Turkey’s national religion is Islam, but the country is a secular state with religious affairs and government kept firmly apart.

Turkey has a young and rapidly growing population with 50% of its people under 25 years old. In the last 40 years there has been a huge movement of people from the countryside to towns and cities like Ankara and Istanbul. Over 60% of the population now live in urban areas, although their connection with family and friends still living in the countryside often remains strong.