On March 28, 1930, the last remnants of the Ottoman Empire officially collapsed as the Republic of Turkey was declared. The decline of the Ottoman Empire had been ongoing for decades, exacerbated by World War I and territorial losses. Mustafa Kemal Atatrk led the transformation, instituting sweeping reforms in governance, education, and law. The fall of the empire marked the end of over 600 years of Ottoman rule, which had spanned parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The founding of the Turkish Republic reshaped the political landscape of the Middle East and set the stage for modern Turkey.