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Turkey: Geography & Maps

Turkey is a peninsula that links Asia to Europe through the Sea of Marmara and the Straits of Istanbul and Çanakkale. A population of 73,639, 596 are spread amongst seven geographical regions: East Anatolia, Central Anatolia, Black Sea, Mediterranean, Aegean, Marmara and Southeast Anatolia. The country borders the Black Sea between Bulgaria and Georgia, and the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea between Greece and Syria.

The Anatolian part of Turkey makes up 97% of the total area of the country and has been called Asia Minor, Asiatic Turkey or the Anatolian Plateau. The European portion of Turkey is known as Thrace. This region makes up only 3% of the total area of the country yet it houses more than 10% of the population. Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city is located in Thrace.


The Taurus Mountains are a range located in southern Turkey. They extend from Lake Egirdir in the west to the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in the east. The mountains in the western part of the country are low with elevations rarely exceeding 1,500 m (4,921 ft). These mountains descend towards the sea. In the east, the mountainous region has an average elevation of 1,050 m (3,444 .82 ft).

The longest rivers in Turkey are the Sakarya, the Halys and the Yeşilırmak, all of which flow from Central Anatolia towards the Black Sea. The Dicle (Tigris) and Firat (Euphrates) flow from the eastern Anatolia south into Syria and Iran. In addition to rivers are over 300 natural and 130 artificial lakes.



Turkey Travel Information




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