Political parties and leaders:
Anavatan Partisi (Motherland Party) or Anavatan [Erkan MUMCU];
Democratic Left Party or DSP [Mehmet Zeki SEZER]; Democratic Society
Party or DTP [Ahmet TURK]; Felicity Party (sometimes translated as
Contentment Party) or SP [Recai KUTAN]; Justice and Development
Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]; Nationalist Action Party or MHP
(sometimes translated as Nationalist Movement Party) [Devlet
BAHCELI]; People's Rise Party (Halkin Yukselisi Partisi) or HYP
[Yasar Nuri OZTURK]; Republican People's Party or CHP [Deniz
BAYKAL]; Social Democratic People's Party or SHP [Murat KARAYALCIN];
True Path Party (sometimes translated as Correct Way Party) or DYP
[Mehmet AGAR]; Young Party or GP [Cem Cengiz UZAN]
note: the parties listed above are some of the more significant of
the 49 parties that Turkey had on 1 December 2004
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Ismail Hakki
TOMBUL]; Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK
[Suleyman CELEBI]; Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's
Association or MUSIAD [Omer BOLAT]; Moral Rights Workers Union or
Hak-Is [Salim USLU]; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions or
TISK [Tugurl KUDATGOBILIK]; Turkish Confederation of Labor or
Turk-Is [Salih KILIC]; Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and
Craftsmen or TESK [Dervis GUNDAY]; Turkish Industrialists' and
Businessmen's Association or TUSIAD [Omer SABANCI]; Turkish Union of
Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. Rifat
HISARCIKLIOGLU]
International organization participation:
AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN (observer), EAPC, EBRD,
ECO, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC,
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS,
UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nabi SENSOY chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ross WILSON embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823 telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555 FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019 consulate(s) general: Istanbul consulate(s): Adana; note - there is a Consular Agent in Izmir
Flag description:
red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is toward
the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside
the crescent opening
Economy Turkey
Economy - overview:
Turkey's dynamic economy is a complex mix of modern industry and
commerce along with a traditional agriculture sector that still
accounts for more than 35% of employment. It has a strong and
rapidly growing private sector, yet the state still plays a major
role in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. The
largest industrial sector is textiles and clothing, which accounts
for one-third of industrial employment; it faces stiff competition
in international markets with the end of the global quota system.
However, other sectors, notably the automotive and electronics
industries, are rising in importance within Turkey's export mix.
Real GNP growth has exceeded 6% in many years, but this strong
expansion has been interrupted by sharp declines in output in 1994,
1999, and 2001. The economy is turning around with the
implementation of economic reforms, and 2004 GDP growth reached 9%,
followed by roughly 5% annual growth in 2005-06. Inflation fell to
7.7% in 2005 - a 30-year low, but climbed back to 9.8% in 2006.
Despite the strong economic gains in 2002-06, which were largely due
to renewed investor interest in emerging markets, IMF backing, and
tighter fiscal policy, the economy is still burdened by a high
current account deficit and high debt. The public sector fiscal
deficit exceeds 6% of GDP - due in large part to high interest
payments, which accounted for about 37% of central government
spending in 2004. Prior to 2005, foreign direct investment (FDI) in
Turkey averaged less than $1 billion annually, but further economic
and judicial reforms and prospective EU membership are expected to
boost FDI. Privatization sales are currently approaching $21
billion. Oil began to flow through the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline
in May 2006, marking a major milestone that will bring up to 1
billion barrels per day from the Caspian to market.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$627.2 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$358.2 billion (2006 est.)