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Turkey is a secular country with a population that is more than 95% Moslem.
Within the context of Turkey, by "secularism" one should understand the separation of religion from politics, not from the government. There is a Ministry of Religion in Turkey.

At first, it might seem to be a paradox, yet in daily practice Turkey handles this situation quite well. The weekends are Saturdays and Sundays, while Fridays
are working days, even though in the Moslem belief Friday is the holy day.
On Fridays those who wish to attend the noon prayer in mosques may leave their work temporarily and do so. Those who don't, don't.

Official working hours in Turkey are from 09:00 to 17:00, however, this has started to change some since the first years of the 90s, due to the change of
job profiles. The Holidays in Turkey are as follows :

Official holidays

Jan 1: New Year's Day

National holidays

Apr 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day (anniversary of the establishment of Turkish Grand National Assembly)

May 19 Atatürk Commemoration and Youth & Sports Day (the arrival of Atatürk in Samsun, and the beginning of the War of Independence)

Aug 30 Victory Day (victory over invading forces in 1922)

Oct 29 Republic Day (anniversary of the declaration of the Turkish Republic)

Religious holidays

Seker Bayrami/Sugar Feast :Three-day festival when sweets are eaten to celebrate the end of the fast of Ramazan. (A Moslem moveable feast) (The dates of these religious festivals change according to the Muslim lunar calendar and thus occur 12 days earlier each year.)

Kurban Bayrami/Slaughter Feast : (A Moslem moveable feast) Four-day festival when sacrificial sheep are slaughtered and their meat distributed amongst the poor, neighbors and within the family.

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 10 June 2008 02:09 )