Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite,
borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone,
magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable
land, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 30.93% permanent crops: 3.31% other: 65.76% (2001)
Irrigated land:
42,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an
arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van
Environment - current issues: water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:
strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea
of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount
Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's Ark, is in the far
eastern portion of the country
People Turkey
Population:
68,893,918 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.6% (male 9,328,108; female 8,990,742)
15-64 years: 66.8% (male 23,394,465; female 22,650,532)
65 years and over: 6.6% (male 2,078,881; female 2,451,190) (2004
est.)