Anatolian Tigers

The power of entrepreneurship on display in a few cities in central Turkey, where 500 of the country’s largest companies are located. They're called the Anatolian Tigers because Anatolia is the name of the peninsula (formerly known as Asia Minor) that makes up most of modern-day Turkey. As for why they're called tigers...well, pretty much anything that's making Bank these days is called a Tiger. Not after the narcissistically self-absorbed golfer... but after the animal who still rules the jungle (behind the tractor, the pirate fraternity and corrupt governments).

Thanks to economic reforms in Turkey in the 1980s, new businesses flourished, even with little or no government investment. In less than 40 years, exports grew from $3 billion to the most recent number (as of 2017) of $157 billion.



Find other enlightening terms in Shmoop Finance Genius Bar(f)