The Human Geography Of Turkey

Located on the territory of two continents Turkey represents both, Asian and European, cultures. It occupies the area of 783,562 sq. km, which includes water and borders with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Iraq, Iran and Syria. The geographical characteristic of Turkey is the location at the crossings of important roads connecting Europe with Asia and the Black Sea countries to the Mediterranean Sea countries. The water system, including the Sea of Marmara, the Bosporus and the Dardanelles, is an important international way that connects the Black Sea to the World Ocean. One of the most beautiful and biggest cities in the world, Istanbul, (formerly Constantinople) is located in the southern part of the Bosporus. Railroads and highway routes throughout the Turkey connect Europe with many other countries.
Relatively small diversity can be seen in the human geography of Turkey, where many different people have settled - some to build civilizations, others to proceed on to other continents. After decades of indoctrination processes most citizens self-identify as Turks regardless of ethnic background. CIA World Factbook reports the total population of 79,414,269 as of July 2015, from which Turks compose 70-75%, Kurds 18% and other minorities 7-12%. Some of the major non-Turkish ethnic groups besides the Kurds in the southeast are the Arabs in the south, the Laz of the western Black Sea coast, and the Georgians in the northeast and northwest, which defined with double identities. The dominant religion in the country is Islam, mostly Sunni, one of the two main branches of the faith, practiced by 99.8% of the population. Christians and Jews represent only 0.2%. Religious and cultural beliefs mainly identify major aspe...

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... in Journal of International Affaires, networks that are engaged in women trafficking are contemporary slave traders. There are aspects of auctions that are reminiscent of the 18th and 19th century African slave trade. Extreme levels of prostitution and violence are used against women that have been trafficked into prostitution. These women are considered outsiders and do not get any sympathy or assistance from social and public services. Mostly they are treated as criminals and prostitutes, and once discovered, they are arrested with further deportation. The study by Donna Hughes reveals that almost no services of any kind exist to address the needs of victims of sex trafficking who suffer from trauma, poor health, and physical injuries. The lack of assistance to victims can be explained by the fact that harm to forced sex slaves is not recognized by the society.