Turkey, country that occupies a unique geographic position, lying partly in Asia and partly in Europe. Throughout its history it has acted as both a barrier and a bridge between the two continents.
Turkey is situated at the crossroads of the Balkans, Caucasus, Middle East, and eastern Mediterranean. It is among the larger countries of the region in terms of territory and population, and its land area is greater than that of any European state. Nearly all of the country is in Asia, comprising the oblong peninsula of Asia Minor—also known as Anatolia (Anadolu)—and, in the east, part of a mountainous region sometimes known as the Armenian Highland. The remainder—Turkish Thrace (Trakya)—lies in the extreme southeastern part of Europe, a tiny remnant of an empire that once extended over much of the Balkans. Exploring Turkeys rich history and cultural heritage
Turkey is a fascinating country straddling Europe and Asia. It has a rich history and culture delicious cuisine stunning scenery, and vibrant cities. But where exactly is Turkey located on the world map?
An overview of Turkey’s location
Turkey is a transcontinental Eurasian nation, with 97% of its land area located in Western Asia and 3% in Southeastern Europe. The Bosporus Strait and the Sea of Marmara separate the European part of Turkey (known as Eastern Thrace) from its Asian territory (Anatolia).
- The bulk of Turkey’s landmass is situated on the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia. This is known as Anatolia or Asia Minor.
- A small portion of Turkey extends into the Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. This European section is called Eastern Thrace.
More details on Turkey’s geographic location
Let’s explore Turkey’s location in more detail
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Turkey borders the Black Sea to the north, the Aegean Sea to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. These major bodies of water have influenced Turkey’s culture and economy throughout history.
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Turkey shares land borders with 8 countries: Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Azerbaijan (including its Nakhchivan exclave).
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Turkey’s Asian territory occupies much of the Anatolian plateau, which is surrounded and interspersed with rugged mountains ranges like the Taurus, Pontic, and Koroglu Mountains.
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The highest peak is Mount Ararat at 16,946 feet located near the borders with Armenia and Iran.
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Turkey’s European portion, Eastern Thrace, consists mainly of rolling hills and fertile farmland. The major city Istanbul straddles the Bosporus Strait, which connects the Sea of Marmara and Black Sea.
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The major rivers are the Tigris, Euphrates, Kizilirmak and Sakarya. The largest lake is Lake Van located in eastern Turkey.
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Turkey has land in both the Northern and Eastern hemispheres. Its central location at the crossroads between Europe and Asia has given it great geopolitical importance throughout history.
Pinpointing Turkey’s location on a world map
Now let’s identify Turkey’s exact location by placing it on a world map:
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Turkey is centered at approximately 39°N, 35°E.
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It occupies the westernmost part of Asia, extending into southeastern Europe.
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Turkey is situated between the latitudes of 36°N and 42°N and longitudes of 26°E and 45°E.
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Its neighbors are Greece and Bulgaria to the northwest; Georgia, Armenia, and Iran to the northeast; Iraq and Syria to the southeast; and the Mediterranean to the south.
Interesting facts about Turkey’s size and geography
To conclude, here are some interesting facts about the geography of Turkey:
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With an area of 302,535 square miles (783,562 km2), Turkey is larger than any European country.
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Turkey ranks 37th in the world in terms of land area. However, over 75% of Turkey’s area is in Asia.
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There are over 1,400 islands along Turkey’s Aegean and Mediterranean coastlines, mostly small and uninhabited.
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The European section of Turkey, Eastern Thrace, comprises just 3% of Turkey’s total land area but contains 14% of its population.
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Turkey has diverse topography including high plateaus, rugged mountains, rolling hills, fertile valleys and plains.
The northern folded zone
The northern folded zone comprises a series of mountain ridges, increasing in elevation toward the east, that occupy a belt about 90 to 125 miles (145 to 200 km) wide immediately south of the Black Sea. The system as a whole is referred to as the Pontic Mountains (Doğukaradeniz Dağları). In the west the system has been fractured by the faulting that produced the Turkish straits; in Thrace the Ergene lowlands are among the largest in the country, and the main mountain range—the Yıldız (Istranca)—reaches only 3,379 feet (1,030 metres). Lowlands also occur to the south of the Sea of Marmara and along the lower Sakarya River east of the Bosporus. High ridges trending east-west rise abruptly from the Black Sea coast, and the coastal plain is thus narrow, opening out only in the deltas of the Kızıl and Yeşil rivers. These rivers break through the mountain barrier in a zone of weakness where summits are below 2,000 feet (600 metres), dividing the Pontic Mountains into western and eastern sections. In the western section, between the Sakarya and Kızıl rivers, there are four main ridges: the Küre, Bolu, Ilgaz, and Köroğlu mountains. East of the Yeşil the system is higher, narrower, and steeper. Less than 50 miles from the coast, peaks rise to more than 10,000 feet (3,000 metres), with a maximum elevation of 12,917 feet (3,937 metres) in the Kaçkar range. Separated by the narrow trough of the Kelkit and Çoruh river valleys stands a second ridge that rises above 8,000 feet (2,400 metres).
Recent NewsAug. 19, 2024, 11:07 AM ET (AP)
The country has a north-south extent that ranges from about 300 to 400 miles (480 to 640 km), and it stretches about 1,000 miles from west to east. Turkey is bounded on the north by the Black Sea, on the northeast by Georgia and Armenia, on the east by Azerbaijan and Iran, on the southeast by Iraq and Syria, on the southwest and west by the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea, and on the northwest by Greece and Bulgaria. The capital is Ankara, and its largest city and seaport is Istanbul.
Of a total boundary length of some 4,000 miles (6,440 km), about three-fourths is maritime, including coastlines along the Black Sea, the Aegean, and the Mediterranean, as well as the narrows that link the Black and Aegean seas. These narrows—which include the Bosporus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles—are known collectively as the Turkish straits; Turkey’s control of the straits, the only outlet from the Black Sea, has been a major factor in its relations with other states. Most of the islands along the Aegean coast are Greek; only the islands of Gökçeada and Bozcaada remain in Turkish hands. The maritime boundary with Greece has been a source of dispute between the two countries on numerous occasions since World War II.
A long succession of political entities existed in Asia Minor over the centuries. Turkmen tribes invaded Anatolia in the 11th century ce, founding the Seljuq empire; during the 14th century the Ottoman Empire began a long expansion, reaching its peak during the 17th century. The modern Turkish republic, founded in 1923 after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, is a nationalist, secular, parliamentary democracy. After a period of one-party rule under its founder, Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk), and his successor, Turkish governments since the 1950s have been produced by multiparty elections based on universal adult suffrage.
Turkey is a predominantly mountainous country, and true lowland is confined to the coastal fringes. About one-fourth of the surface has an elevation above 4,000 feet (1,200 metres), and less than two-fifths lies below 1,500 feet (460 metres). Mountain crests exceed 7,500 feet (2,300 metres) in many places, particularly in the east, where Turkey’s highest mountain, Mount Ararat (Ağrı), reaches 16,945 feet (5,165 metres) close to the borders with Armenia and Iran. In the southeast the Uludoruk Peak reaches 15,563 feet (4,744 metres); though further west, the Demirkazık Peak (12,320 feet [3,755 metres]) and Mount Aydos (11,414 feet [3,479 metres]) are also significant peaks. Steep slopes are common throughout the country, and flat or gently sloping land makes up barely one-sixth of the total area. These relief features affect other aspects of the physical environment, producing climates often much harsher than might be expected for a country of Turkey’s latitude and reducing the availability and productivity of agricultural land. Structurally, the country lies within the geologically young folded-mountain zone of Eurasia, which in Turkey trends predominantly east to west. The geology of Turkey is complex, with sedimentary rocks ranging from Paleozoic to Quaternary, numerous intrusions, and extensive areas of volcanic material. Four main regions can be identified: the northern folded zone, the southern folded zone, the central massif, and the Arabian platform.
Physical Geography of Turkey
FAQ
What country is Turkey belong to?
Is Turkey in Africa or Asia or Europe?
What is Turkey called now country?
What country is Turkey close to?
Where is Turkey located?
Where is Turkey? Turkey occupies an area of 783,356 sq. km with 97% of this area located in Asia and the rest in Europe. As observed on the physical map of the country above, the European part of Turkey called Eastern Thrace is located at the extreme eastern edge of the Balkan Peninsula.
What makes Turkey a unique geographic location?
Turkey, country that occupies a unique geographic position, lying partly in Asia and partly in Europe. Throughout its history it has acted as both a barrier and a bridge between the two continents. Turkey is situated at the crossroads of the Balkans, Caucasus, Middle East, and eastern Mediterranean.
Where is Turkey located in the Middle East?
Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria 39 00 N, 35 00 E Middle East comparison ranking: total 38 slightly larger than Texas
Which countries border Turkey?
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.