9 Other specific unreached peoples and areas abound

a) A living, growing fellowship of believers in each of the 80 provinces – 56 of them have no Christian workers or groups

b) University students

c) Children. They are difficult to reach

d) The ethnic Muslim minorities and Central Asian refugee communities

e) Iranian refugees who have fled the violence and Islamic extremism of the 1979 Revolution

10 Missionary work began in 1821, but was soon directed to the more receptive non-Muslim minorities in the hope of reaching the majority through them

a) Those called, equipped and gifted for tentmaking ministries

b) Opportunities for ministry that will enable the whole country to be exposed to the gospel

c) The right relationship with indigenous believers

d) The 50 or so agencies, with around 400 expatriates, from over 20 countries with a specific burden and calling to minister to Turks

11 Other means of witness are bearing fruit

a) Bible translation

b) The Bible Society has a well-visited bookstore in Istanbul and is able to distribute Bibles and Christian literature to colporteurs and secular bookstores

c) Christian literature

d) Postal evangelism in innovative ways – pen pals, broadsheets, offers of BCCs, etc

e) Christian radio

12 Ministry to Turks outside Turkey:

a) The 3 million Turks and Kurds in Western Europe

b) Turks in the Balkans

Religion

Turkey's Ottoman Empire was for centuries the guardian of all the holy places of Islam and its chief protagonist.

Churches in Turkey

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Geography

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Area 779,452 sq.km. Straddles two continents; 3% in Europe (Thrace), 97% in Asia (Anatolia).

Population (2000) 66,590,940 +1.68%AGR

Capital Ankara 3,250,000.

Peoples

Turks 76- 80%.

Kurds 14- 20%.

Arabs 1.8%.

Muslim minorities 1.8%.

Refugees 1.3%.

Non-Muslim minorities 0.2%.

Literacy 82%. Official language Turkish. All languages 36. Languages with Scriptures 7Bi 5NT 5por 13w.i.p.

Economy

Tourism, agriculture and industry are all important to the economy; rapid development in 1980s. HDI 0.728; 86^th/174. Public debt 24% of GNP. Income/person $3,130 (10% of USA).

Politics

The Turkish Ottoman Empire once stretched across North Africa, Arabia, Western Asia and Southeast Europe.

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