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"Sunshine,
friendly people, low crime rates and low cost of living make Turkey
a hugely desirable place to buy property" |
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Turkey is a relatively stable, secular and democratic country, despite bordering the volatile Middle East. Its geopolitical position, close to the USSR, made it a key Western ally during the Cold War, and it became a member of NATO in 1952. The country has continued to be an important friend of the West, although the war in Iraq has recently put this relationship under strain, particularly due to widespread popular discontent in Turkey at events occurring there. Many Turks also feel let down by what they see as European foot— dragging over Turkey’s application to join the EU. Despite this, the political establishment and military remain firmly pro-Western. The country is currently run by the Ak Partisi, which enjoys a large majority in parliament - a rare thing in the usually fragmented world of Turkish politics. Despite his party’s Islamic roots, the Prime Minister, Tayip Erdogan, has proved his commitment to joining the EU by implementing a series of difficult, but much needed, social and economic reforms. |
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Economically,
the country has been unstable in the recent past, with raging
inflation and a series of currency devaluations. Also, Turkey is
one of the
IMF’s largest debtors. The country has, however, recovered well,
with the current government managing to reduce inflation and
set in motion a string of reforms required by the IMP under its
stabilisation
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Turkey’s
population is 99% Muslim but most Turks are far more moderate in
their beliefs than their neighbours in the Middle East. The west
of the country and the main cities, such as the capital Ankara,
plus Istanbul, Izmir and Antalya, are the most developed areas,
where industry and commercial activity are concentrated. This is
also where the tourist industry and foreign property market are
currently concentrated. The east of the country is a poor and predominantly
agricultural region. People there also tend to be more conservative
in their attitudes and beliefs. However, wherever you are in the
country, Turkish people are characteristically friendly and helpful
to visitors from abroad.
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The crime rate in Turkey is low compared to Britain and other Western European
countries. Violent crime is particularly rare. Burglary and car crime
are also less common, and almost entirely confined to the larger
cities and towns. Turkey’s official language is Turkish, although significant minorities speak Kurdish and Arabic as their mother tongue. Turkish is a member of the Ural—Altaic language family, and is closely related to Mongolian and Korean. Turkish has a very different grammatical structure to English and Latin—based European languages, which makes learning it a considerable challenge. English is widely spoken in the coastal resorts and main cities, although less so elsewhere in the country. Despite this, it’s
well worth learning some simple phrases and words.
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Most
people arrive in Turkey on a three-month tourist visa, which is
available at the point of entry for £10. You’ll need at least six months’ validity on your passport and £10
sterling in cash. Tourist visas can be renewed by leaving the country,
a task that simply involves a short
ferry hop to one of the Greek islands for foreign nationals living
along the coast. |
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Foreign property owners can apply for residency permits, but this
involves a considerable amount of paperwork and red tape.
You’ll also have to demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to support yourself.
Overseas nationals are allowed to work in Turkey with a work permit. Applications are usually made by the employer and can take months to process in Ankara, although it’s general practice to start working once you’ve applied. You can also apply for a work permit if you own a company. It is possible to drive in Turkey with a British driving licence, but you’re only allowed to use an imported car there for six months. Details of the vehicle will be logged in your passport when you enter the country and you won’t be able to leave without it. These strict rules are designed to stop people selling imported vehicles, although there’s
no problem with foreign nationals buying a Turkish car.
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Maintaining
a car is far cheaper in Turkey but parts for some foreign cars can
be very expensive and difficult to find. Petrol is
comparatively expensive at about 75 per litre. The Turkish road system
has been greatly improved in recent years, with stretches of motorway
and toll roads between the main cities and wide, well-surfaced highways
along
much of the coast. Minor roads in most areas remain unimproved, so you’ll
need to watch out for potholes, narrow sections and poor surfaces. The
general standard of driving is low and the country has a very high accident
rate which is reflected in the relatively high cost — compared to the general
cost of living — of motor insurance. The annual premiums for comprehensive
cover, known as kasko, are in the region of £500.
The country has an excellent long-distance bus network, with modern, air-conditioned
coaches running regularly between cities and towns. The state-run train
system is largely un-modernised and offers only limited coverage. For long
journeys, flying is the fastest and most convenient option. Turkish Airlines
have several daily flights to most regional cities from Istanbul and Ankara,
while several cut-price private operators have recently started routes
between the main centres.
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Turkey
has a three-tier health system with state hospitals and health centres;
hospitals funded by the equivalent of National Insurance and privately
run clinics and hospitals. In general, the quality of care and equipment
is best in the private sector and easily on a par with, if not better,
than in Britain. Private hospitals in resort areas and the main cities
will generally have some English-speaking staff, though don’t count
on this later if you have health insurance. Make sure you contact your
insurance company before undergoing any treatment. Turkish banks can
arrange private health insurance or insurance companies for foreign
residents.
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Turkey’s Education System is based on the French and has both government-run and private schools. Children of foreign residents are entitled to go to state schools that tend to have larger class sizes and fewer facilities than their equivalent in Britain. Private schools, found in most cities and large towns, are better resourced, though standards of tuition may not be as high as the best state schools — known
as Anadolu Lisesi. |
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The
local currency in Turkey is the Turkish lira, abbreviated in signs
to YTL.
There is a large choice of high—street banks in Turkey, offering standard banking services to foreign nationals living in the country. You’ll need a residency permit to open an account but you can cash traveller’s
cheques and withdraw cash from ATMs using British credit cards, as
well as sonic debit cards. Making international transfers to and
from Turkish bank accounts takes at least 10 working days, and often
considerably longer
The mortgage system in Turkey is still at a very early stage of development and loans are not available to foreigners.
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Foreign
visitors with hard currency can enjoy a high purchasing power with
the cost of living far below European levels, even in the relatively
expensive coastal resorts. For example, the cost of a bottle of mineral
water is about 4Op, while a beer in a bar costs around £1. Dinner with local wine in a restaurant in a touristy area typically costs about £12 per head — although
you can eat for a fraction of that elsewhere. Modern supermarkets are
now commonplace, but shopping for locally grown fruit and vegetables
in a market is extremely cheap, as well as being fun. Local produce
is very high quality and available on a seasonal basis with some imported
items available in the largest supermarkets. The selection includes
temperate species such as apples, pears. plums and cherries, in addition
to more Mediterranean fruit, such as oranges, peaches and nectarines.
Yoghurt, cheese and other dairy products are another speciality; along
with excellent local cheeses. Meat is central to the Turkish diet and
is extremely tasty. As well as the ubiquitous donner, there are a large
number of other kebab varieties and grilled-meat dishes to try. Vegetarianism
is very rare and eating out can be difficult for strict vegetarians
as many vegetable dishes are cooked with meat stock.
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Turkey has a long history of winemaking, stretching back thousands of years. Today very drinkable wines are produced in regions like Thrace and Cappadocia by producers including Turasan. There are several varieties of domestically brewed lager with Efes Pilsner being the most popular. Other imported brands are now available in most supermarkets.
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Other
costs include household insurance, which can be arranged through Turkish
banks or insurance companies. Electricity is supplied by the state-run
Turk Elektrik Koruma, with bills paid monthly by direct debit or at
a local bank branch. In large cities, such as Istanbul, Ankara and
Izmir, mains gas is available, while elsewhere people use gas canisters
for cooking and heating water. These canisters are delivered free in
most towns or are available from shops or petrol stations in rural
areas. There are mains water supplies in most cities, towns and villages,
or if not, then water tankers will deliver to houses that aren’t on the mains supply Although mains water is chlorinated, most people tend to drink bottled water.
Apartment blocks generally have communal heating systems, with each unit contributing towards the fuel costs, as well as the upkeep of the building and gardens. These charges are agreed annually and are normally paid on a monthly basis.
Turkey has a modern telephone network with digital exchanges in most areas. Requests for new lines are normally processed quickly. The country also has a well-developed mobile telephone network with several rival operators. The largest and most reliable is Turkcell — although
coverage may still be patchy in some rural areas. Cable television is readily
available in most areas from the Telephone Department district office, and
the English-language channels include BBC World, Prime, MSNBC, CNN and Eurosport.
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