Tourist Information |
All About Turkey
Did you know that Turkey is the 37th largest country in the world and it has a population of around 72.5 million people, making it the 18th most populated country in the world? The currency used in Turkey is the Turkish Lira, and the international calling code for Turkey is 90. These and many more interesting and important facts can be found below:
Turkey’s Geography
Turkey is officially known as the Republic of Turkey and it’s a Eurasian country, meaning it sits in both Europe and Asia. Only 3% of the country is in Europe and Turkey’s largest city, Istanbul, bridges the gap between Europe and Asia, making it the only city in the world to be situated in two continents.
Turkey has a huge and varied coastline; just one of the reasons why a holiday in Turkey is so popular. In the north, Turkey has an extensive coastline on the Black Sea. Holidays in this part of Turkey are more popular with the Turks themselves as well as Eastern and some Western Europeans. British tourists definitely favour the south west of Turkey where you can enjoy Turkish holidays on the stunning Aegean Coast, or on the Mediterranean.
In total, Turkey covers an area of 302,535 square miles and it has a very varied landscape, from rugged to beautiful coastlines, to plateaus and sky reaching mountains.
Turkey Tourist Information
Time Zone
Turkey is 2 hours ahead of British time.
Currency
The currency of Turkey is the Turkish Lira. There are 100 kuruş (pronounce kurush) in one lira, and the exchange rate against the pound is usually somewhere between 2 and 2.50 lira to one pound.
By waiting to exchange money until you reach your holiday destination you will get a much better rate of exchange than is commonly found in the UK. Exchange houses (called döviz) are the best places as they charge next to no commission. Hotels and banks will also change your money but for a higher fee.
Telephone
To phone Turkey from the UK you would dial 001 90 followed by the three digit area code and the 7 digit number.
To phone the UK from Turkey you would dial 001 44 then drop the 0 from the UK area code.
Emergency Phone Numbers
Police – 155
Fire brigade – 110
Ambulance – 112
Health in Turkey
Health care is good in Turkey though you will have to pay for any medical attention you receive. Costs for non-nationals can be high so it’s essential that you buy holiday insurance cover for your holiday in Turkey.
For minor illnesses and problems it’s best to visit a pharmacy (eczane) as pharmacists can be very knowledgeable and in the popular tourist areas they will likely speak some English.
Inoculations aren’t as necessary as they used to be for travel to Turkey but check with your GP as to what they would advise. Hepatitis A, Typhoid and Tetanus may be recommended.
Driving in Turkey
In Turkey you drive on the right hand side of the road. Don’t forget that speeds are quoted in kilometres per hour and that distances are quoted in kilometres – 1.6 kilometres is equal to one mile.
Banks
Generally banks are open Monday to Friday (except for holidays) from 0830 to 1200. They close for lunch from 1200 to 1330 and are open until 1700. This will vary with some banks and in some towns.
National Public Holidays
In major tourist resorts you’re unlikely to be affected too much by business closures for national holidays, but it’s useful to know the dates just in case. Turkish National Public Holidays fall on the following dates: January 1, April 23, May 19, August 30, and October 29.
Electricity
As the power supply is the same as in the UK you don’t need a transformer, just a standard travel adaptor to convert three pins down to 2 round pins.
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