Thanks to the vision of Mustafa Kemal, known as Ataturk (father of the Turks), Turkey's recent history has been that of a modern, secular state. Ataturk admired European lifestyles and culture and he worked to implement many changes including adopting the Latin alphabet and a new Turkish language. In 1928 a secular state underwritten by a civil constitution was recognized. It will be interesting to follow developments in Turkey as they navigate the swirling currents of competing interests.
Turkey is a Muslim country, but the percentage of people who actively practice by going to prayers five times a day ranges from 5 to 15%, according to some of our guides. Nonetheless there seems to be a mosque every few blocks and certainly in every small town. The call to prayer can be heard five times a day.
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