The land border of Turkey is 1,632 miles in length. Turkey shares its land border with eight countries: Iraq, Bulgaria, Georgia, Iran, Greece, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Syria. The Turkey-Syria border is the longest, stretching a total of 511 miles, while the Turkey-Azerbaijan border is the shortest, at 6 miles in length. The country’s border was established after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, in the aftermath of the First World War, which also resulted in the establishment of some of Turkey’s bordering countries.
The border with Greece is located in the westernmost part of Turkey. The European country shares a 128-mile border with Turkey. The Turkey-Greece boundary was established in the Treaty of Lausanne. Signed in 1923, the treaty came in the backdrop of the Turkish Independence War and aimed at seeking a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The region in question was Thrace where Greek-speaking people inhabited alongside their Turkish counterparts. During its implementation, the Treaty of Lausanne saw the Greek-speaking Thracians being relocated to Greece, while Turkish-speaking Thracians were moved to Turkey.
Also bordering Turkey’s westernmost region is Bulgaria, a country which shares a 149-mile border with Turkey. Turkey’s border with Bulgaria was also established after the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923.
With its strategic location at the intersection of Europe and Asia, Turkey shares borders with 8 countries. Its diverse neighbors include European countries like Greece and Bulgaria as well as Middle Eastern nations like Syria and Iraq. Understanding Turkey’s borders provides insight into the country’s complex geography and history.
Overview of Turkey’s Borders
Turkey is a transcontinental country, with territory in both Europe and Asia Roughly 3% of Turkey is located on the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe, while the remaining 97% is in Anatolia (Asia Minor). The European and Asian sections are separated by the Bosporus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles, collectively known as the Turkish Straits.
Turkey borders the Black Sea to the north, the Aegean Sea to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. It shares land borders with eight countries:
- Greece
- Bulgaria
- Georgia
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan (Nakhchivan exclave)
- Iran
- Iraq
- Syria
Below is a quick overview of Turkey’s neighbors:
- Greece: Greece lies to the west of Turkey and they share a land border of 206 km and a maritime border in the Aegean Sea.
- Bulgaria: Bulgaria is located to the northwest of Turkey. They share a land border of 240 km.
- Georgia: Georgia lies to the northeast of Turkey. They share a land border of 252 km.
- Armenia: Armenia is located to the east of Turkey. They share a land border of 268 km.
- Azerbaijan: The Nakhchivan exclave of Azerbaijan shares a short 9 km border with Turkey.
- Iran: Iran is located to the east of Turkey. They share a land border of 499 km.
- Iraq: Iraq lies to the southeast of Turkey. They share a land border of 331 km.
- Syria: Syria is located to the south of Turkey. They share the longest land border of 822 km.
Turkey’s total land boundaries measure 2627 km (1632 miles). Below we’ll explore Turkey’s borders in more detail.
Turkey-Greece Border
The 206 km border between Turkey and Greece runs through the Aegean region in northwestern Turkey.
Much of the land border follows the Maritsa River across Thrace. The border was established by the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923 after the Turkish War of Independence. This treaty also initiated a population exchange between the two countries.
There are three border crossings between Turkey and Greece, including the busy Kapıkule crossing near Edirne. The maritime boundary between Turkey and Greece through the Aegean Sea is more contentious, with ongoing disputes over territorial waters and airspace.
Turkey-Bulgaria Border
The 240 km border between Turkey and Bulgaria spans northern Thrace. The border follows the natural barrier of the Strandzha Mountains across a remote area marked by forests and few roads or settlements.
The Turkey-Bulgaria border was also agreed upon in the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne after Bulgaria had lost this territory to Turkey in the Second Balkan War of 1913. Today the border region remains thinly populated. The main crossing point is Kapitan Andreevo, near Svilengrad.
Turkey-Georgia Border
The 252 km border between Turkey and Georgia runs through the Lesser Caucasus Mountains. Most of the border follows the ridges and rivers of the mountainous landscape.
The two countries have close cultural ties dating back to when eastern Georgia was part of the Ottoman Empire. Today the border area concentrates on trade. The main crossing point is Türkgözü near Posof.
Turkey-Armenia Border
Turkey and Armenia share a 268 km border that has been closed since 1993 due to tensions between the two countries. The border runs along the ridges and rivers of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains.
Both countries were part of the Russian Empire in the 19th century before gaining independence. The border region remains tense due to Turkey’s refusal to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide during World War I, among other factors. There are currently no open crossings along the entire Turkey-Armenia border.
Turkey-Azerbaijan Border
Turkey only shares a short border of 9 km with the Nakhchivan exclave of Azerbaijan. This autonomous region of Azerbaijan is physically separated from the main part of the country due to its location between Turkey, Armenia, and Iran.
The 9 km boundary with Turkey provides Nakhchivan’s only land border crossing, near the village of Dılbər. Turkey and Azerbaijan generally have very close relations.
Turkey-Iran Border
The mountainous 499 km border between Turkey and Iran runs across far eastern Anatolia. Much of the border follows the ridges and tributaries of the Eastern Taurus Mountains.
The Ottoman and Persian empires fought over this border region for centuries. Turkey and Iran still have ongoing disputes over water rights along the border. The main crossing point is Gürbulak near Doğubeyazıt.
Turkey-Iraq Border
The 331 km border between Turkey and Iraq extends across steep, rugged terrain, marked by mountains and rivers. The border area contains the headwaters of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
The Ottoman Empire ruled over Iraq until 1918. The current border was established in 1926. Tensions have flared over Turkey’s military actions against Kurdish separatists based in Iraq. The main crossing point is Habur near Silopi.
Turkey-Syria Border
At 822 km, the border between Turkey and Syria is Turkey’s longest. It runs across the arid steppes of southeastern Anatolia. The border follows a series of low hills and seasonal wadis or rivers.
Syria was part of the Ottoman Empire until 1918. Syria has never officially accepted the border, which was established in 1938. It remains a source of conflict, as Turkey has occupied areas across the border to create buffer zones against security threats. There are several major crossing points, such as Cilvegözü and Öncüpınar.
Turkey’s borders reflect its diverse neighborhood spanning Europe, the Middle East, and the Caucasus. While Turkey maintains close ties with some neighbors, relations are more fractious with others. Understanding the geography and history of these boundaries provides insight into Turkey’s strategic location linking Asia and Europe.
Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia
Formerly part of the Soviet Union, the border between the three countries and Turkey stretched 311 miles, a border that had been demarcated as part of the Treaty of Moscow. However, the establishment of the Transcaucasian republics via the 1921 Treaty of Kars, saw the delineation of the new borders. Currently, Georgia shares a 157-mile border with Turkey, while the Armenia-Turkey border is 167 miles in length. Azerbaijan has the shortest border of all Turkey’s neighboring countries, with a length of 6 miles.
Syria borders Turkey in the southeastern part of the country, with the two countries sharing a 511-mile long border, the longest of any of Turkey’s neighboring countries. Syria has however never accepted the border, feeling short-changed by the Treaty of Lausanne. The area of contention between Syria and Turkey is the Hatay Province, which was initially part of the Ottoman Empire and attained independence in 1939. But Hatay’s legislature chose to merge into Turkey, becoming a province in the country. Ever since Syria gained independence in 1946, the country has always criticized Turkey’s claim to Hatay.
Iran shares a 310-mile border with Turkey. The border was established after the signing of the Treaty of Zuhab in May 1639 by the Ottoman and Safavid Empires. Before the treaty, the two empires had been at war for 16 years fighting over territorial rights. Even after the signing of the treaty, the two empires did not cease confrontations over the border, with at least 18 accords being subsequently signed between the two Empires.
Iraq lies on the southeastern part of Turkey and shares a 206-mile long border with the country. The Treaty of Ankara of 1926 saw the demarcation of the Iraq-Turkey border. Turkey (the then Ottoman Empire) had already ceded the territory in line with the Treaty of Lausanne, which resulted in the establishment of a new country, Iraq.
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