Literacy rate: 86%

Numbers in tertiary education: 1.02m students

THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

After 1923, educational establishments were nationalized. In 1928, a Turkish alphabet with Latin characters was introduced.

In 1997, compulsory education was extended from five to eight years, raising the age for entry into Islamic schools from 11 to 14, in a move seen as designed to reduce attendance at such schools. State schools are coeducational and free. Engineering is usually the strongest faculty in Turkey's many universities.

From "The Financial Times World Desk Reference" © Dorling Kindersley 2004