Turkey Factbook 2 - Economy, Arts, Sports, Holidays

Turkey Factbook 2

Economy

Turkey's agricultural sector employs around forty percent of the working population. Crops are wheat, barley, corn, beans, chickpeas, lentils, onions, peas, potatoes, sugar beets, sunflowers, tomatoes, olives, citrus fruits, cherries, grapes, melons, bananas, hazelnuts, tea, tobacco and cotton. Livestock is reared for meat and dairy products. Other primary industries are fishing and mining.

The textiles and clothing industries are important to the Turkish economy. Other industries include paper, glass, ceramics, vehicles (cars, buses and trucks), construction, cement, iron and steel, fertilisers and petrochemicals.

Just under forty percent of the workforce is employed in the services sector. Tourism is an important earner of foreign currency and over a million Turks seek employment abroad, many sending home remittances. (2000)

Arts

Turkey's history has left a rich legacy in the arts. Its earliest art dates back to prehistory. Large wall paintings from Neolithic times have been found at the site of Catalhoyuk, 45 km south of Konya.

Byzantine frescoes and mosaics can be seen in churches converted by the Ottoman Turks into mosques. One of the best examples of rediscovered Byzantine art is that found at the Kariye Mosque, formerly the Church of St Saviour in Khora.

Poetry and music were an integral part of Turkish culture. The oral tradition of poetry goes back to the early Turkish clans. Various forms of poetry covered subjects such as nature, love, courage, war and death. Like poetry, Turkish music (classical, religious and folk) has traditionally been important in the Turkish way of life. Turkish musical instruments include the baglama (a long necked lute), cymbal, flute, zither and drums.

The creation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923 gave impetus to Turkish culture. The founder of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, encouraged the Turkish people to recognise their own culture. Painting, sculpture and architecture flourished, with developments in the world of music, theatre and film.

Sports

Turkish basketball and football are popular team games.

Turkey reached their first UEFA European Championship in 1996 and in 2000 played in the quarter final of the UEFA Championship. The Inter Milan striker, Hakan Sukur, is said to be the best Turkish football player.

Other popular sports are athletics, weightlifting and wrestling. Gold medals were awarded at the Sydney Olympics for Greco-Roman wrestling (Hamza Yerlikaya), judo (Huseyin Ozkan) and weightlifting (Halil Mutlu). Bronze medals were won in taekwondo and free style wrestling.

Turkey's long coastline and good weather are ideal for water-sports such as diving and windsurfing.

Holidays

Religious holy days include the Feast of Ramazan (Ramadan) and the Feast of the Sacrifice.

Other holidays are New Year's Day (1 January), National Sovereignty & Children's Day (23 April), Ataturk's Commemoration & Youth and Sports Day (19 May), Victory Day (30 August) and Republic Day (29 October 1923).