Turkey, stretching from the Balkans to the borders of Syria, Iraq, Iran and the southern Caucasian republics, is Europe’s bridge to Asia and the Middle East.

The Republic of Turkey, declared in 1923, rose from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire. Turkey is a secular, democratic republic with a parliamentary system of
government, is a charter member of the United Nations, a member of NATO and a candidate member of the European Union. The country’s population approaches 70 million and its land area of 779,452 km2 is nearly equal to the combined territories of France and the United Kingdom.

The Aegean region of Turkey is the country’s most fertile area growing cotton, tobacco, olives, cereals, vegetables, grapes, figs, oranges, tangerines, lemons and other fruit. The region also contains innumerable sites of antiquity including three of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the Seven Churches of Asia Minor addressed by St. John in Revelations.

Bodrum, the center of an administrative district called ilçe, has a permanent population of some 25,000 and stands on the site of the ancient city of Halicarnassus, once the capital of the kingdom of Caria. Located in the southwest corner of the Aegean region of Turkey, Bodrum is a major tourist attraction due to its excellent climate, beautiful coastline and a plethora of proximate sites of historical importance and natural beauty.