Turkey is a nation of the Anatolian and Balkan Peninsulas spanning Europe and Asia. It borders the Black, Aegean, and Mediterranean Seas. Its neighboring nations are Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. Its total land area covers 297157 square miles or 769,632 square kilometers. By far its largest city is Istanbul, with a population of 14.751 million. Its capital, Ankara, is home to 4.919 million. Its other major cities are Izmir (approx. population 2.937 million), Bursa (1.916 million), Adana (1.73 million), and Gaziantep (1.632 million). The nation’s total population numbers around 80,845,215 people.

Turkey’s position at the border of Europe and Asia, along with the Bosporus Strait, has made it a strategically valuable region for centuries. Its coastal climate is primarily Mediterranean and temperate. Summers tend to be warm and dry with mild winters. The interior, shielded by mountains, sees more dramatic seasonal differences. The Anatolian Plateau at its heart experiences both snowy winters and hot summers. Running along its southern coast, the Taurus Mountains are the country’s largest mountain range. Its highest peak is Mount Ararat, the fabled landing place of Noah’s Ark. The country is also notable as the origin point of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

Turkey’s common flora includes cypress, Judas, strawberry, pine, ginkgo, cedar, and oak trees. The country is also home to native wildlife like brown bears, caracals, wolves, lynx, and striped hyenas. Turkey lies along the path of many migratory birds, most notably its many storks.

Learn More About Turkish Culture:

Cultural Overview | Geography | History | Daily Life | Society | Economy | Beliefs | Arts & Music

References

Faroqhi, Suraiya. Subjects of the Sultan: Culture and Daily Life in the Ottoman Empire. I.B. Tauris. 2005.

Finkel, Caroline. Osman’s Dream: The History of the Ottoman Empire. Basic Books. 2005.

Howard, Douglas Arthur. The History of Turkey. Greenwood Press. 2001.

Kandiyoti, Deniz and Ayşe Saktanber, eds. Fragments of Culture: The Everyday of Modern Turkey. I.B. Tauris. 2002.

“The World Factbook: TURKEY.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 20 June 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tu.html.

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