Key facts
Turkey is a country located in Western Asia. There are 8 countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Syria) that Turkey shares its borders with. The official language of Turkey is Turkish. Traveling across Turkey if English is your first (and only) language may be difficult due to language barriers.
In the EF English Competency Index (EF EPI), which assesses the language proficiency of non-native speaking countries, Turkey was ranked 70th out of 100 countries in 2021.
The national currency in Turkey is Turkish lira (TRY). The lira (₺) is subdivided into 100 kuruş (Kr).
With today’s currency rate, 1 EUR is worth 22.14 TRY and 1 USD is worth 20.64 TRY.
Turkish
Banknotes
5102050100200
Turkish
Coins
5Kr10Kr25Kr50Kr11Kr
Check with your bank before your trip to find out if there are any fees for using your card abroad. Some banks do not charge fees when you use a foreign ATM or pay in foreign currency, but others may charge a fixed cost for each transaction or allow a limited number of free withdrawals. The travel card provided by Wise.com, Revolut or Monose might be an excellent option to cut down on transaction fees.
Ookla® Speedtest The average fixed internet speed in Turkey is 69.43 Mbps and mobile is 59.55 Mbs.The global average is 159.18 Mbps and 109.61 Mbps respectively.
ATM Density Turkey has more ATMs than most other countries.80.37 ATMs per 100,000 people.The global average is 39.69.
SIM Registration In order to purchase a SIM card in Turkey, a passport or ID is required as identification.
Socket types
There are 2 socket types used in Turkey. Type C is a popular socket type throughout Europe (except the United Kingdom), Russia, and certain Asian countries.
The sockets’ shapes and voltage differ from country to country and a travel plug adapter may be required. Portable devices, such as phones, notebooks or tablets, usually handle the entire range of voltages used across the world (110-240V).
Public holidays
In the year 2023, Turkey will celebrate 14 national public holidays. The next one Eid al-Adha First Day will take place on June 28.
| Date | Holiday name | |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2023 | New Year’s DayYılbaşı | |
| April 21, 2023 | Eid al-Fitr First DayRamazan Bayramı 1. Gün | |
| April 22, 2023 | Eid al-Fitr Second DayRamazan Bayramı 2. Gün | |
| April 23, 2023 | Eid al-Fitr Third DayRamazan Bayramı 3. Gün | |
| May 1, 2023 | Labour Dayİşçi Bayramı | |
| May 19, 2023 | Atatürk Commemoration & Youth DayAtatürk’ü Anma, Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı | |
| June 28, 2023 | Eid al-Adha First DayKurban Bayramı 1. Gün | |
| June 29, 2023 | Eid al-Adha Second DayKurban Bayramı 2. Gün | |
| June 30, 2023 | Eid al-Adha Third DayKurban Bayramı 3. Gün | |
| July 1, 2023 | Eid al-Adha Fourth DayKurban Bayramı 4. Gün | |
| July 15, 2023 | Democracy and National Unity DayDemokrasi ve Millî Birlik Günü | |
| August 30, 2023 | Victory DayZafer Bayramı | |
| October 29, 2023 | Republic DayCumhuriyet Bayramı |
Sources
- EF English Proficiency Index (EF Education First)
- Speedtest Global Index® (Ookla®)
- Automated teller machines (ATMs) (per 100,000 adults) (The World Bank Group)
- Registration Policies Per Country (Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki)
Tourism
What hotel chains are present in Turkey?
There are Mariott hotels in 2 cities: Istanbul and Izmir.
The Hilton hotel chain operates in Turkey.
The IHG hotel chain operates in Turkey.
The Best Western hotel chain operates in Turkey.
There are Radisson hotels in 12 cities.
The Accor hotel chain operates in Turkey.
What fast food chains are present in Turkey?
The McDonald’s chain operates in Turkey.
The KFC chain operates in Turkey.
The Burger King chain operates in Turkey.
The Subway chain operates in Turkey.
The Domino’s Pizza chain operates in Turkey.
The Starbucks chain operates in Turkey.
Sources
- Country by National Dish (Samson Daniel)
Weather
What is the weather like in Ankara?
Weather data for Ankara (capital city) by Open-Meteo.com
Transport
Railways There are passenger trains , and some of them are high-speed trains.
Subway Systems The subway system is available in 5 cities.
Sources
- List of high-speed railway lines (Wikipedia)
- List of metro systems (Wikipedia)
- Left- and right-hand traffic (Wikipedia)
- The Global Enabling Trade Report 2016: Road connectivity (World Economic Forum)
Safety
Emergency phones in Turkey
Sources
- Turkey Travel Advisory (United States: Department of State)
- Travel Advice for Turkey (United Kingdom: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
- Mortality caused by road traffic injury (The World Bank Group)
- Corruption & Economic Crime (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Smoking & Alcohol
Smoking ban Smoking is forbidden in all public indoor locations, with limited exceptions.
Cananbis legality Recreational usage: Illegal
Medical usage: Legal in certain circumstances
The products are only for your own use or consumption, or as a present for members of your household. They may not be imported for commercial purposes under any circumstances.
Alcohol allowance
- 1 (1L) or 2 (0,75L or 0.7L) bottles of wine and/or spirits
Tobacco allowance
- 200 cigarettes and
- 50 cigars and
- 200 gm tobacco and
- 200 cigarette paper or 200g pipe tobacco or 200g chewing tobacco or 200g tobacco for nargileh or 50g snuff
Sources
- Duty-Free Goods (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
- List of smoking bans (Wikipedia)
- Legality of cannabis (Wikipedia)