Türkiye and Turkey refer to the same country; the difference is mainly name and language , not geography or government. “Turkey” is the long-used English exonym, while “Türkiye” is the country’s official name in Turkish and the form increasingly used in international settings.

Quick Scoop

  • Turkey is the traditional English name.
  • Türkiye is the official Turkish name and pronunciation.
  • The change was pushed by the Turkish government in 2021 and adopted by the UN in 2022.

Why the change happened

The main reasons were to match the country’s own name in Turkish, strengthen national branding, and avoid confusion with the bird named turkey in English. The shift also reflects a broader trend of using countries’ self-chosen names more often in global usage.

How to use them

  • In everyday English, many people still say Turkey.
  • In formal or international contexts, Türkiye is now preferred by the Turkish government and many organizations.
  • Both usually point to the same place, so the choice is mostly about style and respect, not meaning.

Bottom line

There is no difference in the country itself; the difference is the name used in English versus Turkish. If you are writing formally, Türkiye is the modern preferred form.