Religious Dimension of Exports: Evidence from Turkey

Considering the potential cultural barriers to trade and the growing importance of religion in Turkish politics, economy and society since the rise of the Justice and Development Party, this paper examines whether common religious beliefs significantly influence Turkish exports. Using panel data on Turkish exports from 2001 to 2021, we estimate the gravity model by applying the PPML method. The result suggests that Turkish exports are religiously oriented. This sheds new light on Turkey's position in international economic relations as an important link between the East and the West.