Originally from Alternatives to the High Cost of Litigation

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Located in Asia Minor and Eastern Europe, Turkey is a bridge—both geographical, and, increasingly, politically and economically—linking Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. 

Founded as a republic in 1923 after the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, Turkey is a parliamentary democracy with a predominantly Muslim population, mostly Sunni, of about 70.4 million people. Turkey has candidate status in the European Union, and is a member of several international organizations, including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and the World Trade Organization.

The Turkish economy has developed considerably since the 1980s because of changes that have liberalized laws and privatized certain aspects of the economy. Both domestic and international trade has grown rapidly on the heels of many significant structural changes. The main factors shaping Turkey's international trade policies and orientations today are the customs union between the nation and the European Union countries—allowing for tariff-free trade for most goods—and the conclusion of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations.