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Türkiye made its debut in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1975 and to date, the country has made 34 appearances. Like neighbouring Greece, the new millennium saw a reversal in Türkiye's fortunes at the Eurovision Song Contest and Sertab Erener went on to win in Riga in 2003 with 'Everyway That I Can'.

Until Türkiye won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2003, the country had only finished in the top ten on three previous occasions. When Sebnem Paker finished third in 1997 with Dinle.

The 2004 Eurovision Song Contest held in Istanbul was a breakthrough competition featuring the first ever Eurovision Song Contest Semi-Final. The official Eurovision heart logo was also introduced where the flag of the host country came to be the centrepiece of the logo and an official DVD was produced for the first time.

The noughties were a time of great success for Türkiye and saw the country regularly placing well inside the top ten, often in the top five. Only once did Türkiye fail to qualify to the Grand Final.

2012 was the last time that Türkiye participated in the Eurovision Song Contest. Broadcaster TRT continues to be a member of the European Broadcasting Union and has the right to return to the contest in the future.  

Participation history

Event Contestant Song Place
Baku 2012
Love Me Back
Semi-Final
5th - 80 points
Grand Final
7th - 112 points
Düsseldorf 2011
Live It Up
Semi-Final
13th - 47 points
Oslo 2010
We Could Be The Same
Semi-Final
1st - 118 points
Grand Final
2nd - 170 points
Moscow 2009
Düm Tek Tek
Semi-Final
2nd - 172 points
Grand Final
4th - 177 points
Belgrade 2008
Deli
Semi-Final
7th - 85 points
Grand Final
7th - 138 points
Helsinki 2007
Shake It Up Shekerim
Semi-Final
3rd - 197 points
Grand Final
4th - 163 points
Athens 2006
Superstar
Semi-Final
8th - 91 points
Grand Final
11th - 91 points
Kyiv 2005
Rimi Rimi Ley
Grand Final
13th - 92 points
Istanbul 2004
For Real
Grand Final
4th - 195 points
Riga 2003
Everyway That I Can
Grand Final
1st - 167 points
Tallinn 2002
Leylaklar Soldu Kalbinde
Grand Final
16th - 29 points
Copenhagen 2001
Sevgiliye Son
Grand Final
11th - 41 points
Stockholm 2000
Yorgunum Anla
Grand Final
10th - 59 points
Jerusalem 1999
Dön Artik
Grand Final
16th - 21 points
Birmingham 1998
Unutamazsin
Grand Final
14th - 25 points
Dublin 1997
Dinle
Grand Final
3rd - 121 points
Oslo 1996
Besinçi Mevsim
Grand Final
12th - 57 points
Dublin 1995
Sev!
Grand Final
16th - 21 points
Millstreet 1993
Esmer Yarim
Grand Final
21st - 10 points
Malmö 1992
Yaz Bitti
Grand Final
19th - 17 points
Rome 1991
Iki Dakika
Grand Final
12th - 44 points
Zagreb 1990
Gözlerinin Hapsindeyim
Grand Final
17th - 21 points
Lausanne 1989
Pan
Bana Bana
Grand Final
21st - 5 points
Dublin 1988
Sufi (Hey Ya Hey)
Grand Final
15th - 37 points
Brussels 1987
Sarkim Sevgi üstüne
Grand Final
22nd - 0 points
Bergen 1986
Halley
Grand Final
9th - 53 points
Gothenburg 1985
Didai Didai Dai
Grand Final
14th - 36 points
Luxembourg 1984
Halay
Grand Final
12th - 37 points
Munich 1983
Opera
Grand Final
19th - 0 points
Harrogate 1982
Hani
Grand Final
15th - 20 points
Dublin 1981
Dönme Dolap
Grand Final
18th - 9 points
The Hague 1980
Petr'oil
Grand Final
15th - 23 points
Paris 1978
Sevinçe
Grand Final
18th - 2 points
Stockholm 1975
Seninle Bir Dakika
Grand Final
19th - 3 points