GTurkiye

Author: tur

  • The Sea of Marmara, Turkey

    Known as the Sea of Marmora or the Marmara Sea, is the inland sea that connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, thus separating Turkey’s Asian and European parts. The Bosporus strait connects it to the Black Sea and the Dardanelles strait to the Aegean. The former also separates Istanbul into its Asian side and European side. The Sea has an area of 11,350 km² (280km x 80km) with the greatest depth reaching 1 370 m.

    The salinity of the sea averages about 22 parts per thousand, which is slightly greater than that of the Black Sea but only about two thirds that of most oceans. However, the water is much more saline at the sea-bottom, averaging salinities of around 38 parts per thousand — similar to that of the Mediterranean Sea. This high density saline water, like that of the Black Sea itself, does not migrate to the surface. Water from the Granicus, Susurluk, Biga and Gonen Rivers also reduces the salinity of the sea, though with less influence than on the Black Sea.

    With little land in Thrace draining southward, almost all of these rivers flow from Anatolia. There are two major island groups known as the Prince’s and Marmara islands. The latter group is rich in sources of marble and gives the sea its name (Greek marmaro, marble). Alternatively, the name may come from the Indo European, compare Hittite marmar(r)a, from mori ‘inland body of water’. The North Anatolian fault, which has triggered many major earthquakes in recent years, such as the Izmit Earthquake of 1999, runs under the sea.

    The sea’s ancient Greek name Propontis derives from pro (before) and pont (sea), deriving from the fact that the Greeks sailed through it to reach the Black Sea. In Greek mythology, a storm on Propontis brought the Argonauts back to an island they had left, precipitating a battle where either Jason or Heracles killed King Cyzicus, who mistook them for his Pelasgian enemies.

  • Turkey’s Rivers

    Most of the rivers of Turkey flow into the seas surrounding the country. The Firat (Euphrates) and Dicle (Tigris) join together in Iraq and flow into the Persian Gulf. Turkey’s longest rivers, the Kizilirmak, Yesilirmak and Sakarya, flow into the Black Sea. The Susurluk, Biga and Gonen pour into the Sea of Marmara, the Gediz, Kucuk Menderes, Buyuk Menderes and Meric into the Aegean, and the Seyhan, Ceyhan and Goksu into the Mediterranean.

  • The Lakes of Turkey

    In terms of numbers of lakes, the Eastern Anatolian region is the richest. It contains Turkey’s largest, Lake Van (3,713 square kilometers), and the lakes of Ercek, Cildir and Hazar. There are also many lakes in the west Taurus mountains area: the Beysehir and Egirdir lakes, and the lakes that contain bitter waters like the Burdur and Acigoller lakes. Around the Sea of Marmara are located the lakes of Sapanca, Iznik, Ulubat, Manyas, Terkos, Kucukcekmece and Buyukcekmece. In Central Anatolia is the second largest lake in Turkey, Tuzgolu.

    The waters of this lake are shallow and very salty. The lakes of Aksehir and Eber are also located in this region. As a result of the construction of dams during the past thirty years, several large dam lakes have come into existence. Together with the Ataturk Dam lake which started to collect water in January 1990, the following are good examples: Keban, Karakaya, Altinkaya, Adiguzel, Kilickaya, Karacaoren, Menzelet, Kapulukaya, Hirfanlt, Sariyar and Demirkupru.

  • Turkey’s Coastlines

    Turkey is surrounded by sea on three sides, by the Black Sea in the north, the Mediterranean in the south and the Aegean Sea in the west. In the northwest there is also an important internal sea, the Sea of Marmara, between the straits of the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus, important waterways that connect the Black Sea with the rest of the world. Because the mountains in the Black Sea region run parallel to the coastline, the coasts are fairly smooth, without many indentations or projections.

    The length of the Black Sea coastline in Turkey is 1,595 kilometers, and the salinity of the sea is 17 percent. The Mediterranean coastline runs for 1,577 kilometers and here too the mountain ranges are parallel to the coastline. The salinity level of the Mediterranean is about double that of the Black Sea.

    Although the Aegean coastline is a continuation of the Mediterranean coast, it is quite irregular because the mountains in the area fall perpendicularly into the Aegean Sea coast is over 2,800 kilometers. The coastline faces out to many islands. The Marmara Sea is located totally within national boundaries and occupies an area of 11,350 square kilometers. The coastline of the Marmara Sea is over 1,000 kilometers long; it is connected to the Black Sea by the Bosphorus and with the Aegean by the Dardanelles.

  • Customs Regulations in Turkey

    Customs officials seldom bother to open tourists’ luggage on your entry, but they may show more interest on your departure. There is a strict prohibition on the export of antiquities and you may be required to show a proof of purchase slip and currency exchange slip if you have bought a Turkish carpet. Older carpets may also require a document from the shop keeper or from a local museum certifying that the carpet is not an antiquity.

    On Entry
    – The following items may be brought into the country duty free personal effects of the tourist.
    – one TV, one colour pocket TV (maximum 16 cm screen), one TV tape radio combination, one video recording camera and 5 video cassettes (blank); 5 records, 5 tape cassettes or compact discs.
    – one video player, cine-projector (8 mm) and 10 rolls of film (blank), one slide projector.
    – one pocket computer (maximum main memory capacity Ram 128k. Byte), electronic playing devices (without cassette – keyboard).
    – one transistor radio and portable radio – tape player (its specification to be determined by the Ministry of Finance and Customs), one Walkman or pocket tape recorder, one portable compact disc player.
    – Binoculars (one pair, except night binoculars)
    – harmonica, mandolin, flageole, flute, guitar, and accordion (only one of each type, maximum 3 musical instruments).
    – personal sports equipment.
    – necessary medical items.
    – bicycle, baby buggy, toys.
    – 200 cigarettes and 50 cigars.
    – 200 grams of tobacco and 200 cigarette papers, or 50 grams of chewing tobacco or 200 grams of pipe tobacco, or 200 grams of snuff
    – (In addition to the above allowances, it is possible to purchase 400 cigarettes, 100 cigars, and 500 grams of pipe tobacco from the Turkish Duty Free Shops upon entering the country).
    – 1.5kg. coffee, 1.5kg. instant coffee, 500 grams of tea.
    – 1 kilo chocolate and 1 kilo sweets.
    – 5 (100 cc) or 7 (70 cc) bottles of wines and/or spirits.
    – five bottles of perfume (120 ml max. each).
    – one portable typewriter.
    – one camera with 5 rolls of film.

    – First aid, and spare parts for the car.
    – Other items necessary during the journey.
    – Valuable items and all items with a value of over $ 15,000 must be registered in the owner’s passport upon entering Turkey, for control upon exit.
    – Antiques brought into the country must be registered in the owner’s passport to avoid difficulties on exit.
    – Sharp instruments (including camping knives) and weapons may not be brought into the country without special permission.
    – The bringing into the country, trade, and consumption of marijuana and all other narcotics is strictly forbidden and subject to heavy punishment.
    – Gifts, not exceeding 500 DM in value and not for trading purposes, may be brought into the country duty free. In addition, gifts not exceeding 500 OM in value may be posted to Turkey duty free, if the date stamped by the sending post office falls one month before, or one month after the following holidays: Seker Bayrami, Kurban Bayrami, Christmas, and New Year’s.

    Note: Cellular Telephones entering the country must be accompanied by a certification form showing ownership. Ownership must be documented in the passport of the owner and will be checked on entry and exit.

    For more information contact the Ministry of Transportation, General Directorate at Tel: (312) 212 35 72 – 212 60 10 (10 lines), Fax: (312) 221 32 26 or write to Ulastirma Bakanligi Telsiz Gn. Md. Emek – Ankara.

    On exit
    – Gifts and souvenirs: for a new carpet, a proof of purchase; for old items, a certificate from a directorate of a museum is necessary.
    – Exporting antiques from Turkey is forbidden.
    – Valuable personal items can only be taken out of the country providing they have been registered in the owner’s passport upon entry, or providing they can show they have been purchased with legally exchanged currency.
    – Minerals may only be exported from the country with a special document obtained from the MTA (General Directorate of Mining Exploration and Research). Etudler Dairesi 06520, Ankara
    – Phone: +90 (312) 287 3430 /1622, Fax: (312) 285 42 71