One of the primary goals of the GAP project is to increase significantly the amount of arable land in eight provinces of Southeastern Anatolia, almost doubling Turkey's present amount of cultivated land. Indeed the project GAP constitutes the most ambitious endeavor ever undertaken in the history of the Turkish Republic. By 2005, the expected completion date of the project, the Fertile Crescent will flourish once again. Throughout the country, whether in the plains and mountains of the southeast or gentle hills and valleys of the Aegean hinterland or the stark flatlands of the Anatolia steppe, the silhouette of villages crowned by a single minaret appear and reappear on the landscape. Villages in Anatolia are closely clustered settlements, both to maximize the land used for agriculture and to increase security.
Villages reflect the climate and character of the region.
Wood frame and log construction in the temperate zone gives way to wattle and daub and eventually sun-dried brick in the southeast. Repositories of traditional lore, villages preserve dances, customs, weaving, puppet shows and plays in their original forms. Every region in Turkey, in fact every village, has its own folkdances. The colors and patterns of carpets, kilims and saddlebags have strong regional variations, attesting to the sharply contrasting climates and lifestyles of different areas of the country. Most villages are a combination of new and old buildings.