Population density: 93/km2 (240/mi2)
Main languages spoken: Turkish, Kurdish, Arabic, Circassian, Armenian, Greek, Georgian, Ladino The Turks are racially diverse. Many are the descendants of refugees, often from the Balkans, but a strong sense of national identity is rooted in a shared language and religion. Most are Sunni Muslim, though a Shi'a community, including the heterodox Alawite sect, is growing fast. The largest minority are the Kurds, and there are some 500,000 Arabic speakers. While women have equal rights in law, men dominate political and even family life. In 2002 women gained the right to an equal portion in the case of divorce. With population growth at 2%, Turkey is projected to have a larger population than any EU country by 2020. THE URBAN/RURAL POPULATION SPLIT
 RELIGIOUS PERSUASION
 ETHNIC MAKEUP
 POPULATION AGE BREAKDOWN
 From "The Financial Times World Desk Reference" © Dorling Kindersley 2004 |
