Turkey is a transcontinental country straddling Western Asia and Southeastern Europe. Understanding Turkey’s unique geographic location is key to finding it on a world map.
Overview of Turkey’s Location
Turkey is situated on the Anatolian peninsula, which forms the westernmost extremity of Asia. The Bosporus strait divides Turkey between its European and Asian regions.
-
The Asian side accounts for 97% of Turkey’s land area. This is known as Anatolia or Asia Minor.
-
The remaining 3% comprises Eastern Thrace in southeastern Europe.
Bordering Nations
Turkey shares land borders with eight countries:
-
North: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan (Nakhchivan exclave)
-
East: Iran
-
Southeast: Iraq, Syria
-
West Greece Bulgaria
In addition, Turkey has extensive coastlines on the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara, the Aegean Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.
Geographic Coordinates
Turkey’s geographic coordinates center on 39°N, 35°E. The country’s furthest points span about 1,600 km (994 mi) east to west and about 800 km (497 mi) north to south.
-
Westernmost point Baba Burnu near Fethiye 26°W
-
Easternmost point: Ararat Province, 44°E
-
Northernmost point: Sarp on the Black Sea, 42°N
-
Southernmost point: Gulf of Iskenderun on the Mediterranean Sea, 36°N
Locating Turkey on a World Map
On any standard world map or globe, Turkey occupies a prominent location due to its strategic bridging position between southeast Europe and southwest Asia.
Here are some tips for visually identifying Turkey’s location:
-
Find the Mediterranean Sea which separates Europe from Africa. Turkey borders the eastern Mediterranean.
-
Look north of the Mediterranean for the Aegean Sea flanked by Greece and western Turkey.
-
East of Greece, look for the Sea of Marmara and the Turkish Straits separating European and Asian Turkey.
-
Follow the Black Sea coastline south and you will see northern Turkey.
-
Turkey borders the Middle Eastern nations of Syria, Iraq, and Iran to the south and east.
-
The Balkan Peninsulaprovince of Eastern Thrace represents Turkey’s toehold in southeast Europe.
So in essence, Turkey’s position is centered on the eastern Mediterranean, acting as a gateway between southern Europe and the Middle East.
Notable Geographic Features
Turkey has a diverse and dramatic landscape, which you can identify on physical maps.
-
The Anatolian Plateau covers much of central Turkey, bounded by mountains.
-
The Pontic Mountains line the Black Sea southern coast.
-
The Taurus Mountains run along Turkey’s Mediterranean coastline.
-
Mt. Ararat, Turkey’s highest point at 5,137 m (16,854 ft), sits near the Armenian border.
-
The Turkish Straits include the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, linking the Sea of Marmara and Black Sea.
-
Major rivers include the Tigris, Euphrates, and Seyhan.
-
Significant bodies of water include the Tuz, Beyşehir, and Van lakes.
Political Map Features
As a large nation, Turkey has distinct administrative divisions visible on political maps:
-
Capital and largest city: Ankara
-
Second largest city: Istanbul
-
81 provinces including Adana, Antalya, Bursa, Erzurum, Gaziantep, Izmir, Konya, and Mersin.
-
Major land routes like the E80 highway spanning Turkey east to west.
So in essence, political maps display Turkey’s major urban centers, transportation networks, and provincial boundaries.
Turkey’s Strategic Location
Turkey’s geographical position at the meeting point of Europe and Asia gives it substantial political, economic, and cultural influence.
Strategically, Turkey controls:
-
Access from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean via the Turkish Straits.
-
Land routes between Europe and the Middle East.
-
Bordering unstable regions like the Balkans, Caucasus, and Middle East.
Economically, Turkey derives power from:
-
Maritime trade passing through the Turkish Straits, Istanbul, and Mediterranean ports.
-
Energy pipelines supplying Europe through Turkey.
-
Transport between European markets and Middle Eastern oil producers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Turkey’s Location
Here are some common FAQs about finding Turkey on world maps:
Is Turkey located in Europe or Asia?
Turkey spans both southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia but the bulk of its land area lies in Asia.
Does Turkey border the Middle East?
Yes, Turkey shares borders with Iraq, Syria, and Iran so it abuts the Middle East.
What water bodies border Turkey?
The Black Sea, Sea of Marmara, Aegean Sea, and Mediterranean Sea all surround parts of Turkey.
Where are the Turkish Straits located?
The Turkish Straits including the Bosporus and Dardanelles connect the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, dividing European and Asian Turkey.
What countries surround Turkey?
Turkey is bordered by Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Azerbaijan.
Locating the Turkish Republic
Provinces of Turkey Map
Turkey is divided into 81 provinces (iller, singular – ili) for the sake of proper administration. These provinces are further subdivided into 937 districts and smaller subdivisions. The 81 provinces in alphabetical order are as follows: Adana, Adiyaman, Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol, Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Igdir, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir (Smyrna), Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon (Trebizond), Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat, and Zonguldak.
With an area of 40,813.52 sq. km, Konya is the biggest province of Turkey by area and Istanbul is the most populous one.
Ankara, the capital city of Turkey and the country’s second-largest city is located in the central part of the Anatolian peninsula.
Turkey is a transcontinental Eurasian country. The major part of the country lies in the Anatolian Plateau of Western Asia while a small part is located on Southeastern Europes Balkan Peninsula. The Turkish Straits (Bosphorus and Dardanelles) and Sea of Marmara separate the European part of Turkey called East Thrace from Anatolia. Turkey is located in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres of the Earth. It is bordered by seven countries: Greece and Bulgaria to the northwest, Georgia to the northeast, Armenia and Iran to the east, Iraq to the southeast, and Syria to the south. Nakhchivan, an exclave of Azerbaijan also borders Turkey to the east. The country has coastlines on the Black Sea to the north Aegean Sea to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the south.
Turkey Bordering Countries: Greece, Iraq, Georgia, Syria, Bulgaria, Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan.
Regional Maps: Map of Europe