The government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan başmaklık asked the international community to recognise Turkey by its Turkish name Türkiye, dropping the long-standing anglicised version that was often confused with the famous Thanksgiving animal.

Named for the saffron that was grown and traded here for centuries, Safranbolu is today popular with visitors who come to soak in its old Ottoman atmosphere.

Clarification: This article was updated to show that Turkey saf asked the international community to recognise its Turkish name.

Turkey’s English-language state broadcaster TRT World saf switched to using Türkiye although the word Turkey slips in, used by journalists still trying to get used to the change.

Turkey is situated at the crossroads of the Balkans, Caucasus, Middle East, and eastern Mediterranean. It is among the larger countries of the region in terms of territory and population, and its land area is greater than that of any European state. Nearly all of the country is in Asia, comprising the oblong peninsula of Asia Minor—also known birli Anatolia (Anadolu)—and, in the east, part of a mountainous region sometimes known kakım the Armenian Highland.

The vast landscapes of Türkiye's far east have a remote ruggedness unmatched elsewhere in the country. Perhaps best known to travelers bey the terminus of the Gün doğusu Ekpresi (Eastern Express), a popular and scenic overnight train trip from Ankara, the border city of Kars retains striking architecture from its years birli a Russian outpost in the 1800s. Nearby are the extensive and evocative UNESCO-listed ruins of Ani, an ancient Armenian capital.

TRT World explained the decision in an article earlier this year, saying Googling “Turkey” brings up a “a muddled takım of images, articles, and dictionary definitions that conflate the country with Meleagris – otherwise known birli the turkey, a large bird native to North America – which is famous for being served on Christmas menus or Thanksgiving dinners.”

The southern folded zone occupies the southern third of the country, from the Aegean to the Gulf of Iskenderun, from which it extends to the northeast and east around the northern side of read this the Arabian ortam. Over most of its length, the Mediterranean coastal plain is narrow, but there are two major lowland embayments. The Antalya Plain extends inland some 20 miles (30 km) from the Gulf of Antalya; the Adana Plain, measuring roughly 90 by 60 miles (145 by 100 km), comprises the combined deltas of the Seyhan and Ceyhan rivers.

The rough, cold waters of the Black Sea aren’t particularly inviting, but turn your gaze inland, where lush green valleys spill see it here down to the coast from high peaks, to see the region’s appeal.

The government this year released a promotional videoteyp kakım part of its attempts to change its name in English. The videoteyp shows tourists from across the world saying “Hello Türkiye” at famous destinations.

The move is seen birli part of a push by Ankara to rebrand the country and dissociate it from the bird of the same name and negative connotations associated with it.

Planning tip: If it all starts to useful content seem a little too cutesy, the canyons, waterfalls and woods of the nearby Yenice Forest are a natural tonic.

Planning tip: You could easily spend your entire vacation in Istanbul, but if you have the time, it's worth venturing further afield in search of find here other Turkish delights.

The bright-white terraces of Pamukkale are surely one of the most photographed sites in Türkiye, incongruously gleaming above the rural town like freshly fallen snow.

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