The Middle East Economy

This chapter contains useful information for visitors to Turkey, including visa requirements, listings of recommended hotel, and contact information for foreign missions, travel agencies, hospitals and other important institutions. It also contains features pieces exploring the history of Istanbul’s famed Maiden’s Tower and the Aegean island getaway of Bozcaada.

Turkey’s stock exchange, Borsa Istanbul (BIST), had a bumper year in 2014. It was the fifth-best-performing exchange globally, with the BIST 100 index rising by 26% and closing at a record year-end high. While the early months of 2015 were more muted, the appeal of the exchange and many of its listed stocks to investors is still strong. Turkey’s equity and bond markets felt the impact of...

Throughout 2014 Turkey had to shoulder its fair share of international financial turbulence, especially in terms of currency volatility. However, despite investor concerns, the country has largely retained its appeal and long-term growth potential, provided appropriate structural reforms are enacted. The past decade has seen the economy thrive. A young and growing population and a...

Turkey has spent the last decade trying to maximise the potential of its geographical position to fuel export-led growth. While this has been hampered by a heavy dependence on imports, especially hydrocarbons, and a bulging current account deficit, the country has made great strides in increasing trade volumes and diversifying markets. With strong domestic growth and a sense of economic...

Many have hailed Turkey’s growth over the past decade, and for good reason. The country averaged expansion of 5.4% between 2003 and 2013, one of the highest rates in the world. This was accompanied by drops in unemployment and poverty, as well as gains in school enrolment, home ownership and life expectancy. Since 2013, however, there has been a sharpening of disagreement over the direction of...