Overview:
Capital: Ankara
Government: Parliamentary Republic
President: Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Prime Minister: Ahmet Davutoglu
Majority Party: Justice Development Party
Population: 79,000,000
- additionally 2.5 million refugees from Syria and Iraq
Religion: (2012)
- Islam 97% (primarily Sunni)
Supports:
- Shelters Free Syrian Army
- Allows rebel fighters, arms shipments and refugees to pass through its territory
- Allows US-led coalition against IS to use its air bases
Political Associations:
- Member of NATO
- Turkey has no strong Middle Eastern ties
- Regional “Allies”: EU, Saudi Arabia, Jordan
Priorities:
- Security Issues:
- Terrorism: Recent IS attacks
- Border control
- Economic stability
- Fears Kurdish (both in Turkey and in the region), Iranian and Russian expansion
- Provide refugee support in refugee camps; estimated USD 10 billion since 2011; with some UNHCR funding (2015: USD 320 million)
Kurds:
- Kurds are the largest ethnic minority in Turkey and fairly undocumented; anywhere from 16-30% Turkey’s population
- Most Turkish Kurds are in Southeast Turkey
- President Erdogan asked Washington to choose between Turkey and the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Syria