Western Asia · UN member
Türkiye: Travel Guide & Requirements
Republic of Türkiye
Türkiye is a country in Western Asia with its capital in Ankara. It has a population of 85.9 million (#18 in the world) and covers 783,562 km². The official language is Turkish. The currency is the Turkish lira (TRY, ₺).
Where is Türkiye? Map of Türkiye
Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria.
- Region
- Western Asia
- Coordinates
- 39° N, 35° E
- Neighbours
- 8 — see list
- Coastline
- 7,200 km
- Türkiye
- Neighbours
- Capital
- Largest cities
Map of Türkiye showing Ankara (capital) and the largest cities: Istanbul, Bursa, İzmir, Gaziantep, Diyarbakır, Adana, Kayseri and Konya.
Travel requirements
What you need to travel to Türkiye
- Passport
Türkiye's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that, under article 7.1b of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection, foreigners should carry a passport with an expiration date at least 60 days beyond the "duration…
- Visa or eTA
Depends on your passport: of 198 passports, 96 need no visa, 28 need an eVisa, 74 need a visa from an embassy. Check yours or see Türkiye entry requirements for every passport.
- Return or onward ticket
No official requirement.
- Proof of funds
Türkiye's foreign ministry says a tourist visa applicant is required to have sufficient and/or regular remunerations.
- Travel insurance
Türkiye's foreign ministry says all visa applicants are required to have medical insurance valid during their stay.
- Customs allowance
Türkiye's Ministry of Trade says travellers taking more than TRY 25,000, or more than EUR 10,000 or the equivalent in foreign currency, out of the country must declare it to a customs officer; smaller amounts need not b…
- Travel advice
High risk — US and UK advice.
Entry rules: TravelRequirements.info — Entry Requirements Dataset (CC BY 4.0), each rule cited to an official government source. Always confirm with the airline and the official source before you travel.
Before you go
10 things to know before you travel to Türkiye
- Safety: Travel to Türkiye carries a high risk: the US State Department rates Türkiye Level 2 (“Exercise Increased Caution”), and the UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to parts of the country.
- Best time to go: June and September — when daytime highs in Ankara are around 25–26°C.
- Money: the Turkish lira (TRY) — 1 US dollar is about 49.7568 TRY.
- Plugs: type C and F, 230 V, 50 Hz — standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
- Emergency numbers: Police 112 / 911 / 153, Ambulance 112 / 911, Fire 112 / 911.
- Language: Turkish is official.
- Driving: on the right — speed limits are 50 km/h in built-up areas, 90 km/h outside built-up areas, 110 km/h on expressways and 120 km/h on motorways.
- Time zone: UTC+3 in Ankara.
- Capital: Ankara; the largest city is Istanbul. About 85.9 million people live in Türkiye.
- Outdoors: 57 national parks and 22 ski areas.
Key facts
Türkiye at a glance
Languages spoken: Turkish (official), Kurdish, other minority languages
Geography & history
About Türkiye
Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the remnants of the Ottoman Empire by reformer and national hero Mustafa KEMAL, known as Ataturk or "Father of the Turks." One-party rule ended in 1950, and periods of instability and military coups have since fractured the multiparty democracy, in 1960, 1971, 1980, 1997, and 2016. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and NATO in 1952. In 1963, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community; it began accession talks with the EU in 2005. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," which only Turkey recognizes. The Kurdistan…
Read the full history
Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the remnants of the Ottoman Empire by reformer and national hero Mustafa KEMAL, known as Ataturk or "Father of the Turks." One-party rule ended in 1950, and periods of instability and military coups have since fractured the multiparty democracy, in 1960, 1971, 1980, 1997, and 2016. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and NATO in 1952. In 1963, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community; it began accession talks with the EU in 2005. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," which only Turkey recognizes. The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a US-designated terrorist organization, began a separatist insurgency in Turkey in 1984, and the struggle has long dominated the attention of Turkish security forces. In 2013, the Turkish Government and the PKK conducted negotiations aimed at ending the violence, but intense fighting resumed in 2015. The Turkish Government conducted a referendum in 2017 in which voters approved constitutional amendments changing Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential system.
Location
Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria
Climate
temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior
Terrain
high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several mountain ranges
Highest point
Mount Ararat 5,137 m
Natural resources
coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone, magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable land, hydropower
Natural hazards
severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van; landslides; flooding volcanism: limited volcanic activity; the three historically active volcanoes (Ararat, Nemrut Dagi, and Tendurek Dagi) have not…
National symbols
vertical crescent moon with adjacent five-pointed star
Driving
Speed limits & road rules in Türkiye
The default speed limits in Türkiye are 50 km/h in built-up areas, 90 km/h outside built-up areas, 110 km/h on expressways and 120 km/h on motorways. The legal alcohol limit for drivers is 0.5‰. Posted signs always take priority over these defaults.
- 5050 km/hBuilt-up areasTowns and citiesWith a trailer: 40 km/h
- 9090 km/hOutside built-up areasCountry roadsWith a trailer: 80 km/h
- 110110 km/hExpresswaysDual carriageways & expresswaysWith a trailer: 100 km/h
- 120120 km/hMotorwaysMotorways / freewaysWith a trailer: 110 km/h
- International Driving PermitRecognised: 1968 Vienna, 1949 GenevaCarry the IDP together with your national licence
- Driving sideDrive on the rightOvertake on the left
- Alcohol limit0.5‰ blood alcohol (0.05% BAC)
- Seat beltsRequired by law
- Child seatsRequired by law
- Motorcycle helmetsRequired for riders
- Road deaths (2021)6.5 per 100,000 peopleSafer than most countries (median 12.4)
Speed limits: OpenStreetMap wiki — Default speed limits (CC BY-SA 2.0). Road-safety laws: WHO Global Health Observatory. Compare speed limits and alcohol limits by country. Defaults for cars; local signs, weather and vehicle type can lower them.
Safety
Is Türkiye safe to visit?
Travel to Türkiye carries a high risk: the US State Department rates Türkiye Level 2 (“Exercise Increased Caution”), and the UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to parts of the country.
US State Department
UK Foreign Office (FCDO)Latest update: Removal of information about heavy rain and flooding in Istanbul ('Warnings and insurance' page).
Updated 19 Oct 2026 · Full travel advice
Sources: US Department of State travel advisories (public domain) and UK FCDO foreign travel advice (contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0). Checked daily. Advice can change quickly — always read the official page before you travel.
Weather
Best time to visit Türkiye
The best time to visit Türkiye is June and September, when daytime highs in Ankara are around 25–26°C. July is also a good time to go. August is the warmest month (31°C by day), January the coldest (-6°C at night).
- Jan2°C-6°C
- Feb5°C-5°C
- Mar10°C-2°C
- Apr15°C2°C
- May21°C8°C
- Jun26°C11°C
- Jul30°C14°C
- Aug31°C15°C
- Sep25°C11°C
- Oct18°C6°C
- Nov11°C-0°C
- Dec4°C-4°C
Best time Good Less ideal
Before you go
Plugs, voltage & emergency numbers in Türkiye
Plugs & sockets
230 V, 50 Hz · Standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
Sources: Wikipedia — Mains electricity by country and List of emergency telephone numbers (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Ski resorts
22 ski resorts in Türkiye
- 198 km of slopes
- 108 lifts
- up to 3,338 m
Biggest: Kayseri-Erciyes · Palandöken Kayak Merkezi · Konaklı Kayak Merkezi
National parks
57 national parks in Türkiye
- 30,666 km² protected
- oldest from 1958
Largest: Fethiye-Kaş Marine National Park · North Aegean Marine National Park · Lake Beyşehir National Park
Currency · 26 October 2026
Turkish lira exchange rates today
Türkiye uses the Turkish lira (TRY, ₺). One US dollar buys 49.7568 TRY; over the last 30 days the TRY has lost 1.7% against the dollar.
What other currencies cost in TRY
Currency converter
Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0), 26 Oct 2026. Banks and exchange offices add a margin.
World rankings
Where Türkiye ranks
How Türkiye compares with the rest of the world — open any card for the full ranking.
Airports
Airports in Türkiye
393 airports and airfields — 16 large, 52 medium and 53 small, plus 270 heliports. 51 have scheduled passenger flights.
Borders
Neighbouring countries
Türkiye borders 8 countries along 2,816 km of land borders. Coastline: 7,200 km.
Military
Turkish armed forces
Türkiye ranks #11 of 145 in the Global Firepower military strength ranking, with a defence budget of $30.0 billion (2025).
People
Population & society
Religion
Largest cities: Istanbul (15.8 million), Ankara (5.4 million), Izmir (3.1 million), Bursa (2.1 million), Adana (1.8 million)
Economy
Economy
Main industries
textiles, food processing, automobiles, electronics, mining (coal, chromate, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper
Export partners
Germany 9%, USA 6%, UK 6%, UAE 5%, Iraq 5% (2023)
Top exports
garments, cars, gold, refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories (2023)
Travel tools
Handy before every trip to Türkiye
Next public holiday
Republic Day — Thursday, 29 October 2026. Then New Year's Day (1 Jan).
Turkish passport
Ranked #92: 70 countries visa-free, 39 with visa on arrival, 6 with an eTA and 23 with an eVisa.
Turkish passport photo
Exact size, head position and background for Türkiye's passport and visa photos — make one free with AI checks.
Calling Türkiye
Dial +90 before the local number. Internet domain .tr.
Climate footprint
513.0 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2024 — 5.87 t per person.
Entry requirements
Visa rules for every passport visiting Türkiye: visa-free stays, eVisas, visas on arrival and documents to bring.
News
Latest travel news about Türkiye
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Frequently asked questions about Türkiye
What do I need to travel to Türkiye?
How long must my passport be valid for Türkiye?
Where is Türkiye?
What is Türkiye known for?
What is the capital of Türkiye?
What language is spoken in Türkiye?
What currency does Türkiye use?
What is the calling code of Türkiye?
Which countries border Türkiye?
How strong is the Turkish passport?
What is the speed limit in Türkiye?
Is Türkiye safe to visit?
When is the best time to visit Türkiye?
What plug type does Türkiye use?
How many airports does Türkiye have?
Sources: CIA World Factbook (public domain); World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0); names, languages and currencies: mledoze/countries (ODbL); flag: flag-icons (MIT); coat of arms: Wikimedia Commons; exchange rates: Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0); airports: OurAirports.