Where is Turkey Located on the World Map? A Detailed Look at This Unique Country’s Geography

Turkey is a fascinating country located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia With its strategic location straddling two continents, Turkey has a unique geography that has shaped its history and culture In this article, we’ll take a detailed look at exactly where Turkey is located on the world map and examine key aspects of its geography.

An Overview of Turkey’s Location

Turkey is situated in western Asia with a small portion of its landmass located in southeastern Europe. The Bosporus Strait runs through the country, dividing it between the European and Asian continents Roughly 97% of Turkey’s land area lies in Asia with the remaining 3% situated in Europe

Some of the key details about Turkey’s geographical location include:

• It borders the Black Sea to the north, the Aegean Sea to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south.

• Its Asian territory is known as Anatolia or Asia Minor. The European section is called Eastern Thrace.

• Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, straddles both continents across the Bosporus Strait.

• Turkey shares borders with 8 countries: Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Azerbaijan.

A Look at Turkey on the World Map

Zooming out to view Turkey on a world map, we can see it occupies a prominent location bridging the gap between Europe and the Middle East. Turkey is situated in western Asia, protruding into southeastern Europe.

Some key observations about Turkey’s position on the world map:

• It is surrounded by water on three sides: the Black Sea to the north, the Aegean Sea to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south.

• Istanbul and the Bosporus Strait can be clearly seen dividing the European and Asian regions.

• The Sea of Marmara and Dardanelles Strait separate Eastern Thrace from Anatolia.

• Turkey shares borders with European countries Greece and Bulgaria to its west and southeast.

• The Middle Eastern countries of Syria, Iraq, and Iran border Turkey to the south and east.

• Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia border Turkey to the northeast and east.

So Turkey occupies an extremely strategic location, providing a gateway between southeastern Europe and the Middle East. Its control of the Turkish Straits has long given it great geopolitical importance.

Turkey’s Geographic Coordinates

To pinpoint Turkey’s exact location, we can look at its geographic coordinates:

• Latitude: Turkey extends from 36° to 42° north latitude.

• Longitude: Turkey spans from 26° to 45° east longitude.

So Turkey’s coordinates reveal its position entirely north of the equator in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere, though the westernmost tips extend slightly into the Western Hemisphere.

The country’s central coordinates are:

• 39°N 35°E

This places central Turkey around the same latitude as the U.S. states of Virginia and Kentucky. It has a similar longitude to Syria and Lebanon.

Regions and Bordering Countries

Turkey can be divided into 7 main geographical regions:

• Marmara Region: Includes Eastern Thrace and the Sea of Marmara coastline. Contains Istanbul.

• Aegean Region: The western coast along the Aegean Sea including Izmir.

• Mediterranean Region: The southern Mediterranean coastal region including Antalya.

• Central Anatolia: A plateau region dominated by plains and steppe landscapes.

• Eastern Anatolia: Mountainous area bordering Armenia, Iran, and Iraq.

• Southeastern Anatolia: Contains the headwaters of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

• Black Sea Region: Mountainous northern coast along the Black Sea.

Turkey shares borders with the following neighboring countries:

• Greece to the west.
• Bulgaria to the northwest.
• Georgia to the northeast.
• Armenia to the east.
• Iran to the east.
• Iraq to the southeast.
• Syria to the south.
• Azerbaijan to the east.

So Turkey connects directly with key European, Middle Eastern, and Transcaucasian countries through its diverse borders.

Turkey’s Strategic Geography

• Its transcontinental location straddling the Bosporus Strait.

• Control of the Turkish Straits linking the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.

• Bordering major seas including the Black Sea, Aegean Sea, and Mediterranean Sea.

• Direct land access to important regions like southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and the Caucasus.

This invaluable geographical position at the center of the Afro-Eurasian landmass has given Turkey major economic, cultural, and geopolitical advantages through the centuries. It continues to shape Turkey’s vital role in bridging Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

So hopefully this outline gives you a good sense of where exactly Turkey is located on the world map and why its geography has been so influential historically. Turkey truly links multiple regions, giving it a unique transcontinental identity that sets it apart from other countries. If you ever get the chance to visit Turkey, you’ll gain firsthand experience of its prime global location!

Frequency of Entities:
Turkey: 41
World Map: 7
Europe: 6
Asia: 5
Istanbul: 5
Middle East: 3
Mediterranean Sea: 3
Aegean Sea: 3
Black Sea: 3
Bosporus Strait: 3
Greece: 2
Bulgaria: 2
Syria: 1
Iraq: 1
Iran: 1
Armenia: 1
Azerbaijan: 1
Georgia: 1