grography and population

The Republic of Turkey situated at the geographic crossroads of Europe and Asia. Turkey shares European borders with Greece and Bulgaria and neighbors Syria, Iraq, Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia in Asia. It is surrounded by seas on three sides. The Black Sea forms its northern coastline and links Turkey with Southeastern Europe, Russia and the Caucasus. The Aegean Sea borders its western coastline and channels through Europe. The Mediterranean Sea borders its southern coastline and ties Turkey with the Middle East and North Africa.

Turkey is also positioned at the intersection of strategic trade routes on three continents. Istanbul is a major regional air hub connecting passengers within a four-hour flight radius to capital cities in Europe, Western and Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Turkey is a member of the OECD, WTO and NATO and has been a European Union accession candidate since 2005. Turkey is home to the second largest population in Europe. According to TURKSTAT, the population of Turkey as of 2021 is approximately 84.6 million people. Nearly three-quarters of the population is between the ages 15 to 64, with a median age of 33.1, 10 years younger than that of the European Union.

Turkey is gearing up to welcome over 53 million tourists in 2023

Mehmet İşler, Deputy Chairman of the Union of Operators and Workers in the Turkish Hotel Sector, has affirmed that Turkey experienced an exceptional summer tourist season in the present year of 2022. He highlighted that this achievement sets the stage for a significant milestone in the following year, with Turkey aiming to surpass the reception of 53 million tourists in 2023. Speaking with the Turkish Anadolu Agency, İşler attributed Turkey's triumph during the current summer season in the tourism industry to the strong collaboration between the public and private sectors. This partnership has led to the discovery of innovative and impactful solutions to challenges and crises. The Vice-President of the Federation of Operators and Workers in the Turkish Hotel Sector also revealed ongoing efforts to curate specialized tourist offerings designed to boost the influx of European tourists in the upcoming year. Mehmet İşler further disclosed that winter tourism reservations for the ongoing year have been reflecting promising statistics.

In a relevant context, İşler emphasized that the span between November of the current year and April of the upcoming year is poised to be the peak of activity in the tourism sector. He went on to mention that the array of tourism packages put forth by Turkey has garnered substantial attention from European nations, prominently including the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands. He clarified that a majority of these tourist packages aim to deliver an optimal two-week vacation experience at competitive rates within Turkey's prominent tourist hubs, such as Istanbul, Antalya, and Izmir.

Turkey Ranks Fourth In The World In Receiving Tourists

After welcoming approximately 29.9 million tourists in the year 2021, Turkey ascended to the fourth position on the global tourism ranking. This achievement propelled Turkey ahead of both Italy and the United States, as reported by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

The assessment presented in the report reveals that France claimed the top spot with an estimated 40 million tourists, followed by Mexico in the second position, attracting 31.9 million tourists. Spain secured the third rank, having welcomed 31.2 million tourists. In terms of Turkey's standing within the tourism sphere, it has advanced to the fourth position, surpassing Italy which accommodated 26.3 million tourists, securing fifth place. The United States followed with 22.1 million tourists, Greece with 14.7 million, and Austria with 12.7 million tourists.
Turkey with all its beauty, attractions, and activities, also has pleasant weather. The coastal areas of Turkey have a temperate Mediterranean climate, consisting of warm, wet summers, heavy downpour in rainy seasons, and cool, wet winters. While the area away from the Mediterranean Sea has a temperate oceanic climate. In the eastern portion of Turkey, winters witness -30 degrees Celsius while summers witness 30 degrees Celsius.