If you're considering investing in the Turkey property market, it would be more than helpful to learn as much as possible about this wonderful country which holds a unique position at the crossroads between Asia to the east and Europe to the west. In this article that's exactly what we will be doing - taking a look at Turkey the country.

Turkey is a huge country! It is over 1600 km in length and 800 km wide, giving it a roughly rectangular shape. It's area - including several lakes thus encompasses over 783 thousand square kilometres, most of it in Asia. Turkey is in fact the 37th largest country in the world. On three of its sides it is surrounded by water - the Black Sea in the north, the Aegean to the west, and the Mediterranean to the south. Of course one must not forget the famous sea of Marmara in the north-west.

Turkey is geographically divided into seven regions that include: Marmara, Aegean, Black Sea, Central Anatolia, Eastern Anatolia, South-Eastern Anatolia and the Mediterranean. These regions make a very varied landscape are the product of complex earth movements shaping the region over thousands of years. Even today there are still regular earthquakes and eruptions. The Bosporus and the Dardanelles in fact exist due to the fault lines running through the country. There was a major earthquake in 1999.

Climatically, Turkey is considered to possess a Mediterranean type climate with very hot, dry summers and very cold, wet winters. The interior of the country is very dry and can suffer from harsh extremes of heat and cold. Here the seasons are very clearly defined and the winters can see temperatures descending as low as -40 C in the mountain regions to the east. Here also, snow falls regularly for several months each year.

Turkey is very diverse and original culturally. It is a subtle fusion of the ancient Anatolian, Ottoman and Western cultures and traditions which began with the gradual westernization of the Ottoman Empire, and to this day continues. Following its gradual transformation from a religion controlled state into a modern nation with separation of church and government, the artistic life of the country also underwent a massive enlarging and diversification, with the government investing in the fine arts, new museums, theatres and building construction. The resulting contemporary Turkish culture is one of a diversified fusion of the old and the new, combining tradition and history with Western ideas.

The resulting rich cultural mix is found in all walks of life, and particularly in the areas of music and literature. Indeed, music schools have sprung up all around the country, teaching styles as diverse as traditional Turkish music and western pop. The same applies in the domain of creative writing - the traditional Persian-inspired style is today fused with a more Western approach and rhythm.

Architecturally, Turkey possesses a unique mix of traditions. In addition to the traditional Byzantine elements present everywhere, many remains of the later Ottoman architecture, with its exquisite blend of local and Islamic traditions, are to be found throughout the country, as well as in many former territories of the Ottoman Empire. From the 18th century, Turkish architecture has been increasingly influenced by Western styles, and this can be seen particularly in Istanbul where buildings like the Blue Mosque and the Dolmabahce Palace are set against a background of modern skyscrapers.

Now let's take a look at the sporting life of Turkey! Unsurprisingly enough, the most popular sport has become football. Here the major teams include the now well-known names of Galatasaray, Besiktas and Fenerbahce. Indeed, Turkey is now rapidly becoming a major international force in the world of professional soccer. Most recently the Turkish international team finished third in the World Cup finals held in Korea and Japan.

However football is far from being the only popular sport in Turkey. Other sports are also very popular, including basketball, volleyball and motor racing. However, the teams to have enjoyed the most international success by far have been the women's volleyball teams, which have triumphed in many European competitions, winning several medals and titles.

I hope that this brief introduction to contemporary Turkey has provided some insights into this large and fascinating country at the dawn of its cultural re-awakening and transition in the heart of Europe. In further articles, we'll be taking a look in more detail at the property markets and integration into Turkish society.