Host Country Türkiye

The Turkish people are from diverse backgrounds, a reminder of the many different groups that conquered Turkiye over thousands of years. The majority of the population lives in cities, and children who want to go to high school must move to a city. 

Children who live in the European side of Istanbul may cross the Bosporus by ferry to visit grandparents in Asia. Turks are family oriented and are very hospitable people. They invite visitors to their homes and make sure they have something to eat and drink before they leave.

One of their favorite meals is kebab made from grilled lamb. Their diet includes lamb, eggplant, and yogurt. A sweet flavored candy with rose petals called Turkish delight, or lokum, is sold in many flavors and colors.

To find work, about two million Turks are currently guest workers in Germany and have formed their own communities there.

Soccer is the most popular sport in Turkiye. There are three popular teams based in Istanbul. Turks excel at weightlifting and a form of wrestling called Turkish wrestling.

Turkiye is a large peninsula that bridges the continents of Europe and Asia. Turkiye is surrounded on three sides by the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Aegean Sea. Istanbul, the largest city in Turkiye, is built on land in the Bosporus seaway. The city is partly in Europe and partly in Asia. Turkiye is larger than the state of Texas.

Turkiye is one of the most earthquake prone areas on Earth and has suffered from 13 earthquakes in the past 70 years. The North Anatolian Fault extends hundreds of miles from the Sea of Marmara in the western part of the country to the Eastern Anatolian Highlands. The fault moves back and forth about 8 inches (20 centimeters) a year.

Turkiye's highest mountain, Mount Ararat has two peaks, with Great Ararat reaching 16,945 feet (5,165 meters). The mountain is considered sacred by many people and is believed to be where Noah beached his ark after the great flood.