Information on Turkey
Geographically, Turkey is uniquely positioned with some parts stretching partially to Europe and Asia. It is among the largest countries in the region covering approximately 13,920 Km2 of water area and 769,632 Km2 of land cover (Yapp & Dewdney, 2018). In terms of population, Turkey has about 80,274,604 people as per the 2016 census distributed all around the land. Turkey is predominantly mountainous with one fourth of the land elevation above 4000 feet and two third below 1500 feet. There is a noticeable variable climate due to exposure of slopes that creates some microclimate and also coastal influences.
The military capability of a nation is reliant on collective as well as individual factors in terms of its ability to wage a prolonged campaign in case of invasion or war by other states. According to the 2018 military strength ranking, Turkey comes at number eight worldwide. Its strength is derived from partnering with the US which is a global super power.
Turkey’s economy is ranked among the fastest growing in the world with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 7.4% in the year 2017. There has been a marked increase in income and employment rates that has been made possible with improved performance in macroeconomic and fiscal stability. The expected GDP for the year 2018 is estimated to improve by 4.8%, although the uncertainty of the deteriorating geopolitical environment poses a threat.
The demand for energy in Turkey has been gradually increasing yearly with main imports being oil and natural gas (World Bank, 2018). Currently, Turkey is able to meet only 26% of the total energy required for domestic purposes. The demand for energy is due to the fast growing economy that requires constant and sufficient energy supply. Since 2001, the Turkish government privatized energy distribution from state-owned to individual or private firms. This reform has facilitated fully developed oil, natural gas and electricity market that is stable to sustain the ever growing demand for energy in the country.
References
World Bank. (2018). Assessing Turkey’s Energy Transition. Retrieved 05 12, 2018, from World Bank: Retrieved from http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/turkey/publication/assessing-turkey-energy-transition
Yapp, M. E., & Dewdney, J. C. (2018, 05 06). Britannica. Retrieved 05 12, 2018, from Turkey: Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/place/Turkey