Turkey: A Bridge between East and West

Two bridges over the Bosporus Strait in Turkey connect the East to the West geographically and are also symbolic of the cultural bridge that Turkey serves between the western and eastern cultures. Turkey harmoniously blends both cultures and embraces a rich history reflecting these elements, a clear indication of the diversity and acceptance found in Turkish society. Turkey’s population is diverse and the people are generally considered a warm and accepting people.

As a consequence of Turkey’s vast geographical area, there is a large variation in topography and climate noted throughout Turkey. Turkey has a wide range of wildlife and forests teeming with diverse flora and fauna and in the Anatolia Peninsula visitors encounter vegetation rarely seen throughout the rest of the world. Interestingly, approximately 9,000 of the 12,000 vegetation variation existing in Europe can be found in Turkey.

Turkey politically is one of the leading powers in its region, (Balkans, Middle East, and Central Asia) due in large part to a shared culture and history. Furthermore, Turkey is one of the most developed countries in the region in terms of its economy, technology and governance. That is why many international corporations prefer Turkey as a base to manage and develop its regional activities. Although Turkey holds a strong position regionally, it is still considered a developing country by international classification standards.

Like the majority of countries around the world, the Turkish economy stumbled under the weight of the global recession. However, both local and international economists agree that the Turkish economy will again achieve positive growth rates in 2010. In November 2009, the IMF projected that Turkey’s economy would contract 6.5% in 2009 but likely rebounding 3.7% in 2010.

Turkey's economy is expected to experience strong economic growth over the long-term. According to the projections of global investment bank, Goldman Sachs, Turkey will be the 9th largest economy in the world with a GDP of $6 trillion USD by 2050. Also, many analysts believe the Turkish economy will be the fastest growing in Europe in 2010, provided it can raise foreign trade volumes and reach its goal to grow by 5%.