Turkey

History

The civilizations that have inhabited the area of Anatolia, Asian Turkey, have been many and varied. From the Stone Age community of Çatal Höyük, to the Bronze Age Hatti and Hittite people, to the Trojan invasions, to the Dark Age kingdoms of the Urartians, Scythians, Phrygians and Lydians, each has been woven into the tapestry that forms the picture of this country, and each has contributed to the rich history of Anatolia. As one civilization was obliterated by another in various invasions, the weave changed to form a picture of new influences – the Aegean warriors, the Persians and Alexander the Great, the Celtic Galatians, the Romans and the Goths all left their mark on Anatolia.

With the Byzantine Empire and later the rise of Islam, Anatolia became the home of two very different cultures – Byzantine Christian and Arab Muslim.

The foundation of what was later to be known as “Turkey” was laid with the victories of the invading central Asian Seljuk Turks, and later by a new Turkish tribe – the Ottomans.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk -- Father of the Turks -- was a key figure in the history of Turkey. It was due to his leadership that the Republic of Turkey – a secular democracy – was founded.

Contemporary Turkey has been marked with various unstable coalitions, chaos and civil unrest. Other factors contributing to the tapestry of contemporary Turkey are the growth of the Islamic political movement, difficult relations with the European Union and the Kurdish separatist movement.

Geography and Economy

Turkey straddles the area between Europe and Asia. In the west it is bordered by Greece and Bulgaria; in the east by Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq and Syria.

This vast area known as Turkey is not only impressive because of the distance it spans, but also because of its diverse climate and topography. Temperate zones, mountains, plateaus and coastal landscape all lend themselves to the cultivation of varied agricultural products, which form the backbone of the Turkish economy. Fruit, nuts, tobacco, rice, tea, cotton, corn, sunflowers, olives, figs and bananas are all produced in Turkey. In addition to agricultural products, the manufacture of textile products also contributes significantly to the Turkish economy. Mineral resources are also an important commodity.

Religion

Though Turkey is officially a secular democracy, Islam is the religion of most Turks, with 99% of the population claiming adherence to Islam. Different forms of Islam are represented and practiced in Turkey: Sunni, Alevi and Shi’a. There is a small percentage of Jews in Turkey, and an even smaller percentage of Christians.

The Christian church as composed of members of the ancient eastern churches (Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians) is on the decline due to emigration. However, there is the emergence of a Turkish church with more than a dozen fellowships in the country.

Ethnicities and Languages

The Ethnologue lists thirty-six languages for the country of Turkey; thirty-four living and two extinct.

While classifying the ethnicities of people living in Turkey is difficult, a list could include: Turkic-speaking peoples, Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, Georgians and Laz, Chaldeans and Syracs, Armenians and Hamshenis, Greeks, Pontic Greeks, and Muslim Greeks, and other Muslim groups from the Balkans, and Circassian and Chechens.

Status of Bible Translation

There is a modern translation of the entire Bible in Turkish. Translations in other languages spoken in Turkey range from a complete Bible to portions of both the Old and New Testaments. Other languages still require research.

Photo: Steve Evans