Half of the national population is rural and lives
on agriculture. In spite of the changes come with
economical progresses and the mechanization of agriculture,
Turkish peasants still lead a very traditional life.
The majority of the villages are self sufficient:
they mostly live on their production, and for winter
they prepare (dried) food with the summer and autumn
crops.
Peasants generally own the lands on which they work.
However large landowners do exist and have very
important functions, dominating the economic, social
and political life of the village or the area. A
tribal nomadic or semi-nomadic population can still
be found doing pastoral migrations or migrating
according to the seasonal crops, working for large
landowners.
According to the region and to the climatic and
economical conditions, the types of traditional
habitations vary:
They are whitewashed or painted in pastel colors
in the Aegean or Mediterranean regions; they are
made of stone or cob in the central region; they
are made of wood in the Black Sea region; they are
low, dark and austere with few openings in the eastern
region.
In a typical village, houses, all with a courtyard,
are built around the main square.
A mosque, a school, some shops and the indispensable
"kahve"(café) can be found. Men
spend most of their time (when not working) in the
kahve, sipping tea
in traditional small glasses, discussing, reading
newspapers, watching television, playing cards or
"tavla" (backgammon) which is the
national game.
