Located in Asia Minor and Eastern Europe, Turkey is a bridge—both geographical, and, increasingly, politically and economically—linking Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Founded as a republic in 1923 after the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, Turkey is a parliamentary democracy with a predominantly Muslim population, mostly Sunni, of about 70.4 million people. Turkey has candidate status in the European Union, and is a member of several international organizations, including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and the World Trade Organization.