HKD to TRY Live Rate

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

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

22 15 N, 114 10 E

39 00 N, 35 00 E

Southeast Asia

Middle East

total: 1,108 sq km

land: 1,073 sq km

water: 35 sq km

country comparison to the world: 184

total: 783,562 sq km

land: 769,632 sq km

water: 13,930 sq km

country comparison to the world: 38

six times the size of Washington, DC

total: 33 km

regional border(s) (1): China 33 km

total: 2,816 km

border countries (8): Armenia 311 km, Azerbaijan 17 km, Bulgaria 223 km, Georgia 273 km, Greece 192 km, Iran 534 km, Iraq 367 km, Syria 899 km

733 km

7,200 km

territorial sea: 12 nm

territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea; 12 nm in Black Sea and in Mediterranean Sea

exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary agreed upon with the former USSR

subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior

hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several mountain ranges

mean elevation: NA

elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

mean elevation: 1,132 m

elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Ararat 5,137 m

outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

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

agricultural land: 5%

arable land 3.2%; permanent crops 0.9%; permanent pasture 0.9%

forest: 0%

other: 95% (2011 est.)

agricultural land: 49.7%

arable land 26.7%; permanent crops 4%; permanent pasture 19%

forest: 14.9%

other: 35.4% (2011 est.)

10 sq km (2012)

52,150 sq km (2012)

population fairly evenly distributed

the most densely populated area is found around the Bosporus in the northwest where 20% of the population lives in Istanbul; with the exception of Ankara, urban centers remain small and scattered throughout the interior of Anatolia; an overall pattern of peripheral development exists, particularly along the Aegean Sea coast in the west, and the Tigris and Euphrates River systems in the southeast

occasional typhoons

severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van; landslides; flooding

volcanism: limited volcanic activity; its three historically active volcanoes; Ararat, Nemrut Dagi, and Tendurek Dagi have not erupted since the 19th century or earlier

air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic

party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)

party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

consists of a mainland area (the New Territories) and more than 200 islands

strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link the Black and Aegean Seas; the 3% of Turkish territory north of the Straits lies in Europe and goes by the names of European Turkey, Eastern Thrace, or Turkish Thrace; the 97% of the country in Asia is referred to as Anatolia; Mount Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's ark, is in the far eastern portion of the country

7,191,503 (July 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 100

80,845,215 (July 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 18

noun: Chinese/Hong Konger

adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong

noun: Turk(s)

adjective: Turkish

Chinese 92%, Filipino 2.5%, Indonesian 2.1%, other 3.4% (2016 est.)

Turkish 70-75%, Kurdish 19%, other minorities 7-12% (2016 est.)

Cantonese (official) 88.9%, English (official) 4.3%, Mandarin (official) 1.9%, other Chinese dialects 3.1%, other 1.9% (2016 est.)

Turkish (official), Kurdish, other minority languages

Buddhist or Taoist 27.9%, Protestant 6.7%, Roman Catholic 5.3%, Muslim 4.2%, Hindu 1.4%, Sikh 0.2%, other or none 54.3%

note: many people practice Confucianism, regardless of their religion or not having a religious affiliation (2016 est.)

Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)

total dependency ratio: 35.9

youth dependency ratio: 15.2

elderly dependency ratio: 20.7

potential support ratio: 4.8 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio: 50.1

youth dependency ratio: 38.4

elderly dependency ratio: 11.7

potential support ratio: 8.5 (2015 est.)

total: 44.4 years

male: 43.5 years

female: 45 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 8

total: 30.9 years

male: 30.5 years

female: 31.4 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 110

0.32% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 166

0.52% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 153

8.9 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 208

15.7 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 119

7.4 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 117

6 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 165

1.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 51

-4.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 185

population fairly evenly distributed

the most densely populated area is found around the Bosporus in the northwest where 20% of the population lives in Istanbul; with the exception of Ankara, urban centers remain small and scattered throughout the interior of Anatolia; an overall pattern of peripheral development exists, particularly along the Aegean Sea coast in the west, and the Tigris and Euphrates River systems in the southeast

urban population: 100% of total population (2017)

rate of urbanization: 0.64% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population: 74.4% of total population (2017)

rate of urbanization: 1.54% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Hong Kong 7.26 million (2014)

Istanbul 14.164 million; ANKARA (capital) 4.75 million; Izmir 3.04 million; Bursa 1.923 million; Adana 1.83 million; Gaziantep 1.528 million (2015)

at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.12 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.74 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

29.8 years (2008 est.)

22.3 years (2010 est.)

total: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 3 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 216

total: 17.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 18.8 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 16.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 91

total population: 83 years

male: 80.4 years

female: 85.9 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 7

total population: 75 years

male: 72.7 years

female: 77.5 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 113

1.19 children born/woman (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 221

2.01 children born/woman (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 118

74.8% (2012)

73.5% (2013)

1.91 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

1.75 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

5.33 beds/1,000 population (2016)

2.7 beds/1,000 population (2013)

NA

NA

NA

NA

3.3% of GDP (2017)

country comparison to the world: 124

4.4% of GDP (2014)

country comparison to the world: 142

total: 16 years

male: 16 years

female: 16 years (2014)

total: 16 years

male: 17 years

female: 16 years (2013)

total: 9.9%

male: 10.9%

female: 8.5% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 129

total: 18.5%

male: 16.5%

female: 22.2% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 72

16 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 134

5.4% of GDP (2014)

country comparison to the world: 131

improved:

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

improved:

urban: 98.3% of population

rural: 85.5% of population

total: 94.9% of population

unimproved:

urban: 1.7% of population

rural: 14.5% of population

total: 5.1% of population (2015 est.)

NA

32.1% (2016)

country comparison to the world: 17

1.9% (2013)

country comparison to the world: 123

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.6%

male: 98.6%

female: 92.6% (2015 est.)

conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

conventional short form: Hong Kong

local long form: Heung Kong Takpit Hangching Ku (Eitel/Dyer-Ball); Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu (Hanyu Pinyin)

local short form: Heung Kong (Eitel/Dyer-Ball); Xianggang (Hanyu Pinyin)

abbreviation: HK

etymology: probably an imprecise phonetic rendering of the Cantonese name meaning "fragrant harbor"

conventional long form: Republic of Turkey

conventional short form: Turkey

local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti

local short form: Turkiye

etymology: the name means "Land of the Turks"

special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

presidential limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

parliamentary republic

none (special administrative region of the People's Republic of China)

81 provinces (iller, singular - ili); Adana, Adiyaman, Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol, Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Igdir, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir (Smyrna), Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon (Trebizond), Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak

none (special administrative region of China)

29 October 1923 (republic proclaimed succeeding the Ottoman Empire)

National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July (1997) is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Republic Day, 29 October (1923)

history: several previous (governance documents while under British authority); latest drafted April 1988 to February 1989, approved March 1990, effective 1 July 1997 (Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China serves as the constitution); note - since 1990, China's National People's Congress has interpreted specific articles of the Basic Law

amendments: proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the People’s Republic of China State Council, and the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong; submittal of proposals to the NPC requires two-thirds majority vote by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, approval by two-thirds of Hong Kong’s deputies to the NPC, and approval by the Hong Kong chief executive; final passage requires approval by the NPC

history: several previous; latest ratified 9 November 1982

amendments: proposed by written consent of at least one-third of Grand National Assembly (GNA) members; adoption of draft amendments requires two debates in plenary GNA session and three-fifths majority vote of all GNA members; the president of the republic can request GNA reconsideration of the amendment and, if readopted by two-thirds majority GNA vote, the president may submit the amendment to a referendum; passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote; amended several times, last in 2017 (2018)

mixed legal system of common law based on the English model and Chinese customary law (in matters of family and land tenure)

civil law system based on various European legal systems, notably the Swiss civil code

see China

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Turkey

dual citizenship recognized: yes, but requires prior permission from the government

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

18 years of age in direct elections for half of the Legislative Council seats and all of the seats in 18 district councils; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past 7 years; note - in indirect elections, suffrage is limited to about 220,000 members of functional constituencies for the other half of the legislature and a 1,200-member election committee for the chief executive drawn from broad sectoral groupings, central government bodies, municipal organizations, and elected Hong Kong officials

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013)

head of government: Chief Executive Carrie LAM (since 1 July 2017)

cabinet: Executive Council or ExCo appointed by the chief executive

elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 5-17 March 2013 (next to be held in March 2018); chief executive indirectly elected by the Election Committee and appointed by the PRC Government for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 26 March 2017 (next to be held in 2022)

election results: Carrie LAM elected chief executive; Election Committee vote - Carrie LAM 777, John TSANG 365, WOO Kwok-hing 21, invalid 23

note: the Legislative Council voted in June 2010 to expand the Election Committee to 1,200 members

chief of state: President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (since 10 August 2014)

head of government: Prime Minister Binali YILDIRIM (since 22 May 2016); Deputy Prime Ministers Recep AKDAG (since 20 July 2017), Bekir BOZDAG (since 20 July 2017), Hakan CAVUSOGLU (since 20 July 2017), Fikri ISIK (since 20 July 2017), Mehmet SIMSEK (since 24 November 2015)

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president (until the next parliamentary or presidential election following the April 2017 referendum)

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president from among members of parliament; note - a 2007 constitutional amendment changed the presidential electoral process to direct popular vote; prime minister appointed by the president from among members of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey; election last held on 10 August 2014 (next to be held on 24 June 2018)

election results: Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN elected president; Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (AKP) 51.8%, Ekmeleddin IHSANOGLU (independent) 38.4%, Selahattin DEMIRTAS (HDP) 9.8%

description: unicameral Legislative Council or LegCo (70 seats; 35 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote; 30 members indirectly elected by the approximately 220,000 members of various functional constituencies based on a variety of methods; five at large “super-seat” members directly elected by all of Hong Kong’s eligible voters who do not participate in a functional constituency; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held on 4 September 2016; (next to be held in September 2020); note - by-election to be held on 11 March 2018 to fill 4 seats left vacant after 4 legislators were removed from office

election results: percent of vote by block - pro-democracy 36.0%; pro-Beijing 40.2%, localist 19.0%, other 4.8%; seats by block/party - pro-Beijing 40 (DAB 12, BPA 7, FTU 5, Liberal Party 4, NPP 3, other 9); pro-democracy 23 (Democratic Party 7, Civic Party 6, PP-LSD 2, Professional Commons 2, Labor 1, NWSC 1, PTU 1, other democrats 3), localists 6 (ALLin HK 2, CP-PPI-HKRO 1, Demosisto 1, Democracy Groundwork 1, other localist 1), non-aligned independent 1; note - 2 localists were barred from taking office in November 2016 and 4 pro-democracy legislators were removed in July 2017

description: unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi (550 seats - will increase to 600 at November 2018 election); members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms - term increased to 5 years beginning with November 2018 election)

elections: last held on 1 November 2015 (next to be held on 24 June 2018)

election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 49.5%, CHP 25.3%, MHP 11.9%, HDP 10.8%, other 2.5%; seats by party - AKP 317, CHP 134, HDP 59, MHP 40, ; note - only parties surpassing the 10% threshold can win parliamentary seats

highest court(s): Court of Final Appeal (consists of the chief justice, 3 permanent judges, and 20 non-permanent judges); note - a sitting bench consists of the chief justice and 3 permanent judges and 1 non-permanent judge

judge selection and term of office: all judges appointed by the Hong Kong Chief Executive upon the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission, an independent body consisting of the Secretary for Justice, other judges, and judicial and legal professionals; permanent judges appointed until normal retirement at age 65, but can be extended; non-permanent judges appointed for renewable 3-year terms without age limit

subordinate courts: High Court (consists of the Court of Appeal and Court of First Instance); District Courts (includes Family and Land Courts); magistrates' courts; specialized tribunals

highest court: Constitutional Court or Anayasa Mahkemesi (consists of 17 members - a constitutional referendum held in 2017 approved an amendment to reduce to 15 from 17 the number of Constitutional Court judges); Court of Cassation (consists of about 390 judges and is organized into civil and penal chambers); Council of State (organized into 15 divisions - 14 judicial and 1 consultative - each with a division head and at least 5 members)

judge selection and term of office: Constitutional Court members - 3 appointed by the Grand National Assembly and 12 by the president of the republic; court president and 2 deputy presidents appointed from among its members for 4-year terms; judges appointed for 12-year, nonrenewable terms with mandatory retirement at age 65; Court of Cassation judges appointed by the Board of Judges and Prosecutors, a 13-member body of judicial officials; Court of Cassation judges appointed until retirement at age 65; Council of State members appointed by the Board and by the president of the republic; members appointed for renewable, 4-year terms

subordinate courts: regional appeals courts; basic (first instance) courts, peace courts; military courts; state security courts; specialized courts, including administrative and audit; note - a constitutional amendment in 2017 abolished military courts unless established to investigate military personnel actions during war conditions

parties:

ALLinHK (alliance of 6 localist groups)

Business and Professional Alliance or BPA [LO Wai-kwok]

Civic Party [Alvin YEUNG]

Civic Passion or CP [CHENG Chung-tai] (part of Civic Passion-Proletariat Political Institute-Hong Kong Resurgence Order alliance or CP-PPI-HKRO that dissolved after the 2016 election)

Democracy Groundwork [LAU Siu-lai]

Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [Starry LEE Wai-king]

Democratic Party [WU Chi-wai]

Demosisto [Nathan LAW]

Federation of Trade Unions or FTU [Stanley NG Chau-pei]

Labor Party [Steven Kwok Wing-kin]

League of Social Democrats or LSD [Avery NG Man-yuen]

Liberal Party [Felix CHUNG Kwok-pan]

Neighborhood and Workers Service Center or NWSC [LEUNG Yui-chung]

New People's Party or NPP [Regina IP Lau Su-yee]

People Power or PP [Raymond CHAN]

Youngspiration [Sixtus "Baggio" LEUNG Chung-hang]

others:

Professional Commons (think tank) [Charles Peter MOK]

Professional Teachers Union or PTU

note: political blocks include: pro-democracy - Civic Party, Democratic Party, Labor Party, LSD, NWSC, PP, Professional Commons, PTU; pro-Beijing - DAB, FTU, Liberal Party, NPP, BPA; localist - ALLinHK, CP, Democracy Groundwork, Demosisto; there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies

Democrat Party or DP [Gultekin UYSAL]

Democratic Left Party or DSP [Onder AKSAKAL]

Felicity Party or SP [Temel KARAMOLLAOGLU]

Good Party or IYI [Meral AKSENER]

Grand Unity Party or BBP [Mustafa DESTICI]

Justice and Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]

Nationalist Movement Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI]

Patriotic Party or VP [Dogu PERINCEK]

People's Democratic Party or HDP [Selahattin DEMIRTAS and Serpil KEMALBAY]; note - DEMIRTAS was detained by Turkish authorities in November 2016 over his alleged links to the PKK

Republican People's Party or CHP [Kemal KILICDAROGLU]

True Path Party or DYP [Cetin OZACIRGOZ]

Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China)

Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong

Civic Act-up (pro-democracy)

Federation of Hong Kong Industries

Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China [Albert HO] (pro-China)

Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council or HKTUC (pro-democracy)

Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce or HKGCC

Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union or HKPTU [FUNG Wai-wah]

Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Mehmet BOZGEYIK, Aysun GEZEN, cochairs]

Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK [Kani BEKO]

Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or MUSIAD [Abfuttahman KAAN]

Moral Rights Workers Union or Hak-Is [Mahmut ARSLAN]

Turkish Confederation of Employer Associations or TISK [Kudret ONEN]

Turkish Confederation of Labor Unions or Turk-Is [Ergun ATALAY]

Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen or TESK [Bendevi PALANDOKEN]

Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or TUSIAD [Erol BILECIK]

Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. Rifat HISARCIKLIOGLU]

ADB, APEC, BIS, FATF, ICC (national committees), IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITUC (NGOs), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO

ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CERN (observer), CICA, CPLP (associate observer), D-8, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EU (candidate country), FAO, FATF, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF (partner), SCO (dialogue member), SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

none (Special Administrative Region of China); Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) carries out normal liaison activities and communication with the US Government and other US entities

commissioner: Clement C.M. LEUNG

office: 1520 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] 202 331-8947

FAX: [1] 202 331-8958

HKETO offices: New York, San Francisco

chief of mission: Ambassador Serdar KILIC (since 21 May 2014)

chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700

FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

chief of mission: Consul General Kurt W. TONG (since 27 August 2016); note - also accredited to Macau

consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong

mailing address: Unit 8000, Box 1, DPO AP 96521-0006

telephone: [852] 2523-9011

FAX: [852] 2845-1598

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affairs Philip KOSNETT (since 16 October 2017)

embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara

mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823

telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555

FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019

consulate(s) general: Istanbul

consulate(s): Adana

red with a stylized, white, five-petal Bauhinia flower in the center; each petal contains a small, red, five-pointed star in its middle; the red color is the same as that on the Chinese flag and represents the motherland; the fragrant Bauhinia - developed in Hong Kong the late 19th century - has come to symbolize the region; the five stars echo those on the flag of China

red with a vertical white crescent moon (the closed portion is toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening; the flag colors and designs closely resemble those on the banner of the Ottoman Empire, which preceded modern-day Turkey; the crescent moon and star serve as insignia for Turkic peoples; according to one interpretation, the flag represents the reflection of the moon and a star in a pool of blood of Turkish warriors

orchid tree flower; national colors: red, white

star and crescent; national colors: red, white

note: as a Special Administrative Region of China, "Yiyongjun Jinxingqu" is the official anthem (see China)

name: "Istiklal Marsi" (Independence March)

lyrics/music: Mehmet Akif ERSOY/Zeki UNGOR

note: lyrics adopted 1921, music adopted 1932; the anthem's original music was adopted in 1924; a new composition was agreed upon in 1932

name: Ankara

geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 32 52 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Hong Kong has a free market economy, highly dependent on international trade and finance - the value of goods and services trade, including the sizable share of reexports, is about four times GDP. Hong Kong has no tariffs on imported goods, and it levies excise duties on only four commodities, whether imported or produced locally: hard alcohol, tobacco, hydrocarbon oil, and methyl alcohol. There are no quotas or dumping laws. Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely to the US dollar, maintaining an arrangement established in 1983.

Excess liquidity, low interest rates and a tight housing supply have caused Hong Kong property prices to rise rapidly. The lower and middle-income segments of the population increasingly find housing unaffordable.

Hong Kong's open economy has left it exposed to the global economic situation. Its continued reliance on foreign trade and investment makes it vulnerable to renewed global financial market volatility or a slowdown in the global economy.

The mainland has long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner, accounting for about half of Hong Kong's total trade by value. Hong Kong's natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. As a result of China's easing of travel restrictions, the number of mainland tourists to the territory surged from 4.5 million in 2001 to 47.3 million in 2014, outnumbering visitors from all other countries combined. After peaking in 2014, overall tourist arrivals dropped 2.5% in 2015 and 4.5% in 2016. The tourism sector rebounded in 2017, with visitor arrivals rising 3.2% to 58.47 million. Travelers from Mainland China totaled 44.45 million, accounting for 76% of the total.

The Hong Kong Government is promoting the Special Administrative Region (SAR) as the preferred business hub for renminbi (RMB) internationalization. Hong Kong residents are allowed to establish RMB-denominated savings accounts, RMB-denominated corporate and Chinese government bonds have been issued in Hong Kong, RMB trade settlement is allowed, and investment schemes such as the Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (RQFII) Program was first launched in Hong Kong. Offshore RMB activities experienced a setback, however, after the People’s Bank of China changed the way it set the central parity rate in August 2015. RMB deposits in Hong Kong fell from 1.0 trillion RMB at the end of 2014 to 559 billion RMB at the end of 2017, while RMB trade settlement handled by banks in Hong Kong also shrank from 6.8 trillion RMB in 2015 to 3.9 trillion RMB in 2017.

Hong Kong has also established itself as the premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad. In 2015, mainland Chinese companies constituted about 50% of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and accounted for about 66% of the exchange's market capitalization.

During the past decade, as Hong Kong's manufacturing industry moved to the mainland, its service industry has grown rapidly. In 2014, Hong Kong and China signed a new agreement on achieving basic liberalization of trade in services in Guangdong Province under the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), adopted in 2003 to forge closer ties between Hong Kong and the mainland. The new measures, which took effect in March 2015, cover a negative list and a most-favored treatment provision. On the basis of the Guangdong Agreement, the Agreement on Trade in Services signed in November 2015 further enhanced liberalization, including extending the implementation of the majority of Guangdong pilot liberalization measures to the whole Mainland, reducing the restrictive measures in the negative list, and adding measures in the positive lists for cross-border services as well as cultural and telecommunications services. In June 2017, the Investment Agreement and the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation (Ecotech Agreement) were signed under the framework of CEPA.

Hong Kong’s economic integration with the mainland continues to be most evident in the banking and finance sector. Initiatives like the Hong Kong-Shanghai Stock Connect, the Hong Kong- Shenzhen Stock Connect the Mutual Recognition of Funds, and the Bond Connect scheme are all important steps towards opening up the Mainland’s capital markets and have reinforced Hong Kong’s role as China’s leading offshore RMB market. Additional connect schemes such as ETF Connect (for exchange-traded fund products) are also under exploration by Hong Kong authorities. In 2017, Chief Executive Carrie LAM announced plans to increase government spending on research and development, education, and technological innovation with the aim of spurring continued economic growth through greater sector diversification.

Turkey's largely free-market economy is driven by its industry and, increasingly, service sectors, although its traditional agriculture sector still accounts for about 25% of employment. The automotive, petrochemical, and electronics industries have risen in importance and surpassed the traditional textiles and clothing sectors within Turkey's export mix. However, the recent period of political stability and economic dynamism has given way to domestic uncertainty and security concerns, which are generating financial market volatility and weighing on Turkey’s economic outlook.

Current government policies emphasize populist spending measures and credit breaks, while implementation of structural economic reforms has slowed. The government is playing a more active role in some strategic sectors and has used economic institutions and regulators to target political opponents, undermining private sector confidence in the judicial system. Between July 2016 and March 2017, three credit ratings agencies downgraded Turkey’s sovereign credit ratings, citing concerns about the rule of law and the pace of economic reforms.

Turkey remains highly dependent on imported oil and gas but is pursuing energy relationships with a broader set of international partners and taking steps to increase use of domestic energy sources including renewables, nuclear, and coal. The joint Turkish-Azerbaijani Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline is moving forward to increase transport of Caspian gas to Turkey and Europe, and when completed will help diversify Turkey's sources of imported gas.

After Turkey experienced a severe financial crisis in 2001, Ankara adopted financial and fiscal reforms as part of an IMF program. The reforms strengthened the country's economic fundamentals and ushered in an era of strong growth averaging more than 6% annually until 2008. An aggressive privatization program also reduced state involvement in basic industry, banking, transport, power generation, and communication. Global economic conditions and tighter fiscal policy caused GDP to contract in 2009, but Turkey's well-regulated financial markets and banking system helped the country weather the global financial crisis, and GDP growth rebounded to around 9% in 2010 and 2011, as exports and investment recovered following the crisis.

The growth of Turkish GDP since 2016 has revealed the persistent underlying imbalances in the Turkish economy. In particular, Turkey’s large current account deficit means it must rely on external investment inflows to finance growth, leaving the economy vulnerable to destabilizing shifts in investor confidence. Other troublesome trends include rising unemployment and inflation, which increased in 2017, given the Turkish lira’s continuing depreciation against the dollar. Although government debt remains low at about 30% of GDP, bank and corporate borrowing has almost tripled as a percent of GDP during the past decade, outpacing its emerging-market peers and prompting investor concerns about its long-term sustainability.

$453 billion (2017 est.)

$437.5 billion (2016 est.)

$428.8 billion (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 44

$2.133 trillion (2017 est.)

$2.029 trillion (2016 est.)

$1.966 trillion (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 14

$334.1 billion (2017 est.)

$841.2 billion (2017 est.)

3.5% (2017 est.)

2% (2016 est.)

2.4% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 89

5.1% (2017 est.)

3.2% (2016 est.)

6.1% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 38

$61,000 (2017 est.)

$59,400 (2016 est.)

$58,700 (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 18

$26,500 (2017 est.)

$25,400 (2016 est.)

$25,000 (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 75

24.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

26.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

24.9% of GDP (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 52

25.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

24.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

24.8% of GDP (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 49

household consumption: 66.6%

government consumption: 10%

investment in fixed capital: 22.3%

investment in inventories: 0.7%

exports of goods and services: 191.9%

imports of goods and services: -191.3% (2017 est.)

household consumption: 59.8%

government consumption: 15.3%

investment in fixed capital: 28.6%

investment in inventories: -0.9%

exports of goods and services: 24%

imports of goods and services: -26.8% (2017 est.)

agriculture: 0.1%

industry: 7.2%

services: 92.7% (2017 est.)

agriculture: 6.7%

industry: 31.8%

services: 61.4% (2017 est.)

fresh vegetables and fruit; poultry, pork; fish

tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, hazelnuts, pulses, citrus; livestock

trading and logistics, financial services, professional services, tourism, cultural and creative, clothing and textiles, shipping, electronics, toys, clocks and watches

textiles, food processing, automobiles, electronics, mining (coal, chromate, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper

3% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 103

3% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 100

3.965 million (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 95

31.3 million

note: this number is for the domestic labor force only; number does not include about 1.2 million Turks working abroad, nor refugees (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 20

manufacturing: 3.8%

construction: 2.8%

wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels: 53.3%

financing, insurance, and real estate: 12.5%

transport and communications: 10.1%

community and social services: 17.1%

note: above data exclude public sector (2013 est.)

agriculture: 18.4%

industry: 26.6%

services: 54.9% (2016 est.)

2.6% (2017 est.)

2.7% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 24

11.2% (2017 est.)

10.9% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 147

19.6% (2012 est.)

21.9% (2015 est.)

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

lowest 10%: 2.1%

highest 10%: 30.3% (2008 est.)

53.7 (2011 est.)

53.3 (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 9

40.2 (2010 est.)

43.6 (2003 est.)

country comparison to the world: 65

revenues: $66.19 billion

expenditures: $62.86 billion (2017 est.)

revenues: $173.9 billion

expenditures: $190.4 billion (2017 est.)

19.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 155

20.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 147

1% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 15

-2% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 86

43.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

44.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 122

29.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

29.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 165

1 April - 31 March

calendar year

2% (2017 est.)

2.6% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 93

10.9% (2017 est.)

7.8% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 205

0.5% (31 December 2013 est.)

0.5% (31 December 2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 133

5.25% (31 December 2011 est.)

15% (22 December 2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 79

5.1% (31 December 2017 est.)

5% (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 144

15.2% (31 December 2017 est.)

14.74% (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 42

$310.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$285.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 17

$122 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$108.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 33

$1.736 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.613 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 10

$445 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$399.4 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 24

$719.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$676.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 22

$612.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$549.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 24

$3.185 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

$3.233 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)

$3.101 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

$188.9 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$219.8 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$195.7 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 36

$10.06 billion (2017 est.)

$14.88 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 21

$-38.95 billion (2017 est.)

$-32.61 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 198

$540 billion (2017 est.)

$502.5 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 8

$157.3 billion (2017 est.)

$150.2 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 34

electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, watches and clocks, toys, "jewelry, goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares, and other articles of precious or semi-precious materials"; Hong Kong plays an important role as entrep?t to the Chinese mainland; in 2017, 58% of Hong Kong’s re-exports originated in mainland China, and 54% were destined for the Chinese mainland

apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment

China 54.3%, US 8.5%, India 4.1% (2016)

Germany 9.8%, UK 8.2%, Iraq 5.4%, Italy 5.3%, US 4.7%, France 4.2% (2016)

$561.4 billion (2017 est.)

$520.1 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 8

$196.8 billion (2017 est.)

$191 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 24

raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is reexported)

machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport equipment

China 45.5%, Taiwan 9.8%, South Korea 6.7%, Japan 6.3%, US 4.4% (2016)

China 12.8%, Germany 10.8%, Russia 7.6%, US 5.5%, Italy 5.2% (2016)

$398.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$386.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 9

$107.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$106.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 25

$494.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$505.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 23

$429.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$404.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 30

$1.901 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.786 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

$143.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$133.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 39

$1.806 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.723 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

$41.81 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$38.31 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 46

Hong Kong dollars (HKD) per US dollar -

7.8 (2017 est.)

7.76 (2016 est.)

7.76 (2015 est.)

7.75 (2014 est.)

7.75 (2013 est.)

Turkish liras (TRY) per US dollar -

3.63 (2017 est.)

3.02 (2016 est.)

3.02 (2015 est.)

2.72 (2014 est.)

2.19 (2013 est.)

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

35.75 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 61

245.8 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 19

41.74 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

213.2 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 20

1.205 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

1.442 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 49

11.62 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 23

6.4 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 33

12.63 million kW (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

73.15 million kW (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 15

100% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 9

56.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 138

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 107

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 195

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 180

35.4% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 59

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 187

11.2% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 66

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 148

49,500 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 136

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 200

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 139

506,300 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 18

0 bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 147

388.5 million bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 54

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 156

618,300 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 29

388,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 39

943,700 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 24

9,625 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 84

134,900 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 39

332,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 25

527,700 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 16

0 cu m (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 148

381 million cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 73

4.49 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 69

81.35 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 15

0 cu m (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 120

624 million cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 41

3.243 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 42

48.43 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 7

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 151

18.49 billion cu m (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 77

90 million Mt (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 43

319 million Mt (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 20

total subscriptions: 4,318,346

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 60 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 36

total subscriptions: 11,077,559

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 18

total: 17,584,969

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 245 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 62

total: 75,061,699

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 93 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 22

general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services

domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network

international: country code - 852; multiple international submarine cables provide connections to Asia, US, Australia, the Middle East, and Western Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China (2015)

general assessment: comprehensive telecommunications network undergoing rapid modernization and expansion, especially in mobile-cellular services

domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay, is facilitating communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a domestic satellite system; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 105 telephones per 100 persons

international: country code - 90; international service is provided by the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable and by submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black Seas that link Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia; satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat; mobile satellite terminals - 328 in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2016)

4 commercial terrestrial TV networks each with multiple stations; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems available; 3 licensed broadcasters of terrestrial radio, one of which is government funded, operate about 12 radio stations; note - 4 digital radio broadcasters operated in Hong Kong from 2010 to 2017, but all digital radio services were terminated in September 2017 due to weak market demand (2018)

Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) operates multiple TV and radio networks and stations; multiple privately owned national television stations and up to 300 private regional and local television stations; multi-channel cable TV subscriptions available; more than 1,000 private radio broadcast stations (2009)

.hk

.tr

total: 6.066 million

percent of population: 85% (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 69

total: 46,838,412

percent of population: 58.3% (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 16

number of registered air carriers: 7 (registered in China)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 253 (registered in China)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 41,867,157

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 11.294 billion mt-km (2015)

number of registered air carriers: 15

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 531

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 96,604,665

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 2,882.162 million mt-km (2015)

B-H (2016)

TC (2016)

2 (2013)

country comparison to the world: 201

98 (2013)

country comparison to the world: 58

total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017)

total: 91

over 3,047 m: 16

2,438 to 3,047 m: 38

1,524 to 2,437 m: 17

914 to 1,523 m: 16

under 914 m: 4 (2013)

9 (2013)

20 (2013)

total: 2,100 km

paved: 2,100 km (2015)

country comparison to the world: 174

total: 385,754 km

paved: 352,268 km (includes 2,127 km of expressways)

unpaved: 33,486 km (2012)

country comparison to the world: 19

total: 2,576

by type: bulk carrier 1,142, container ship 471, general cargo 226, oil tanker 346, other 391 (2017)

country comparison to the world: 9

total: 1,285

by type: bulk carrier 78, container ship 50, general cargo 432, oil tanker 121, other 604 (2017)

country comparison to the world: 22

major seaport(s): Hong Kong

major seaport(s): Aliaga, Ambarli, Diliskelesi, Eregli, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit), Mersin (Icel), Limani, Yarimca

container port(s) (TEUs): Ambarli (3,062,000), Mersin (Icel) (1,428,000) (2015)

LNG terminal(s) (import): Izmir Aliaga, Marmara Ereglisi

total: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 2 (2013)

gas 12,603 km; oil 3,038 km (2016)

total: 12,008 km

standard gauge: 12,008 km 1.435-m gauge (3,216 km electrified) (2014)

country comparison to the world: 21

1,200 km (2010)

country comparison to the world: 59

no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the PLA Army, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Southern Command (2016)

Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Turkish Land Forces (Turk Kara Kuvvetleri), Turkish Naval Forces (Turk Deniz Kuvvetleri; includes naval air and naval infantry), Turkish Air Forces (Turk Hava Kuvvetleri) (2013)

defense is the responsibility of China

the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has actively pursued the goal of asserting civilian control over the military since first taking power in 2002; the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) role in internal security has been significantly reduced; the TSK leadership continues to be an influential institution within Turkey, but plays a much smaller role in politics; the Turkish military remains focused on the threats emanating from the Syrian civil war, Russia's actions in Ukraine, and the PKK insurgency; primary domestic threats are listed as fundamentalism (with the definition in some dispute with the civilian government), separatism (Kurdish discontent), and the extreme left wing; Ankara strongly opposed establishment of an autonomous Kurdish region in Iraq; an overhaul of the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) taking place under the "Force 2014" program is to produce 20-30% smaller, more highly trained forces characterized by greater mobility and firepower and capable of joint and combined operations; the TLFC has taken on increasing international peacekeeping responsibilities including in Afghanistan; the Turkish Navy is a regional naval power that wants to develop the capability to project power beyond Turkey's coastal waters; the Navy is heavily involved in NATO, multinational, and UN operations; its roles include control of territorial waters and security for sea lines of communications; the Turkish Air Force adopted an "Aerospace and Missile Defense Concept" in 2002 and has initiated project work on an integrated missile defense system; Air Force priorities include attaining a modern deployable, survivable, and sustainable force structure, and establishing a sustainable command and control system; Turkey is a NATO ally and hosts NATO's Land Forces Command in Izmir, as well as the AN/TPY-2 radar as part of NATO Missile Defense (2014)

1.73% of GDP (2016)

1.85% of GDP (2015)

1.9% of GDP (2014)

1.96% of GDP (2013)

2.05% of GDP (2012)

country comparison to the world: 61

21-41 years of age for male compulsory military service (in case of mobilization, up to 65 years of age); 18 years of age for voluntary service; 12-month conscript obligation for non-university graduates, 6-12 months for university graduates (graduates of higher education may perform 6 months of military service as short-term privates, or 12 months as reserve officers); conscripts are called to register at age 20, for service at 21; women serve in the Turkish Armed Forces only as officers; reserve obligation to age 41; Turkish citizens with a residence or work permit who have worked abroad for at least 3 years (1095 days) can be exempt from military service in exchange for 6,000 EUR or its equivalent in foreign currencies; a law passed in December 2014 introduced a one-time payment scheme which exempted Turkish citizens 27 and older from conscription in exchange for a payment of $8,150 (2013)

Hong Kong plans to reduce its 2,800-hectare Frontier Closed Area (FCA) to 400 hectares by 2015; the FCA was established in 1951 as a buffer zone between Hong Kong and mainland China to prevent illegal migration from and the smuggling of goods

complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in the Aegean Sea; status of north Cyprus question remains; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in Iraq; in 2009, Swiss mediators facilitated an accord reestablishing diplomatic ties between Armenia and Turkey, but neither side has ratified the agreement and the rapprochement effort has faltered; Turkish authorities have complained that blasting from quarries in Armenia might be damaging the medieval ruins of Ani, on the other side of the Arpacay valley

despite strenuous law enforcement efforts, faces difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people

key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe and, to a lesser extent, the US - via air, land, and sea routes; major Turkish and other international trafficking organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert imported morphine base into heroin exist in remote regions of Turkey and near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and over output of poppy straw concentrate; lax enforcement of money-laundering controls

refugees (country of origin): 157,000 (Afghanistan); 152,000 (Iraq); 33,000 (Iran) (2017); 3,589,384 (Syria) (2018)

IDPs: 1.113 million (displaced from 1984-2005 because of fighting between the Kurdish PKK and Turkish military; most IDPs are Kurds from eastern and southeastern provinces; no information available on persons displaced by development projects) (2017)

stateless persons: 780 (2016)