Capital: Ankara Total Area: 779,452 km2 Approximate population: 86,414,764 Location: Southwestern Asia Languages: Turkish, Kurdish Religions: Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim Currency: Turkish lira (TRY) Organizations: United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Borders: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Syria Maritime boundaries: Aegean Sea, Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea
Interesting facts: - Istanbul is the only city in the world which straddles two continents: Europe and Asia. - Istanbul (Constantinople) was once Capital of the Ottoman Empire. It changed its name to Istanbul in 1930 after the War of Independence. - Turkey has over 82,000 mosques, with around 3,000 in Istanbul alone. - Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar has 64 streets and 4,000 shops