Turkey (Republic of)

Turkey (Republic of)

History of Relations

South Africa and Turkey first established relations at the level of Consulate-General in August 1991 with the office based in Istanbul. This office was later closed. Full diplomatic relations were established in October 1992. The South African Embassy is situated in Ankara.

Diplomatic Representation

South African Representation in Turkey

Chargé d’Affaires
Mr T Ranamane

South African Embassy

Turkey Representation in South Africa

H E Ms E C Ülgen
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

The Turkish Embassy

Travel Info

Visa Requirements for South Africans

For more information contact the Turkish Embassy.

Health Requirements

None

For further information go to Travelers' Health.

Climate Info

Turkey is located in a moderate climate belt, differences are observed among the regions. The coastal regions have a moderate maritime climate while the internal regions surrounded by mountains have a continental climate. The Mediterranean Region which is under the influence of the Mediterranean climate, has hot and arid summers and mild and rainy winters. The Mediterranean climate also manifests itself in the Aegean Region and in the south of the Marmara Region. The Black Sea Region is dominated by a more moderate and rainy maritime climate. In the interior regions, the summers are hot and slightly rainy and a steppe climate is observed in the winters which are cold and snowy. In the Eastern Anatolia Region, the summers are cool and the winters are very cold and snowy. In the Southeastern Anatolia Region, while the summers are hot and arid, winters are not very cold.

For up-to-date weather information click here.

Currency Info

The monetary unit is the Turkish Lira (TRY). The currency is freely convertible. The annual inflation rate for 2002 amounted to 31%. Most useful currencies for travellers to Turkey are US Dollar and German Mark. To exchange travellers cheques to hard currency may proof difficult in Turkey.

For current exchange rates click here.

State and Official Visits / Bilateral Meetings

No Information

Bilateral Agreements

If you have any queries with regard to treaties please contact the Treaty Section of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) at 012 351 1000.

Trade Info

The top ten products which South Africa exported to Turkey during the first half of 2000 included half processed gold, coal products, tobacco, non-alloy iron casting, iron ores, unprocessed silver, chrome ores, ferro-manganese, raw hides and skins; and boilers.

During the same period the top ten products exported by Turkey to South Africa included automotive spare parts, woven synthetic textiles, blankets, knitted textiles, small electrical home appliances, round steel bars, engine parts, polyester and synthetic yarns, scarves and tyre cords.

NOTE: A discrepancy exists between trade figures quoted by the SA Customs and Excise authorities and the Turkish authorities. This is mainly attributed to the fact that the SA figures display the trade figures based on the "first country of destination", while the Turkish figures display trade figures based on the "original country of origin".

For current information on trade statistics between South Africa and Turkey, visit the website of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition of South Africa.

Interest Groups and Information

Turkish/South Africa Business Council
P O Box 35100
0102 Menlopark
South Africa
Tel: 27 12 348 5440
Fax: 27 12 348 8771
Contact Person: Mr Johann de Bruyn (Manager)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

1. Is Turkey safe as a tourist destination?

Yes, Turkey is probably one of the safest countries in the world for tourists. Criminal incidents do occur in large city centres and busy tourist centres like in other countries.

2. What about earthquakes?

Turkey is in a seismically active area. The recent serious earthquake affected a mainly industrial region, which is not much frequented by tourists.