TIIRMEY, or the OTTOMAN EMPIRE (q.v.), includes large portions of the continents of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and consists of Turkey proper, which is under the direct rule of the sultan, and of several dependent and tributary states. The arrangements sanctioned by the Berlin congress in 1878 have largely changed the size and organiza tion of the empire. It will be some time before Turkish affairs settle again into equilib rium, and reliable statistical results of the formally sanctioned reorganization cannot immediately be expected. In any case, it is necessary for an understanding of Turkey as it now is, to begin with Turkey as it was before the last momentous war with Russia.
The Almanach de Gotha of 1878 gave the following estimate of the area and popula tion of the Turkish empire before the sweeping changes agreed to at Berlin: Constantinople, not included in any of the six vilayets, had a total population of 680,000. The total male population of European Turkey, excluding the vassal prov inces, was 4,976,000. The entire population of both sexes might, therefore, be assumed to exceed 10,000,000. The proportion of non•Moslems to Moslems given above (57 to 43) probably understates the numerical predominance of the former.
Many of these estimates have of course become obsolete since the Berlin congress of 1878 (see History of the OTTOMAN EMPIRE). This congress, which met primarily to revise the "preliminary" treaty of San Stefano, concluded between Russia and Tur key at the close of the war of 1877-78, has revolutionized the relation of -the porte to the subject Christian principalities and provinces, alienated large portions of hitherto Turkish territory. and inaugurated what must necessarily be a new era in the history of the Ottoman empire. The principal results of the congress's work are treated under the several heads of the states they chiefly concern (see RomAxiA, SERVIA, 1ilGSTENEoug, BuLoArtu, etc.). but must here be briefly summarized.
The vassal states Romania and Servia, as well as Montenegro, were declared inde pendent, and each obtained a change or extension of territory; Romania, which had to yield up its portion of Bessarabia to Russia, received in compensation the Dobrudschn, cut off by it line from Silistria to Mangalia. Servia was considerably extended to the sontia. Montenegro received an additional strip of territory round almost the whole of its former frontier, including part of the Adriatic sea-board of Antivari. What was formerly the Turkizh vil.tyet of the Danube, was, with the exception of the Dobrudscha, now Romanian, constituted a tributary but automatic principality, its southern boun dary being the Balkan range. A large territory to the s. of the Balkans was constituted
into the separate province of Eastern Roumelia, and though remaining directly under the military and political authority of the sultan, secured the right of having a Christian governor-general and administrative autonomy. It was agreed that Herzegovina and Bosnia, excepting a small portion of the latter, should be occupied and administered by Austro-Hungary, and thus in large measure alienated from the porte; Spizza and its sea-hoard, immediately n. of Antivari, was incorporated with Dalmatia; Greece was to receive additional territory; the congress recommending that the rectified frontier should nun up the Salambria river from its mouth, cross the ridge dividing ancient Thessaly from Epirus, cut off the town of Janina so as to leave it to Greece. and descend the Kalamas river to the Ionian sea. In Crete the reformed government promised in 1863 is to be immediately and scrupulously carried out. In Asia the changes were much less considerable; the port of Minn, henceforth to be essentially commercial, Kars and Ardahan, with a portion of Armenia, were ceded to Russia, and Khotour, e. of lake Van, to Persia; the porte engaging to carry out at once much needed administrative reforms in Armenia, and to see to it that henceforth religious difference shall in no part of the Ottoman empire hinder any one from the full exercise of all civil and political rights, or exclude from public offices or the professions.
Another engagement, entered into by Turkey at the same time, seriously affects the standing of the empire, though it introduces no territorial change. By the "conditional convention" made between Turkey and the United Kingdom, the English government undertakes to defend the porte's dominions in Asia, receives in return the right to occupy and administer the island of Cyprus.
A table of the area and population of Turkey in Europe (Turkey in Asia and Africa remaining substantially unaltered) would have to be thus arranged: I. Immediate possessions, including Constantinople, the vilayets of Mona stir, Salonica, the isles, and Crete, and part of Janina and Adrianople 64,000 5,350.000 Army, etc 300.000 IT. Aubmomous province of Eastern lioumelia 15,000 1,000,000 M. Provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, administered by Austria 23.000 1,350,000 1V. Tributary principality of Bulgaria 33,000 2,000,000 Total of Turkey in Europe 135,00 10,000,000