Where East meets West, a Muslim nation bridging two continents for a thousand years.
Turkey sits literally between two continents, and its Muslim story spans empires, from the Seljuks and the Ottomans to a modern republic. Istanbul, once Constantinople, holds Hagia Sophia, one of the most iconic buildings in the world, and a living symbol of Islam's reach into Europe.
Chief Ottoman architect
The greatest architect of the Ottoman Empire; designer of the Suleymaniye Mosque.
Country
Turkey
Muslims
Over 83 million Muslims
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Over 99% of the population
Landmark
Hagia Sophia · Istanbul
Islam reached Anatolia through the Seljuk Turks from the 11th century, followed by the rise of the Ottoman Empire, which for centuries ruled much of the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Europe from Istanbul. The Ottomans were patrons of architecture, calligraphy, law and science. The modern Republic of Turkey, founded in 1923, is a secular state with a deeply Muslim population.
View statistical sourceTurkey's story shows how Islam does not erase a people's identity but completes it. The Turks embraced Islam not by abandoning their language or culture but by turning both toward the worship of one God. The result was one of history's great civilisations, a reminder that Islam is not an Arab identity but a faith that takes root in every soil and blossoms in its own colour. The message that reached the steppes of Central Asia reached the Bosphorus unchanged: one God, one human family, and a life answerable to its Creator.
"We have sent you but as a mercy to all the worlds." — Qur'an 21:107
Positive contribution
Muslims in Turkey contribute to the whole society — in service, scholarship, sport and charity.
From Hagia Sophia to the mosques of Sinan, Ottoman and Turkish Islamic architecture is among the world's most influential, admired across continents.
Turkey is a G20 economy and a major manufacturer, with Muslim-led enterprise driving trade between Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia.
Turkish relief organisations such as the Turkish Red Crescent and Diyanet Foundation are among the most active globally, responding to disasters worldwide.
Turkey's Islamic scholarship tradition continues through universities and institutions that train scholars from across the Muslim world.
Different languages, different cultures, one message. Explore more countries or read the Qur'an for yourself.
