ECONOMIC BRIDGE BETWEEN EUROPE AND ASIA

Тurkey is located in two parts of the world - in Europe (eastern Thrace or Rumelia) and Asia (Anadolu or Anatolia) separated by significant trade-economic and military-strategic international route - Strait of Bosphorus (Istanbul), Dardanelles (Chanakkale) and the Sea of Marmara connecting the Black Sea with Mediterranean and World Ocean. Every year about 50 thousand ships pass through Bosphorus and Dardanelles each eighth is bulk-oil tanker. Ecological condition of the area has long been causing anxiety for the dangerous periodic pollution. Last century over 500 emergencies have been registered here, 40 of them being very serious. Thus, for example, collision of the Nassia tanker with Ship Brouker dry cargo in 1994 caused petroleum overflow, fire and death of 34 men.

The danger of tanker accidents, even more with fire threatens with regional catastrophe, let alone economic shakes. Even short-term navigation situation in the straits is fraught with huge economic losses not only for Turkey, but also all the countries around the Black Sea: Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Romania, Bulgaria. Armed with alarming statistics Ankara states: Bosphorus is not oil pipeline, 90 million tons of hydrocarbons a year is its throughput limit. Recently Turkey has been taking successive measures on strengthening ecological safety including mainly toughening rules of tankers' passage through the Black Sea Straits.

The movement through Bosphorus and Dardanelles is adjusted by the so-called convention of Montrye adopted as early as in 1936. The document is based on regulation of the military ship passage.

Geographical feature of Turkey is location on the crossroads of important ways from the antiquity connecting Europe and Asia. Turkey today is the "Energy Bridge" between the basic oil and gas manufacturers in the area of the Persian Gulf and Caspian Sea and main European consumption markets. In near 10 years ICF assumes to invest 30-40 bn dollars in power sector of Turkish economy that puts Turkey in the ten of most priority world markets.

Now highways and main lines connecting Europe with many Asian countries run through the territory of Turkey. Turkey is washed by seas from three parties: in north - Black, in west - Aegean, in the south - Mediterranean seas. Extent of sea coastal line, including Marble Sea coast, straits and islands is 8333 km. Water area of territorial waters along the Turkish coast is established as 6 sea miles. Territory of Turkey is 780 thousand sq. km with 64 mln population. Turkey is a republic. The head of the state is the president under the Constitution of 1982. Legislative body is the Great National Assembly. Capital of Turkey is Ankara. In the administrative structure the country is divided into 67 ils. The production industry occupies a rather modest place - about 6% in the industrial sector production. By mid 90s petroleum production exceeded a little 4 mln tons. Nevertheless, major source of energy there is petroleum (more than 50%) basic volume of which imported. The consumption level has increased from 16 mln tons in 1980 up to 30 mln tons of raw materials at the end of 90s, while at the expense of own manufacture just 12-14% of demand is met. Oil processing in 80s was carried out by five oil refining enterprises with total capacity of 33.5 mln tons of petroleum: state factories in Batman, Kirikkale, Izmir, Aliaga and a plant in Mersin belonging to the mixed capital with participation of transnational corporations. In addition to the Petkim (Yarimja) large petrochemical complex the second petrochemical complex in Aliaga was put into operation in 1985. As a result petrochemical industry production increased by 20%. In 80s production of natural gas began in the country. The demand for gas is satisfied also at the expense of production of gas factories in Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir and other cities and liquefaction of associated gases at oil refineries in Izmir and Aliaga. Receipt of gas from USSR began since 1987. The contract is valid till 2012. Today natural gas from Russia, Iran is imported to Turkey, since 2006 deliveries will start from Azerbaijan. One of the displays of intermediary and connecting role of Turkey in trade-economic relations between West and Transcaucasian, Central Asian and Middle East countries - growth of transit transportation via Turkey, petroleum pumping through pipelines in its territory.

History

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (1881 - 1938)

He was born in 1881 in Salonniki, Greece, in the family of workers. In 1893 Kemal enters military school, and at the age of 21 he becomes a student of the Academy of a General staff in Istanbul. Here he takes a great interest in literature, especially in poetry and writes verses. He gets more and more attracted by politics, his articles are published in newspapers. As many young officers, Kemal is excited with events occurring in the world, but most of all he is disturbed with the future of Turkey. The youth, in particular militaries dreamed of reforms, about reorganization of the whole structure of society, Turkey has got to the way of progressive development. They searched for means to treat the "seriously ill patient in the Bosphorus".

After graduating from the military academy Mustafa Kemal participated in the officer movement, which named itself the movement of "Young Turks" and aspired to make radical reforms in political structure of the society. Military activity of Kemal deserves special attention. He displays remarkable military-strategic abilities in different fronts of the First World War - in Libya, Syria and particularly at protection of Dardanelles, against numerous forces of the Anglo-French army. The First World War comes to an end by defeat and disintegration of the Ottoman Empire.

The countries-winners - England, France, Greece and Italy surround the most part of the country's territory. Then national-liberation movement of the Turkish people against occupants under leadership of Ataturk begins. The war comes to an end in 1923 by the victory of Turkish people and declaration of Independent Turkish state, and October 29, 1923 establishes republican authority in the country. This event has served as the beginning of scale progressive reforms and Turkey gradually began to get the European shape.

Under the leadership of Ataturk the following revolutionary transformations were carried out:

- Islamic calendar is cancelled and the European Gregorian calendar (03.12.1925) is accepted:
- The new Civil Code (17.02.1926) is adopted, equality between the men and women is established, the Swiss civil code is used as a sample;
- Religion is separated from the state (10.01.1928);
- The republican constitution is adopted;
- "Revolution" in the alphabet (03.11.1928) - the Latin alphabet is accepted instead of the complex Arabian one;
- In 1934 the Turkish parliament adopted the law on introduction of surnames. November 24, 1934 Mustafa Kemal received the surname Ataturk - father of Turks from the Great National Assembly. From this moment he refused from the name Mustafa.
- "Revolution" in clothes (03.12.1934) - European type of clothes is accepted instead of the Islamic ones.

Ataturk died on November 10, 1938 at the sultan palace of Dolmabakhche, Istanbul. The mourning ceremony proceeded some days. The coffin with the body of Kemal Ataturk was carried through the Marble Sea to Izmit by military ship, and in fifteen years, in 1953, when mausoleum was completed Ataturk's body was taken to the place of eternal calm. Mausoleum of Ataturk is built on one of the hills of Ankara. Mustafa Kemal was staunch supporter of democracy, therefore his portraits to this day hung all over Turkey, official bodies and enterprises are named after him.