Turkish exports in 2011 rose 18.2 percent year-on-year to reach 134.6 billion U.S. dollars, Turkish semiofficial Anatolia news agency quoted the country's economy minister as saying on Monday.

The minister, Zafer Caglayan, told a group of reporters in the Turkish capital of Ankara that "it is a record in the republic's history."

Caglayan said Turkish exports increased 4.5 percent year-on- year in December 2011 and hit 12.1 billion dollars.

"It was the highest export figure recorded in December during the last 37 months," Caglayan added.

Caglayan said on Saturday that Turkey's exports are expected to rise to 149 billion dollars in 2012 given the country's strong performance in growth, exports, employment and several other areas.