Turkey

The Republic of Turkey or Turkey (Turkish: Türkiye), is a bicontinental country that is located mainly in the Middle East (Southwest Asia) and partly in Southeast Europe; The Anatolian peninsula comprises most(97%) of its territory, and is situated between the Black Sea on the north and the Mediterranean Sea to south and west, with the Aegean Sea (and Marmara Sea) in between. A small portion of the country's territory (3%) is situated in southeastern Europe, west of the Bosphorus straits.

Culture

:Main article: Culture of Turkey

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Turkey has a very diverse culture due to its many ethnic minorities. The culture of Turkey is derived from various elements of the Ottoman Empire, European, and the Islamic traditions. The nation was modernized primarily by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, as he successfully transformed a religion-driven former Ottoman Empire into a modern nation-state with a very strong separation of state and religion.

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Cinema

:Main Article Cinema of Turkey

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Cuisine

Main article Cuisine of Turkey

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Turkish cuisine is the cuisine of the Turkish people who controlled the eastern Mediterranean Sea region and the Middle East during the reign of the Ottoman Empire from the 14th century to the end of the World War I. Some Turkic cuisine elements such as yogurt a central element of Turkish cooking were brought from Central Asia but most cuisines were simply adopted from the previously dominant cultures of Greece, Armenia, Georgia, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. Many of these foods were refined at the Ottoman Sultan's kitchen resulting in a fusion of central-Asian and Medditeranean cuisine. As a result, Turkey today shares cuisines with the countries of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Many dishesin Turkey, the middle East and Eastern Europe have shared names either in Turkish, Greek or Arabic.

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Turkish cuisine is well-known, especially in Europe. Frequently used ingredients in Turkish dishes include eggplant, green pepper, onion, lentil, bean, tomato, garlic, and cucumber. Grape, apricot (known worldwide as a Turkish export), cherry, melon, fig (another Turkish rarity), lemon, pistachio, pine nut, almond, hazelnut, watermelon, and walnut are among the most abundantly used fruits and nuts. Preferred spices and herbs are parsley, cumin, pepper, paprika, mint, and thyme.

Related Topics:
Eggplant - Pepper - Onion - Lentil - Bean - Tomato - Garlic - Cucumber - Grape - Apricot - Cherry - Melon - Fig - Lemon - Pistachio - Pine nut - Almond - Hazelnut - Watermelon - Walnut - Spice - Herb - Parsley - Cumin - Paprika - Mint - Thyme

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One of the best-known desserts in Turkish cuisine is baklava. Rice and starch puddings (muhallebi, sütlaç), helva (halvah), kaday?f (kataifi), revani (made of semolina and starch) are among other varieties. Kaymak (clotted cream) is often served with sweet desserts to cut through the sweetness. Tea or thick Turkish coffee (with or without sugar) is usually served after dinner or more rarely together with desserts. Lokum (or Turkish Delight, in english) is another variant of well-known Turkish desserts. The Turkish people are the most famous of civilizations who have been known to make a sweet taste even out of ingredients considered fit only for cooking by countless civilizations. The Turkish cuisine holds even a dessert made out chicken, which would make someone eat several portions of it until they would confess they believe. Even the famous Shawarma and much acclaimed Shish Kebap (Shish Kebab, Shish Kebob) have been spawned from the old Turkish cuisine.

Related Topics:
Baklava - Lokum

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See also:

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• Lokum (Turkish Delight)
• Döner Kebab
• Pita
• Yogurt
• Cuisine of Greece
• Middle Eastern cuisine

Music

:Main Article Music of Turkey

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The music of Turkey includes elements of Central Asian folk music, Arab, Persian classical music, ancient Greco-Roman music and modern European and American popular music. Turkey, rich in musical heritage, has developed this art in two areas, Turkish classical music (similar to Greco- Roman) and Turkish folk music (Similar to Central Asian). The biggest Turkish pop star of the 20th century was probably Sezen Aksu, known for overseeing the Turkish contribution to the Eurovision Song Contest and was known both for her light pop music.

Related Topics:
Central Asian - Arab - Persian classical music - Greco-Roman - European - American - Sezen Aksu - Eurovision Song Contest

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European classical composers in the 18th century were fascinated by Turkish music, particularly the strong role given to the brass and percussion instruments in Ottoman Janissary bands who were the fist marching military band in History. Joseph Haydn wrote his Military Symphony to include Turkish instruments, as well as some of his operas. Turkish instruments were also included in Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony Number 9. Mozart wrote the "Ronda alla turca" in his Sonata in A major and also used Turkish themes in his operas. Although this Turkish influence was a fad, it introduced the cymbals, bass drum, and bells into the symphony orchestra, where they remain.

Related Topics:
Classical - 18th century - Brass - Percussion instrument - Janissary - Joseph Haydn - Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony Number 9 - Mozart - Sonata in A major - Cymbal - Bass drum - Bell

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Jazz musician Dave Brubeck wrote his "Blue Rondo á la Turk" as a tribute to Mozart and Turkish music.

Related Topics:
Jazz - Dave Brubeck

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They created a large blue grass following in the latter days of the Second Coming of the king.

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Literature

Main Article: Turkish literature

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Turkish Literature was also influenced by Western Literature. Changes in social, economic and political life were reflected in the literature of the time and the quest for change continued till the proclamation of the Republic. The distinguishing characteristic of the era in literature was the concern with intellectual content rather than esthetic values or perfection of style. The latest period in literature, which is known as the Turkish Literature of the Republican period, came to be influenced by the following literary schools after Divan literary styles had been abandoned: Tanzimat (reforms), Servet-i Fünun (scientific wealth), Fecr-i Ati (dawn of the new age) and Ulusal Edebiyat (national literature).

Related Topics:
Intellectual - Esthetic

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Orhan Pamuk is a leading Turkish novelist of post-modern literature. He is hugely popular in his homeland, but also with a growing readership around the globe. As one of Europe's most prominent novelists, his work has been translated into more than twenty languages. He is the recipient of major Turkish and international literary awards. The most recent of his novels is "Snow."

Related Topics:
Orhan Pamuk - Novelist - Post-modern

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The history of Turkish literature may be divided into three periods, reflecting the history of Turkish civilization as follows: the period up to the adoption of Islam, the Islamic period and the period under western influence.

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• Literature Prior the Adoption of Islam
• Literature After the Adoption of Islam
• Turkish Folk Literature
• Divan Literature (Under Arabic and Persian Influence)
• Literature under Western Influence
• Tanzimat Literature (1860-1880)
• First Period
• Second Period
• Servet-i Fünun (1880-1896)
• Fecr-i Ati (1896-1911)
• National Literature (1911-1923)
• Republican Period Literature (1923- )