In this paper, we study the regional differences in the impact of modernization on the position of rural women in settlements with population of 10,000 or less in Turkey on the basis of representative national data of all females aged 15 and 49 for the year 1998. Within the regions, we compare women living in the countryside with women living in towns. The focus of the research is on differences in socio-economic status, gender role
attitudes, and freedom or "autonomy" among the women. Our results make clear that there are large differences in these respects among women from different regions and between women living in the countryside and women living in towns. Women living in towns are better off with regard to educational opportunities and household income, but at the same time they seem to be more dependent on their husband than countryside
women, because very few of them are gainfully employed. The situation of the women in the East of the country is found to be much worse than in other regions with regard to almost all indicators of women's status that are used. In the countryside of that region, one third of the married women is not able to speak Turkish, the country’s official and dominant language, and also one third has no official civil marriage, which puts them in a disadvantage position in terms of legal rights.