History of Turkey in Timeline
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a transcontinental country located mainly in West Asia (Anatolia) and partly in Southeast Europe (East Thrace). It shares borders with several countries, including Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, and is bordered by the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Aegean Sea. With a population of over 85 million, predominantly ethnic Turks and a significant Kurdish minority, Turkey is a Muslim-majority, secular state. Ankara serves as its capital, while Istanbul is its largest city and economic hub. Other major cities include İzmir, Bursa, and Antalya.
5 hours ago : Turkey's Central Bank Hikes Rate to 46% in Surprise Move to Boost Confidence
Turkey's central bank surprised markets with a 350-basis-point rate hike, raising the policy rate to 46%. This unexpected move aims to restore market confidence amid recent economic turmoil and inflation concerns.
1907: Swiss Civil Code of 1907
In 1926, Turkey adopted a civil law legal system, replacing Sharia-derived Ottoman law; The Civil Code, adopted in 1926, was based on the Swiss Civil Code of 1907 and the Swiss Code of Obligations of 1911.
1911: Swiss Code of Obligations of 1911
In 1926, Turkey adopted a civil law legal system, replacing Sharia-derived Ottoman law; The Civil Code, adopted in 1926, was based on the Swiss Civil Code of 1907 and the Swiss Code of Obligations of 1911.
1912: First Balkan War
In 1912, Ottoman territories in Europe (Rumelia) were lost in the First Balkan War.
1913: Three Pashas coup
Following the 1913 coup d'état, the Three Pashas took control of the Ottoman government.
1913: Second Balkan War
In 1913, the Ottomans managed to recover some territory in Europe, such as Edirne, in the Second Balkan War.
1914: Non-Muslim Population Percentage
In 1914, the percentage of non-Muslims in modern-day Turkey was 19.1%.
1915: Çanakkale 1915 Bridge
The Çanakkale 1915 Bridge on the Dardanelles strait is the longest suspension bridge in the world.
1918: Armistice of Mudros
Following the Armistice of Mudros in 1918, the victorious Allied Powers sought the partition of the Ottoman Empire.
1918: Turkish Architecture Division
Since 1918, Turkish architecture can be divided into three parts.
1919: Allied Occupation of İzmir
In 1919, the occupation of İzmir by the Allies in the aftermath of World War I initiated the Turkish National Movement.
April 1920: Provisional Government in Ankara
On 23 April 1920, the Turkish Provisional Government in Ankara declared itself the legitimate government of the country.
1920: Treaty of Sèvres
In 1920, the Turkish War of Independence was waged with the aim of revoking the terms of the Treaty of Sèvres.
1921: Military advance
In 1921, the Armenian, Greek, French, and British armies had been expelled.
1921: Treaty with Afghanistan
In 1921, the treaty signed with Afghanistan, the expression Devlet-i Âliyye-i Türkiyye ("Sublime Turkish State") was used, likened to the Ottoman Empire's name.
October 1922: Armistice of Mudanya
On 11 October 1922, the military advance and diplomatic success of the Ankara Government resulted in the signing of the Armistice of Mudanya.
November 1922: Abolition of the Sultanate
On 1 November 1922, the Turkish Parliament in Ankara formally abolished the Sultanate, ending 623 years of monarchical Ottoman rule.
July 1923: Treaty of Lausanne
On 24 July 1923, the Treaty of Lausanne, superseded the Treaty of Sèvres, led to the international recognition of the sovereignty of the new Turkish state as the successor state of the Ottoman Empire.
October 1923: Proclamation of the Republic
In October 1923, the Republic of Turkey was proclaimed, modeled on reforms initiated by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
October 1923: End of Allied Occupation
On 4 October 1923, the Allied occupation of Turkey ended with the withdrawal of the last Allied troops from Istanbul. On 29 October 1923, the Turkish Republic was officially proclaimed in Ankara.
1923: Atatürk's Reforms
After the proclamation of the republic in 1923, Atatürk instituted reforms such as the language reform and alphabet reform.
1923: Armies expelled
In 1923, the Armenian, Greek, French, and British armies had been expelled.
1923: Turkish War of Independence
The Turkish War of Independence (1919–1923) was waged with the aim of revoking the terms of the Treaty of Sèvres (1920).
1925: Sheikh Said rebellion
In 1925, Atatürk's reforms caused discontent in some Kurdish and Zaza tribes leading to the Sheikh Said rebellion.
1926: Adoption of Civil Code
In 1926, Turkey adopted a civil law legal system, replacing Sharia-derived Ottoman law; The Civil Code, adopted in 1926, was based on the Swiss Civil Code of 1907 and the Swiss Code of Obligations of 1911.
1927: Decline in Non-Muslim Population
By 1927, the percentage of non-Muslims in Turkey had fallen to 2.5%.
1934: Women gain the right to vote
In 1934, women gained the right to vote nationally in Turkey.
1934: Universal suffrage
Since 1934, universal suffrage for both sexes has been applied throughout Turkey.
1937: Dersim rebellion
In 1937, Atatürk's reforms caused discontent in some Kurdish and Zaza tribes leading to the Dersim rebellion.
1938: İsmet İnönü becomes president
In 1938, İsmet İnönü became the country's second president following Atatürk's death.
1939: Republic of Hatay joins Turkey
In 1939, the Republic of Hatay voted in favor of joining Turkey with a referendum.
February 1945: Turkey enters World War II
On 23 February 1945, Turkey entered World War II on the side of the Allies.
1950: Turkey's Population in 1950
Between 1950 and 2020, Turkey's population more than quadrupled from 20.9 million to 83.6 million.
1950: Urbanization, Modernization, and Internationalization
From 1950, the second part includes urbanization, modernization, and internationalization in Turkish architecture.
1950: Turkey joins the Council of Europe
In 1950 Turkey became a member of the Council of Europe.
1952: Turkey joins NATO
Following threats from the Soviet Union, Turkey sought to ally with the United States and joined NATO in 1952.
1960: Military Coup
In 1960, a military coup complicated Turkey's transition to a democratic multiparty system.
1965: Census Figures on Ethnicity
Reliable data on the ethnic mix of the population is not available because census figures do not include statistics on ethnicity after the 1965 Turkish census.
1971: Military Memorandum
In 1971, a military memorandum complicated Turkey's transition to a democratic multiparty system.
1973: First Nobel Prize in Literature Nominee
In 1973, Yaşar Kemal's "Memed, My Hawk" was Turkey's first Nobel Prize in Literature nominee.
1974: Turkish Troops in Northern Cyprus
Since 1974, Turkey has maintained a force of 36,000 troops in Northern Cyprus.
1980: Military Coup
In 1980, a military coup complicated Turkey's transition to a democratic multiparty system.
1980: Consumer Habits and International Trends
Since 1980, the third part of Turkish architecture is defined by consumer habits and international trends, such as shopping malls and office towers.
1982: Adoption of the current constitution
In 1982, Turkey's current constitution was adopted.
1987: Applied for full membership of the EEC
In 1987, Turkey applied for full membership of the EEC.
1993: Tansu Çiller became prime minister
In 1993, Tansu Çiller became the first female prime minister of Turkey.
1995: Joined the European Union Customs Union
In 1995, Turkey joined the European Union Customs Union, which had an important impact on the Turkish manufacturing sector.
1997: Military Memorandum
In 1997, a military memorandum complicated Turkey's transition to a democratic multiparty system.
1999: İzmit and Düzce Earthquakes
After the 1999 İzmit and 1999 Düzce earthquakes, the North Anatolian Fault zone activity "is considered to be one of the most dangerous natural hazards in Turkey".
2000: Clay Tablets
Around 2000 BC, Anatolia's historical records begin with clay tablets found in Kültepe, belonging to an Assyrian trade colony.
2000: Galatasaray Wins UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup
Galatasaray won the UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup in 2000.
2000: Turkey's R&D Spending as Share of GDP
In 2000, Turkey's spending on research and development as a share of GDP was 0.47%.
2002: Changes to the Civil Code
Although it underwent a number of changes in 2002, the Civil Code retains much of the basis of the original Code.
2002: Turkey at the FIFA World Cup
The Turkey national football team won the bronze medal at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
2003: Inauguration of Istanbul Pride
In 2003, Turkey inaugurated Istanbul Pride, becoming the first Muslim-majority country to hold a gay pride march.
2003: Universal Health Insurance System
Since 2003, the Ministry of Health has run a universal public healthcare system known as Universal Health Insurance (Genel Sağlık Sigortası).
2003: Turkey at the FIFA Confederations Cup
The Turkey national football team won the bronze medal at the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup.
2005: Started accession negotiations with the European Union
In 2005, Turkey started accession negotiations with the European Union.
2005: Replacement of Criminal Code
In 2005, the Criminal Code, originally based on the Italian Criminal Code, was replaced by a Code with principles similar to the German Penal Code and German law generally.
2006: KONDA's Muslim Population Estimate
Based on a survey, KONDA's estimate for the Muslim population in Turkey was 99.4% in 2006.
2006: KONDA's Ethnic Estimation
Based on a survey, KONDA's estimation was 76% in 2006, with 78% of adult citizens self-identifying their ethnic background as Turk.
2006: KONDA's Estimate of Non-Islam Followers
In 2006, KONDA estimated that 0.18% of people in Turkey followed non-Islam religions.
2006: KONDA's Estimate of Those With No Religion
In 2006, KONDA estimated that 0.47% of people in Turkey had no religion.
2006: KONDA's Estimate of Ethnic Minorities
In 2006, KONDA estimated that non-Kurdish and non-Zaza ethnic minorities constituted 8.2% of the population in Turkey.
2006: Interethnic Marriages
In 2006, approximately 2.7 million ethnic Turks and Kurds were related due to interethnic marriages.
2006: Orhan Pamuk Wins Nobel Prize
Orhan Pamuk won the 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature.
2007: Poverty Rate Decline
Between 2007 and 2021, the share of the population below the PPP-$6.85 per day international poverty threshold declined from 20% to 7.6%.
2007: Peak in Foreign Direct Investment
Foreign direct investment in Turkey peaked at $22.05 billion in 2007.
2009: Contemporary Turkish Art Sale
The inaugural contemporary Turkish art sale by Sotheby's London was in 2009.
2011: Share of Unbelievers Increase
According to KONDA, the share of adult citizens in Turkey who identified as unbelievers increased from 2% in 2011.
2011: Influx of Arabs before Syrian Civil War
Before the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, the estimated number of Arabs in Turkey varied from 1 million to more than 2 million.
2011: Improvements in Education Access
From 2011, Turkey saw improvements in education access, including increases in educational attainment and pre-school institutions.
2013: Lausanne Treaty Provisions for Assyrians
In 2013, the Ankara 13th Circuit Administrative Court ruled that the minority provisions of the Lausanne Treaty should also apply to Assyrians in Turkey and the Syriac language.
2013: Widespread Protests Erupt in Turkey
In 2013, widespread protests began due to a plan to demolish Gezi Park, which escalated into general anti-government dissent.
2013: Independence of judiciary questioned
Particularly since 2013, the independence and integrity of the Turkish judiciary has increasingly been said to be in doubt by institutions, parliamentarians and journalists both within and outside of Turkey.
2013: Planned Hospital Complexes
Since 2013, the Turkish government planned the construction of several hospital complexes, known as city hospitals.
2013: EuroLeague Women Basketball Championship Final
The final of the 2013–14 EuroLeague Women basketball championship was played between two Turkish teams, Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, and won by Galatasaray.
2014: Erdoğan won Turkey's first direct presidential election
In 2014, prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan won Turkey's first direct presidential election.
2015: Fenerbahçe Reaches EuroLeague Final
In the 2015–2016 season, Fenerbahçe reached the final of the EuroLeague.
2015: Government Denies Permission for Pride Parades
Since 2015, the government has denied permission for pride parades at Taksim Square and İstiklal Avenue, citing security concerns, but people have defied the ban.
May 2016: Turkish Parliament Strips Members of Immunity
On May 20, 2016, the Turkish parliament removed immunity from prosecution for almost a quarter of its members, including 101 deputies from the HDP and CHP parties.
July 2016: Coup attempt
On 15 July 2016, an unsuccessful coup attempt tried to oust the government.
2016: Turkish TV Dramas in South and Central America
After sweeping the Middle East's television market, Turkish shows have aired in more than a dozen South and Central American countries in 2016.
2016: Turkey's Assistance to Peshmerga and Somali Forces
As of 2016, Turkey has been assisting Peshmerga forces in northern Iraq and the Somali Armed Forces with security and training.
2016: Diplomatic relations with Israel normalized
In 2016, Diplomatic relations with Israel were damaged after the Gaza flotilla raid, normalized in 2016.
2016: Hub for Foreign Students
In 2016, Turkey became a hub for foreign students, hosting 795,962 foreign students.
2016: Survey on LGBT Rights in Turkey
In a 2016 survey, 33% of respondents in Turkey believed that LGBT people should have equal rights.
2016: Fenerbahçe Reaches EuroLeague Final
In the 2016–2017 season, Fenerbahçe reached the final of the EuroLeague.
2016: Presidential Appointment of University Rectors
Since 2016, the president of Turkey directly appoints all rectors of all state and private universities.
2017: Fossil Fuel Subsidies
As of 2017, while the government had invested in low carbon energy transition, fossil fuels were still subsidized.
2017: Fenerbahçe Becomes European Champions
In 2017, Fenerbahçe reached the final of the EuroLeague and became the European champions.
2017: Parliamentary republic replaced by an executive presidential system
In 2017, the parliamentary republic was replaced by an executive presidential system with a referendum.
2018: Survey on Acceptance of Homosexual Neighbors
A 2018 survey found that 55% of people would not want a homosexual neighbor.
2018: Operation in Syria
In 2018, the Turkish military and the Turkish-backed forces began an operation in Syria aimed at ousting US-backed YPG.
2018: Health Expenditure as Share of GDP
In 2018, total expenditure on health in Turkey as a share of GDP was the lowest among OECD countries at 6.3% of GDP.
2018: Ideal Number of Children
In a 2018 health survey, the ideal children number was 2.8 children per woman, rising to 3 per married woman.
2018: Fenerbahçe Reaches EuroLeague Final
In the 2017–2018 season, Fenerbahçe reached the final of the EuroLeague.
2019: Decrease in Negative Attitudes Towards Homosexual Neighbors
In 2019, the proportion of people in Turkey who would not want a homosexual neighbor decreased to 47% from 55% in the previous year.
2019: Istanbul Metro Ridership
Istanbul Metro had around 704 million annual ridership in 2019.
2019: Renewable Energy Production
Turkey produced 43.8% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2019.
April 2020: Refugee Crisis Management
As of April 2020, Turkey hosted the largest number of refugees in the world, with the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency managing the refugee crisis.
November 2020: Syrian Refugees in Turkey
In November 2020, there were 3.6 million Syrian refugees in Turkey, including Syrian Kurds and Syrian Turkmens.
2020: Irreligiousness in Generation Z
A 2020 poll found that 28.5% of Generation Z in Turkey identify as irreligious.
2020: Turkey's Population in 2020
Between 1950 and 2020, Turkey's population more than quadrupled from 20.9 million to 83.6 million.
2020: Increase in Support for LGBT Rights
In 2020, a survey indicated that 45% of respondents in Turkey believed that LGBT people should have equal rights, an increase from a previous survey.
December 2021: Erdoğan calls for expanded usage of Türkiye
In December 2021, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called for the expanded official usage of "Türkiye", stating that it best represents the Turkish nation's culture, civilization, and values.
2021: Share of Unbelievers Increase
According to KONDA, the share of adult citizens in Turkey who identified as unbelievers increased to 6% in 2021.
2021: Increase in R&D Spending
By 2021, Turkey's spending on research and development as a share of GDP had risen to 1.40%.
2021: Improvements in Education Access
From 2011 to 2021, improvements in education access included "one of the largest increases in educational attainment for 25-34 year-olds at upper secondary non-tertiary or tertiary education", and quadrupling of pre-school institutions.
2021: Risk of Poverty or Social Exclusion
In 2021, 34% of the population were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, using the Eurostat definition.
2021: Survey on Ethnic Identification
In 2021, 77% of adult citizens identified as Turk in a survey.
2021: Increase in Russian Migration
In 2021, Russian migration to Turkey saw an increase.
2021: Türkiye Scholarships Applications
In 2021, Türkiye Scholarships, a government-funded program, received 165,000 applications from prospective students in 178 countries.
2021: Ethnic Identity Survey
In 2021, a survey indicated that 19% of adult citizens in Turkey identified as ethnic Kurds.
2021: Religious Identification Survey
In 2021, a survey indicated that 4% of adult citizens in Turkey identified as Alevi, while 88% identified as Sunni.
February 2022: Turkey's Military Strength in NATO
As of February 2022, Turkey possesses the second-largest standing military force in NATO, following the United States, with an estimated 890,700 military personnel.
May 2022: UN agrees to use Türkiye officially
In May 2022, the Turkish government requested the United Nations and other international organizations to officially use "Türkiye" in English, and the UN agreed to the request.
2022: Euroleague Win
Fenerbahçe won the Euroleague in the 2022–23 season.
2022: Turkey's Ranking in Tourist Arrivals
In 2022, Turkey ranked fifth in the world in the number of international tourist arrivals with 50.5 million foreign tourists.
2022: Turkey's Ranking in International Contractors
In 2022, Turkey ranked second in the world in terms of the number of international contractors in the top 250 list.
2022: Drop in Foreign Direct Investment
In 2022, foreign direct investment in Turkey dropped to $13.09 billion.
2022: Russian Migration to Turkey
In 2022, nearly 100,000 Russian citizens migrated to Turkey, marking a 218% increase from 2021, making them the largest group of foreigners moving to Turkey.
2022: Unemployment Rate in Turkey
In 2022, the unemployment rate in Turkey was 10.4%.
May 2023: Ukrainian Refugees in Turkey
As of May 2023, approximately 96,000 Ukrainian refugees from the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine had sought refuge in Turkey.
August 2023: Syrian Refugees Decline
As of August 2023, the number of Syrian refugees in Turkey was estimated to be 3.3 million, a decrease of about 200,000 since the beginning of the year.
November 2023: Citizenship Granted to Syrians
By November 2023, the Turkish government had granted citizenship to 238,000 Syrians.
2023: Istanbul as Most Visited City
According to a Euromonitor International report, Istanbul is the most visited city in the world, with more than 20.2 million foreign visitors in 2023.
2023: Turkey's Population in 2023
According to the Address-Based Population Recording System, Turkey's population was 85,372,377 in 2023, excluding Syrians under temporary protection.
2023: Kilometers of Controlled-Access and Divided Highways
As of 2023, Turkey has 3,726 kilometers of controlled-access highways and 29,373 kilometers of divided highways.
2023: Fenerbahçe Wins FIBA Europe SuperCup
Fenerbahçe won the 2023 FIBA Europe SuperCup Women.
2023: Population Below National Poverty Rate
In 2023, 13.9% of the population in Turkey was below the national at-risk-of-poverty rate.
2023: Foreign Citizens in Turkey
In 2023, excluding Syrians under temporary protection, there were 1,570,543 foreign citizens in Turkey.
2023: Gas Production in Sakarya Gas Field
In 2023, gas production began in the recently discovered Sakarya gas field.
2023: European Commission Criticizes Turkish Institutions
In its 2023 report, the European Commission criticized the operation of democratic institutions in Turkey. As of 2023, Turkey had the highest number of cases at the European Court of Human Rights.
2023: Deadliest Earthquakes in Turkish History
The 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes were the deadliest in contemporary Turkish history.
2023: Last parliamentary and presidential elections
The last parliamentary and presidential elections in Turkey were in 2023.
2024: Turkey's GDP per Capita
According to IMF estimates, Turkey's GDP per capita by PPP is $40,283 in 2024, while its nominal GDP per capita is $15,666.
2024: Top Universities in Turkey
According to the 2024 Times Higher Education ranking, the top universities in Turkey were Koç University, Middle East Technical University, Sabancı University, and Istanbul Technical University.
2024: People arrested related to the 2016 coup
According to the Turkish government, as of 2024, there are 13,251 arrested or convicted people in jail related to the 2016 coup attempt.
2024: Turkey's Ranking in Global Innovation Index
In 2024, Turkey ranked 37th in the world and 3rd among its upper-middle income group in the Global Innovation Index.
2024: Turkey stopped trading with Israel
In 2024, Turkey stopped trading with Israel.
2024: EU accession talks are frozen
Turkey's EU accession talks are frozen as of 2024.
2024: Launch of Türksat 6A
Turkey's first communication satellite manufactured domestically, Türksat 6A, will be launched in 2024.
2053: Net Zero Emissions Target
By 2053, Turkey aims to have net zero emissions.
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