers, waterfalls and grottoes perfect action and sportive activities seekers. Skiing fans, mountain climbers, trekkers, hi0kers all enjoy new and unforgettable experiences in Turkey.

But Turkey is, above anything else, a huge open-air museum, a repository of all civilizations nurtured by the soils of Anatolia. The huge amount of historical and archaeological wealth in Turkey seems more appropriate for an entire continent than a single country. For centuries, Turkey has been a crossroads of religions, not only of Islam and Christianity, but of many others now forgotten by history. Many religions devotees can find a site, a shrine, a monument, a tomb or a ruin connected with their faith or belief.

Turkey is a country that's neither Asian nor European. It may be a cliché, but Turkey connects the East and the West both literally and figuratively... What words can describe Turkey. You would search in vain for a country where the history and culture is as impressive as Turkey. The civilizations of the world have left their own distinct marks on these lands. Turkey is full of intact remains from the Hittites, Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans. They have all had their capitals on this soil. Turkey is simply beautiful. When you start an expedition to the countryside, or just leave cities for a couple of hours, you will notice a handsome difference in scenery. Turkey has 7 geographical regions and every region has its own beauty. While Black Sea dazzles your eyes with thousands of different green tones, you find yourself in a Steinbeck novel on the Eastern Turkey.

Eat, drink and be merry! This epicurean motto never fit a country more perfectly than Turkey that has one of the three biggest cuisines in the world. The large variety of different dishes and delicacies for gourmet palates will surprise every guest paying a visit to Turkey. Turkish people are very friendly and hospitable. This is one of the virtues we are really proud of. When you visit Turkey you will get this warm feeling in every step you make.

Today Turkey is abuzz with life, energy and enterprise. It is a modern, secular country with a booming economy. It embraces the future as a bridge between the east and West. Its cities teem with vibrant cosmopolitan life. Wherever you travel in Turkey, the country and its people will amaze and impress the surge of its market forces and the modernization of the infrastructure of the whole country is impressive. Turkish hospitality and genuine warmth is a tradition. Turks have a certain "Joie de vivre" for life and enjoy nothing more than sharing their optimism and enthusiasm with travellers over a hot sweep cup of tea served in the traditional tulip shaped glass.

GOVERNMENT

Turkey is democratic, secular and social state governed by the rule of law; committed to the nationalism of Atatürk and based on the principle of the separation of powers;
Legislative power: The Turkish Grand NationalAssembly
Executive power: President and the Council of Ministers
Judicial power: Independent courts and supreme judiciary organs

EDUCATION SYSTEM

Primary Education: Eight years; includes the education
of children in the 6-14 age-group. Compulsory for all male
and female citizens.

Secondary Education: Consis ts of general and
vocational-technical high schools that offer at
least three years of education.

Higher Education: Includes all educational
institutions where an educational programme of at least two years over and above secondary education is implemented. These educate students at associate's, bachelor's, master's or doctorate degree levels.

Primary and secondary education is free of charge in public schools. Higher education institutions, however, charge a certain minimal tuition fee.

Currency Regulation

There is no limit on the amount of foreign currency that may be brought into Turkey, but not more than 5 5,000 worth of Turkish currency may be brought into or taken out of the country. Exchange slips: The exchange slips for the conversion of foreign currency into Turkish lira should be kept, since you may be required to show these when reconverting your Turkish lira back into foreign currency, and when taking souvenirs out of the country (to prove that they have been purchased with legally exchanged foreign currency).

The following items may be brought into the country duty free

● personal effects of the tourist.
● one TV, one colour pocket TV (maximum 16 cm screen), one TV-tape-radio combination, one video recording camera and 5 video cassettes (blank); 5 records, 5 tape cassettes or compact discs.
● one video player, cine-projector (8 mm) and 10 rolls of film (blank), one slide projector.
● one pocket computer (maximum main memory capacity Ram 128k. Byte), electronic playing devices (without cassette - keyboard).
● one transistor radio and portable radio - tape player (its specification to be determined by the Ministry of Finance and Customs), one Walkman or pocket tape recorder, one portable compact disc player.
● Binoculars (one pair, except night binoculars)
● harmonica, mandolin, flageole, flute, guitar, and accordion (only one of each type, maximum 3 musical instruments).
● personal sports equipment.
● necessary medical items.
● bicycle, baby buggy, toys.
● 200 cigarettes and 50 cigars.
● 200 grams of tobacco and 200 cigarette papers, or 50 grams of chewing tobacco or 200 grams of pipe tobacco, or 200 grams of snuff
● (In addition to the above allowances, it is possible to purchase 400 cigarettes, 100 cigars, and 500 grams of pipe tobacco from the Turkish Duty Free Shops upon entering the country).
● 1.5kg. coffee, 1.5kg. instant coffee, 500 grams of tea.
● 1 kilo chocolate and 1 kilo sweets.
● 5 (100 cc) or 7 (70 cc) bottles of wines and/or spirits.
● five bottles of perfume (120 ml max. each).
● one portable typewriter.
● one camera with 5 rolls of film.
● First aid, and spare parts for the car.
● Other items necessary during the journey.
●Valuable items and all items with a value of over $ 15,000 must be registered in the owner's passport upon entering Turkey, for control upon exit.
●Antiques brought into the country must be registered in the owner's passport to avoid difficulties on exit.
●Sharp instruments (including camping knives) and weapons may not be brought into the country without special permission.
●The bringing into the country, trade, and consumption of marijuana and all other narcotics is strictly forbidden and subject to heavy punishment.
●Gifts, not exceeding 500 DM in value and not for trading purposes, may be brought into the country duty free. In addition, gifts not exceeding 500 OM in value may be posted to Turkey duty free, if the date stamped by the sending post office falls one month before, or one month after the following holidays: Seker Bayrami, Kurban Bayrami, Christmas, and New Year's.

On exit

● Gifts and souvenirs: for a new carpet, a proof of purchase; for old items, a certificate from a directorate of a museum is necessary.
● Exporting antiques from Turkey is forbidden.
● Valuable personal items can only be taken out of the country providing they have been registered in the owner's passport upon entry, or providing they can show they have been purchased with legally exchanged currency.
● Minerals may only be exported from the country with a special document obtained from the MTA (General Directorate of Mining Exploration and Research). Etüdler Dairesi 06520, Ankara

Tel: (312) 287 3430 /1622, Fax: (312) 285 42 71

Tax Refund
You Can Receive a Tax Refund for the Goods You Purchased In Turkey!

● Refunds will be made to travellers who do not reside in Turkey.
● All goods (including food and drinks) are included in the refunds with the exclusion of services rendered.
● The minimum amount of purchase that qualifies for refund is 5.000.000 TL.
● Retailers that qualify for tax refunds must be "authorised for refund." These retailers must display a permit received from their respective tax office.
● The retailer will make four copies of the receipt for your refund, three of which will be received by the purchaser. If photocopies of the receipt are received the retailer must sign and stamp the copies to validate them. If you prefer the refund to be made by check, a Tax-free Shopping Check for the amount to be refunded to the customer must be given along with the receipt.
● For the purchaser to benefit from this exemption he must leave the country within three months with the goods purchased showing them to Turkish customs officials along with the appropriate receipts and! or check.
● There are four ways to receive your refund:
● If the retailer gives you a check it can he cashed at a bank in the customs area at the airport. If it is not possible to cash the check upon departure or if you do not wish to cash it then, .e customer must, within one month, send a copy of the receipt showing that the goods have left the country to the retailer who will, within ten days upon receiving the receipt, send a bank transfer to the purchaser's hank or address.
● If the certified receipt and check are brought back to the retailer on a subsequent visit thin one-month of the date of customs certification, the refund can be made directly to the purchaser.
● Retailers may directly refund the amount to trustworthy customers upon purchase
● The refund may be made by the organisation of those companies that are authorised to make tax refunds.

Electricity

Main electricity is 220 volt and 50 (Hz) AC, the same as in most of Europe. Plugs and sockets are the same as in the Continental countries of the European Union. British and American visitors need plug adapters for electrical appliances.

Insurance

For your own safety we advise you to take out traveller's insurance to cover accidents, illness, baggage and liability

Important numbers
● 155 Police
● 112 Emergency
● 110 Fire
● 118 Unknown Numbers
● 161 PTT Information.

Motorist Rules

General: Those who wish to enter the country with their vans, minibuses, automobiles, station wagons, bicycles, motorcycles, motorbikes, sidecars, buses, motor coaches, trailers, caravans or other transport vehicles, will have to provide the following documentations:

● Passport.
● International driving license.
● Car license (document where all details related to the car and the owner's name are registered). If it is somebody else's vehicle a power of attorney should be provided.
● International green card (Insurance card). The TR sign should be visible.
● Transit book "Carnet de passage" (for those who want to proceed to the Middle East).

The vehicle can be brought into Turkey for up to 6 Months. The owner should declare on the opposite form, the date of departure at the border gate and should absolutely leave the country at the date declared. If for any important reason the staying period has to be ended, it is necessary to apply to;

● The Turkish Touring and Automobile Club (Türkiye Turing ve Otomobil Kurumu) 1. Sanayi Sitesi Yani, 4.Levent, Istanbul, Tel (212) 282 81 40(7 lines). Fax (212) 282 80, or to
● The General Directorate of Customs (Gümrükler Genel Müdürlügü), Ulus Ankara Tel (312) 310 38 80,310 38 18, Fax (312) 31113 46, before the end of the period declared.

The accident should be reported to the police or gendarme. That report has to be certified by the nearest local authority. The owner should apply to the customs authority with his passport and report.

If the vehicle can be repaired, it is necessary to inform the customs authority first and take the vehicle to a garage. If the vehicle is not repairable and if the owner wishes to leave the country without his vehicle, he has to deliver it to the nearest customs office, and the registration of his vehicle on his passport will be cancelled. (Only after the cancellation can the owner of the vehicle leave the country.)

Following an accident, you can telephone:
● Trafik Polisi (Traffic Police), Tel :154,
● Jandarma (Gendarme), Tel :156.

Pets

For those who wish to bring domestic animals into the country the following are required:

● Pets have to be 3 months and older
● An International Certificate of Health issued within 15 days before the travel
● The Identification Card
● Vaccination Card

If you have an official certificate, you may bring one cat, one bird, one dog and 10 aquarium fish into the country. To get information for the importation of pets, please see the Consular Services.

Tipping

At various establishments like hotels, restaurants, Turkish baths, barbers and hairdressers, tipping at a rate of 5%-15% of the total is common. Taxi and "dolmus" drivers on the other hand, do not expect tips or even rounded fares.

Post, Telegraph, TelephoneTurkish post-offices are easily recognized by their black PTT letters on a yellow background. Major post offices are open from 8:00 a.m. till 12:00 p.m., Monday/Saturday, and 9:00 a.m. till 7:00 p.m., Sunday. Small post-offices have the same hours as the government offices.

Postal charges vary for different services depending on destination. Post restante letters should be addressed "postrestant" to the central post-office Merkez Postanesi, in the town of your choice. You have to show your identification card to collect your letters.

All PTT branches have the facilities to exchange money at the current international exchange rates, as well as international postal orders and travellers' cheques. There is also an express postal service (APS) operating to 90 countries for letters, documents and small packages. A wide variety of special stamps are available in all PTT centres for philatelists.

To phone from PTT telephone booths, which are extensively found in all areas; telephone cards, and tokens ("; jeton") in three sizes are used. Local, inter-city and international calls can be made from all PTT offices. Besides these main offices there are also mobile PTT services in the tourist areas.

To make a long distance local call, dial zero first, the area code second and the phone number third. When making an international call, dial zero first, dial zero again after the odd dial tone, and follow by the country and area codes and then your number.

Pharmacie

Domestic and foreign medicaments are sold in pharmacy (Eczane in Turkish); there also have a large range of non-prescription medicines. Personnel are often able to speak English. Some pharmacies are on- duty at nights.

Safety

Turkey is one of the safest countries in the world in which to travel, and its crime rate is low in comparison to many Western European countries. Interpol ranked Turkey as the safest holiday destination in Europe for travellers.

Shopping

Shopping is one of the great pleasures of a trip to Turkey and the rich variety of Turkish crafts makes it impossible to resist buying something. Fine apparel of silk, cotton, leather and wool; artful jewellery; leather accessories; brilliant faience (colored tiles); vessels of copper, brass, marble, meerschaum and alabaster worked by master artisans; and of course heirloom-quality Turkish carpets and kilims, are among the most popular purchases. Great value and an enjoyable shopping experience can be found everywhere, from small towns to big cities.

Unique regional handicrafts make shopping that much more enjoyable. Traditional Turkish handicrafts crafts including carpets, ceramics and pottery, tiles, copper items, woodcarvings, decorative glass, and embroidery are a major component of Turkish culture. They are a stunning reflection of Turkey's diverse cultural heritage and thousands of years of history.

Time

GMT+3 hours (April-September) GMT+2 hours (October-March)

Time Differences:
Argentina -5, France -1, Netherlands -1, Australia +8, Germany -1, Saudi Arabia+1, Austria -1, Greece 0, Sweden -1, Egypt 0, Italy -1, Switzerland -1, England -2, Japan +7, Spain -1, USA -7 (EST) -10 (WEST)
* These time differences are for the period October-March; however, they may show variances according to each country's own time-saving adjustments.

Transportation

TAXI
Taxis are numerous in every town and recognizable by their yellow colour. The meter shown on the meter reads according to the distance travelled. Pay the fare shown on the meter in TL.

DOLMUS
The Dolmuş is a special service fount only in Turkey, which is a collective taxi following specific routes. Each passenger pays according to distance traveled and can get off at specific stop. This is a very practical means of transport and much cheaper than a taxi

BUS (INTER - CITY COACHES)
Busses are an efficient and affordable way to travel in Turkey . Many private - conditioned bus companies provide frequent day and night services between all Turkish cities. Coaches depart from the bus stations (Otogar). The major bus lines have spacious, comfortable coaches, and offer coffee, tea and snacks.

TRAIN
The extensive Turkish State Railways network connects most major cities. On some trains, sleeping compartments are available. Detailed train schedules and prices as well as reservation telephone numbers and authorized ticket agents are listed on their web site at http://www.tcdd.gov.tr/.

Visiting a mosque

Five times a day, the "müezzin" calls the faithful to prayer in this mosque. Before entering a mosque, Muslims wash themselves and remove their shoes. Foreign visitors should also remove their shoes and show the respect they would any other house of worship and avoid visiting the mosque during prayer time. Women should cover their heads and arms, and not wear miniskirts. Men should not wear shorts. (In certain famous mosques, overalls are provided for those not suitably dressed.)

Water

Turkey practices safe sanitation standards, and tap water is suitable for bathing and regular tasks such as brushing teeth. However, as is customary in most Mediterranean countries, the majority of locals and visitors drink bottled water. We recommend that visitors follow local custom and drink bottled water, which is routinely served with any meal.
Weights and Measures
1 inch = 2.54 centimetres , 1 centimetre = 0.3937 inches
1 yard = 0,9144 meters, 1 meter = 1.0936 yards
1 mile = 1,6093 kilometres, 1 kilometre = 0.6214 miles
1 pound = 0,4536 kilograms, 1 kilogram = 2.2046 pounds
1 acres = 0,4047 Hectares, 1 hectare = 2.471 acres
1 UK gallon = 4.546 litres, 1 litre = 0.2199 UK gallons
1 US gallon = 3.7831 litres, 1 litre = 0.2643 US gallons

Working Hours

Government Offices
Monday-Friday (8:30-12:30), (13:30-17:30)
Saturday-Sunday (closed)
Banks
Monday-Friday (8:30-12-00), (13:30-17:00)
Saturday-Sunday (closed)

Shops
Monday-Saturday (9:30-13:00), (14:00-19:00)
Sunday (closed)
In the summer months the most shops in the tourist regions are opened till ten or eleven o'clock in the evening

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