10 Reasons to Invest in Turkey 

1. SUCCESSFUL ECONOMY

• Booming economy (USD 230 billion to USD 618 billion GDP from 2002 to 2009)

• Sustainable economic growth (4.3 percent annual average real GDP increase for the last 7 years)

• Promising economy with a bright future as it is expected to be the fastest growing economy among the OECD members during 2011-2017 with an annual average real GDP growth rate of 6.7 percent

• 16th largest economy in the world and 6th largest economy compared to the EU area in 2009

• Institutionalized economy fueled by over USD 83 billion of FDI in the last 7 years and ranked as the 15th most attractive FDI destination for 2008-2010 (UNCTAD)  

2. POPULATION

• A population of 73 million people

• Largest youth population compared with the EU

• Median age 28.8

• 60 percent of the population under the age of 35

• Young, dynamic, well-educated and multi-cultural population

  *2009 data

3. QUALIFIED LABOR FORCE

• Over 24.7 million young, well-educated and motivated professionals

• Labor productivity with an annual average growth of 4.4 percent between 2002 and 2009

• 5th largest labor force compared with the EU

• Consumer base and motivated work force

• Approximately 450,000 graduates from circa 150 universities

• Around 550,000 high school graduates, including one third from vocational and technical high schools

  *2009 data

4. LIBERAL AND REFORMIST INVESTMENT CLIMATE

• A dynamic and mature private sector with USD 102 billion worth of exports and an increase of 183 percent between 2002 and 2009

• Highly competitive investment conditions

• Strong industrial and service culture

• Equal treatment for all investors

• More than 23,000 companies with international capital

• International arbitration

• Guarantee of transfers

5. INFRASTRUCTURE

• New and highly developed technological infrastructure in transportation, telecommunications
  and energy

• Well-developed and low-cost sea transport facilities

• Railway transport advantage to Central and Eastern Europe

• Well-established transportation routes and direct delivery mechanism to most of the EU countries
  

6. CENTRALLY LOCATED

• A natural bridge between both East-West and North-South axes, thus creating an efficient and cost effective outlet to major markets

• Easy access to 1.5 billion customers in Europe, Eurasia, the Middle East and North Africa

• Access to multiple markets worth USD 22 trillion of GDP

7. ENERGY CORRIDOR AND TERMINAL OF EUROPE

• An important energy terminal and corridor in Europe connecting the East and West

• As an energy transit country, Turkey currently has the capacity to transport 121 million tons of oil to the world markets per annum. Once the ongoing projects are completed, the annual transit capacity will increase to 221 million tons of oil and 43 billion m³ of natural gas.

8. LOW TAXES & INCENTIVES

• Corporate Income Tax reduced from 30 percent to 20 percent

• Individual Income Tax varies from 15 percent to 35 percent

• Tax benefits and incentives in Technology Development Zones, Industrial Zones and Free Zones could include total or partial exemption from Corporate Income Tax, up to 80 percent grant on employer’s social security share, as well as land allocation.

• New R&D and Innovation Support Law

• Region and sector-based incentive system

9. CUSTOMS UNION WITH THE EU SINCE 1996

• Customs Union with the EU since 1996, and Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with 16 countries

• More FTAs underway

• Accession negotiations with the EU since 2005

10. LARGE DOMESTIC MARKET

• 30 million internet users in 2009, up from 4 million in 2002

• 63 million GSM users in 2009, up from 23 million in 2002

• 44.4 million credit card users in 2009, up from 16 million in 2002

• Over 85 million airline passengers in 2009, up from 33 million in 2002

• 27.3 million international tourist arrivals in 2009, up from 13 million in 2002