The
territory
of
Turkey
extends
from
36°
to
42°
N
and
from
26°
to
45°
E in
Eurasia.
It
is
roughly
rectangular
in
shape
and
is
1,660
kilometers
(1,031 mi)
wide.
Turkey's
area
inclusive
of
lakes
is
814,578
square
kilometres
(314,510 sq mi),
of
which
790,200
square
kilometres
(305,098 sq mi)
occupies
the
Anatolian
peninsula
(also
called
Asia
Minor)
in
Asia,
and
3%
or
24,378
square
kilometres
(9,412 sq mi)
are
located
in
Europe.
Many
geographers
consider
Turkey
politically
in
Europe,
although
it
is
rather
a
transcontinental
country
between
Asia
and
Europe.
The
land
borders
of
Turkey
total
2,573
kilometres
(1,599 mi),
and
the
coastlines
(including
islands)
total
another
8,333
kilometres
(5,178 mi).
Turkey
is
generally
divided
into
seven
regions:
the
Marmara,
the
Aegean,
the
Mediterranean,
Central
Anatolia,
East
Anatolia,
Southeast
Anatolia
and
the
Black
Sea
region.
The
uneven
north
Anatolian
terrain
running
along
the
Black
Sea
resembles
a
long,
narrow
belt.
This
region
comprises
approximately
1/6
of
Turkey's
total
land
area.
As a
general
trend,
the
inland
Anatolian
plateau
becomes
increasingly
rugged
as
it
progresses
eastward
Turkey
forms
a
bridge
between
Europe
and
Asia,
with
the
division
between
the
two
running
from
the
Black
Sea
(Karadeniz)
to
the
north
down
along
the
Bosporus
(Istanbul
Boğazı)
strait
through
the
Sea
of
Marmara
(Marmara
Denizi)
and
the
Dardanelles
(Çanakkale
Boğazı)
strait
to
the
Aegean
Sea
(Ege
Denizi)
and
the
larger
Mediterranean
Sea
(Akdeniz)
to
the
south.
The
Anatolian
peninsula
or
Anatolia
(Anadolu)
consists
of a
high
central
plateau
with
narrow
coastal
plains,
in
between
the
Köroğlu
and
East-Black
Sea
mountain
range
to
the
north
and
the
Taurus
Mountains
(Toros
Dağları)
to
the
south.
To
the
east
is
found
a
more
mountainous
landscape,
home
to
the
sources
of
rivers
such
as
the
Euphrates
(Fırat),
Tigris
(Dicle)
and
the
Araks
(Aras),
as
well
as
Lake
Van
(Van
Gölü)
and
Mount
Ararat
(Ağrı
Dağı),
Turkey's
highest
point
at
5,137
metres
(16,853 ft).
Turkey
is
also
prone
to
very
severe
earthquakes.
The
Bosphorus
and
the
Dardanelles
owe
their
existence
to
the
fault
lines
running
through
Turkey,
leading
to
the
creation
of
the
Black
Sea.
There
is
an
earthquake
fault
line
across
the
north
of
the
country
from
west
to
east.
Within
the
last
century
there
were
many
earthquakes
along
this
fault
line,
the
sizes
and
locations
of
these
earthquakes
can
be
seen
on
the
Fault
lines
&
Earthquakes
image.
This
image
also
includes
a
small
scaled
map
that
shows
other
fault
lines
in
Turkey.
The
climate
is a
Mediterranean
temperate
climate,
with
hot,
dry
summers
and
mild,
wet
and
cold
winters,
though
conditions
can
be
much
harsher
in
the
more
arid
interior.
Regions
Whether
you
are
an
art
and
history
buff,
an
archaeology
nut
or a
nature
lover,
enjoy
browsing
through
markets
or
going
diving,
the
different
regions
of
Turkey
offer
endless
possibilities
all
year
round.
Each
area
has
its
own
personality,
history,
landscape
and
even
cuisine,
and
with
so
much
on
offer
to
visitors
it
is
not
surprising
that
one
trip
to
Turkey
is
never
enough.
Surrounded
by
four
different
seas,
Turkey
is a
beach
paradise
with
over
8000
km
of
sunny
strips
of
sand.
It
also
has
an
abundance
of
plant
and
wildlife
species
that
can
be
enjoyed
while
camping
or
trekking
in
the
many
national
parks
which
are
dotted
around
the
country.
Home
to
more
than
20
different
fascinating
civilisations,
Turkey
has
a
10,000
year-old
heritage,
much
of
which
is
still
being
uncovered.
Its
rich
history
is
very
much
part
of
the
present,
with
temples,
ancient
theatres,
churches,
mosques,
tombs,
statues
of
gods,
palaces
and
fortresses,
and
of
course
the
many
detailed
and
fascination
museums
which
bring
the
past
to
life.
And
of
course
in
cities
like
Istanbul,
there
is a
modern,
lively
ambience
of
contemporary
society
living
alongside
tradition,
where
art
and
music
can
be
enjoyed
whether
it
belongs
to
today
or
yesteryear.
