Turkey State Profile – BBC Information

As soon as the middle of the Ottoman Empire, the fashionable Republic of Turkey was established in 1923 by nationalist chief Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Straddling the continents of Europe and Asia, Turkey's strategically necessary location has given it nice affect within the area – and management over entry to the Black Sea.

Progress in direction of democracy and a market economic system was halted after Ataturk's demise in 1938. The army, seeing itself because the guarantor of the structure, repeatedly served governments within the second half of the 20th century.

Membership within the European Union has been a long-standing ambition. Membership talks started in 2005 however have stalled on account of critical doubts about Turkey's human rights file.

Kurds make up a couple of fifth of the inhabitants. Kurdish separatists who accuse the Turkish state of looking for to destroy their cultural id have waged a guerrilla battle for the reason that 1980s.

President: Recep Tayyip Erdogan

He first got here to energy as prime minister in 2003 after a sweeping electoral victory the earlier 12 months by the Islamist-rooted Justice and Improvement Get together (AKP), of which he was a founding member.

He spent 11 years as Turkey's prime minister earlier than turning into the nation's first instantly elected president in August 2014 – an ostensibly ceremonial function.

To his supporters he has introduced Turkey years of financial progress, however to his critics he’s an autocratic chief, illiberal of dissent, who harshly silences anybody who opposes him.

In July 2016, the AKP authorities survived a coup try that noticed clashes within the streets of Istanbul and Ankara that left 256 useless.

Authorities subsequently arrested hundreds of troopers, judges, academics and civil servants on suspicion of involvement within the try, which President Erdogan stated was impressed by his exiled opponent, Fethullah Gulen.

A referendum in April 2017 narrowly supported the change to a presidential system of presidency, which considerably elevated his powers.

A whole bunch of personal tv and radio stations compete with state broadcaster TRT. Nonetheless, broadcasting and the press are dominated by pro-government media.

Essential information retailers face the chance of being raided or fined. A lot of the arrested journalists are accused of membership or propaganda for teams thought-about terrorist organizations.

With the mainstream media largely out of bounds, unbiased and opposition voices typically depend on social media to share information and opinions.

Nonetheless, authorities typically place extreme restrictions on social media platforms to regulate info, together with blocking entry completely.

Some key dates within the historical past of Turkey:

1453 – Sultan Mehmet II conquers Constantinople, ending the Byzantine Empire and consolidating the Ottoman Empire in Asia Minor and the Balkans.

15-16 centuries – The Ottoman Empire expands in Asia and Africa.

16-17 centuries – The facility and status of the Ottoman Empire reached its peak, particularly through the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-1566), who personally instituted main legislative adjustments concerning society, training, taxation, and prison regulation.

Throughout this era, Ottoman forces are sometimes at odds with the Holy Roman Empire of their advance into Central Europe by the Balkans and the southern a part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

1538, 1571, 1684 AND 1717 – The Ottoman navy battles for management of the Mediterranean Sea in opposition to a number of Holy Leagues, consisting primarily of Habsburg Spain, Genoa, Venice, the Knights of Malta, the Papal States, Tuscany and Savoy.

1683-99 – Nice Turkish Warfare between the Ottomans and the Holy League: brought on by the Ottoman siege of Vienna in 1683 – which is defeated by a relieving military led by John Hunyadi of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

16-18 centuries – Ottomans typically at battle with Safavid Persia. Ottoman wars with Persia proceed because the Zand, Afsharid and Qajar dynasties succeed the Safavids in Iran, till the primary half of the 19th century.

16-20 centuries – Russo-Turkish Wars: a collection of 12 wars fought between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire. Aside from the battle of 1710-1111 and the Crimean battle of 1853-56, these led to Ottoman defeats.

1750 onwards – The Ottoman Empire begins to say no.

1839 – The Tanzimat reforms purpose to modernize the Ottoman state in accordance with the progress made in Western Europe.

1876 – These reforms result in the Ottoman constitutional motion, however the reforms fail to cease the disintegration of the empire.

1908 – The Younger Turk Revolution forces Sultan Abdul Hamid II to revive the Ottoman Structure of 1876 and recall the parliament, which promotes multiparty politics.

1912-1913 – First Balkan Warfare: the lack of Rumelia, the Ottoman territories in Europe, sees the arrival of tens of millions of Muslim refugees in Istanbul and is a serious shock to the state.

1913 – Ottoman coup: Members of the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) make a shock raid on Ottoman central authorities buildings and seize energy after defeat within the battle.

Ottoman forces recapture Edirne and surrounding areas in Jap Thrace through the Second Balkan Warfare of 1913.

1914-1918 – Turkey really turns into a army dictatorship throughout World Warfare I, the place the Ottoman Empire fights in alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary.

1915-1917 – Between 300,000 and 1.5 million Armenians are massacred or expelled by the Ottoman authorities from their Anatolian homeland in present-day Syria. Armenia and lots of historians contemplate the killings an act of genocide. Turkey says the killings befell on either side and denies that these suffered by Armenians are genocide. The topic remains a very sensitive issue.

1918-22 – The division of the defeated Ottoman Empire results in the ultimate triumph of the Turkish Nationwide Motion within the battle for independence in opposition to international occupation and the rule of the Sultan.

1923 – Turkey turns into a republic with battle hero Mustafa Kemal as president. He later adopts the title “Ataturk”, or chief of the Turks, and begins a modernization challenge, together with adjustments to civil legal guidelines and the preservation of secularism within the structure.

1939-45 – Turkey stays impartial for many of World Warfare II. It declares battle on Germany and Japan in February 1945, however doesn’t participate within the preventing. Joins the United Nations.

1950 – Turkey holds the primary free elections, gained by the opposition Democratic Get together. Adnan Menderes turns into prime minister, taking steps to liberalize the economic system and transfer the nation in a pro-US route at first of the Chilly Warfare.

1952 – Turkey joins NATO.

1960 – Army coup in opposition to the ruling Democratic Get together.

1963 – Signed the Affiliation Settlement with the European Financial Group (EEC), now the EU.

1974 – Turkish troops invade northern Cyprus, dividing the island.

1980 – Army coup follows political impasse and civil unrest. Imposing martial regulation.

1984 – The Kurdistan Staff' Get together (PKK) launches a separatist guerilla marketing campaign that develops into a serious civil battle that has been simmering for many years.

1987 – Turkey applies for full membership within the EEC.

2002 – The Get together for Justice and Improvement (AKP) with Islamic roots wins an amazing victory within the elections. The social gathering guarantees to stick to the secular ideas of the structure.

2003 – AKP chief Recep Tayyip Erdogan wins the seat within the parliament. Inside a couple of days, Abdullah Gul resigns as prime minister and Erdogan takes over.

2011 – The Syrian civil battle erupts, leading to stress alongside the international locations' border and a big inflow of refugees into Turkey.

2014 – Prime Minister Erdogan wins the primary direct standard election for president.

2016 – The coup try fails. Authorities arrest hundreds of troopers and judges suspected of involvement.

2017 – The referendum approves the transition to a presidential system.

2022 – The UN agrees to ask Ankara to formally discuss with the nation as Türkiye.

2023 – Erdogan wins one other five-year time period as president, whereas his ruling alliance wins a parliamentary majority.