The Republic of Turkey, a parliamentary democracy of the Near East located partially in Europe and partially in Asia between the Black and the Mediterranean seas, has an area of 301,382 sq. mi. (780,580 sq. km.) and a population of 65.73 million. Capital: Ankara. Turkey exports cotton, hazelnuts and tobacco, and enjoys a virtual monopoly of meerschaum. ,The Ottoman Turks, a tribe from central Asia, first appeared in the early 13th century and by the 17th century had established the Ottoman Empire which stretched from the Persian Gulf to the southern frontier of Poland, and from the Caspian Sea to the Algerian plateau. The defeat of the Turkish navy by the Holy League in 1571, and of the Turkish forces besieging Vienna in 1683, began the steady decline of the Ottoman Empire which, accelerated by the rise of nationalism, contracted its European border, and by the end of World War I deprived it of its Arab lands. The present Turkish boundaries were largely fixed by the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923. The sultanate and caliphate, the political and spiritual ruling institutions of the old empire, were separated and the sultanate abolished in 1922 by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. On Oct. 29, 1923, Turkey formally became a republic and Ataturk was selected as the first president. Rulers:, ,Abdul Mejid, AH 1255-1277/1839-1861 AD ,Abdul Aziz, AH 1277-1293/1861-1876 AD ,Murad V, AH 1293/1876 AD ,Abdul Hamid II, AH 1293-1327/1876-1909 AD ,Mohammed V, AH 1327-1336/1909-1918 AD ,Mohammed VI, AH 1336-1341/1918-1923 AD ,Republic, AH 1341- /1923- AD Monetary System:, ,1 Kurush (Gurush, Piastre) = 40 Para ,1 Lira (Livre, Pound) = 100 Piastres