How Far is Turkey from Syria?

Turkey and Syria are neighboring countries located in the Middle East. The distance between them depends on where exactly you are measuring from but the closest points are only about 100 km (60 miles) apart.

Overview of the Turkey-Syria Border

• The total land border between Turkey and Syria is about 911 km (566 miles) long.

• It stretches across Upper Mesopotamia, following the route of the Baghdad Railway for around 400 km (250 miles)

• In the west, it surrounds the Turkish Hatay Province and reaches the Mediterranean Sea. In the east, it ends at the tripoint border with Iraq.

• The border crosses major rivers like the Euphrates and Tigris. It also passes close to important cities like Aleppo, Kobani, and Qamishli.

• There are around 20 official border crossings along the Turkey-Syria frontier, but many are currently closed due to the conflict in Syria.

Distance Between Major Cities

The distance between major city pairs across the Turkey-Syria border includes:

• Istanbul to Aleppo: 1,305 km (810 miles)

• Ankara to Damascus: 926 km (575 miles)

• Gaziantep to Aleppo: 103 km (64 miles)

• Şanlıurfa to Raqqa: 192 km (119 miles)

• Hatay to Latakia: 106 km (66 miles)

So the closest major cities are only about 100 km (60 miles) apart as the crow flies. By road, the distances may be a bit longer.

Shortest Distance

The shortest distance between Turkey and Syria is around 35 km (22 miles), measured from the Turkish town of Yayladağı to the Syrian border village of Kasab.

This crossing in the Mediterranean coastal area is not an official border post. But it represents the closest point between the Turkish and Syrian mainlands.

Border Crossings

There are a number of official border crossings spanning the Turkey-Syria frontier from west to east. Some are currently closed, but here are a few key ones:

• Bab al-Hawa (Turkey)/Abu al-Zandin (Syria) – This busy crossing on the M4 highway connects Turkey’s Hatay Province with Idlib Province in Syria. It’s around 90 km (56 miles) from the Turkish border town of Reyhanli.

• Öncüpınar (Turkey)/Bab al-Salameh (Syria) – This crossing in Kilis Province is about 100 km (62 miles) northeast of the city of Gaziantep. It leads to Azaz in Aleppo Province.

• Akçakale (Turkey)/Tel Abyad (Syria) – This road and former railway crossing is around 110 km (68 miles) from Şanlıurfa. It connects to Raqqa Province.

• Nusaybin (Turkey)/Qamishli (Syria) – This important crossing joins Mardin Province to the Syrian city of Qamishli in Al-Hasakah Province. It’s about 95 km (59 miles) from Nusaybin to the provincial capital Al-Hasakah City.

So the road distances via the border crossings are a bit further than the direct aerial distances. But the frontier posts give a sense of populated areas in close proximity across the Turkish-Syrian boundary.

Impact on Relations

The short distance between Turkey and Syria – with some areas just 60 miles (100 km) apart – has helped shape relations between the neighboring countries.

On the one hand, proximity facilitated close economic and cultural ties. But it also led to territorial disputes, water issues, and security concerns that strained bilateral relations prior to the Syrian civil war.

Since 2011, the porous border has allowed for smuggling and movement of armed groups. Turkey has built border barriers aiming to control the flow of people and goods. However the nearby conflict continues to negatively impact Turkey.

So the relatively small physical separation between Turkey and Syria has heavily influenced the history, economy, and security of the frontier region. The short distances involved play a role in both inter-dependencies and tensions between the two neighbors.

And there are several border crossings spaced out along the 911 km (566 mile) boundary enabling connections, trade, and travel between the two countries.

This proximity has shaped the relationship between Turkey and Syria for better and worse. Their immediate neighborhood has various benefits, but also brings political and security challenges.