Tourism in Turkey: The past, present and the future

Abstract

Turkey lies in the northern hemisphere between 36th and 42 nd parallels. It's a country of 780.000 so.km. surrounded on three'sides by a 8350 km. long coastline and situated on two continents at the junction point of Asia, Europe and Africa. European Turkey known as Trace is a smail part of the country. Asian Turkey li es in a peninsula known as Anatolia or Asia minor which is also considered as the "Cradie of Civilizations". In Anatolia history reaches as far back as Paleolithic age and Mesolithic age. The most outstanding remains of Neolithic and Calceolithic ages in the world are in Anatolia. In Addition, there are at least three important sites which are considered as striking examples of the Bronze age. The Troyians, Assyrian trading colonies, Hitites, Phrygians, Greek Colonies in Ephesus, Miletus and Pryene, Lydians and the Kingdom of Urartu in the east come into the scene of history in Asia minor.