Location:
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
Geographic coordinates:
39 00 N, 35 00 E
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
Area - comparative: Land boundaries:
Coastline: Maritime claims:
Climate: Terrain: Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: Land use:
Irrigated land: Total renewable water resources: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Natural hazards: Environment - current issues: Environment - international agreements:
Geography - note:
total:
783,562 sq km
country comparison to the world: 37
land:
769,632 sq km
water:
13,930 sq km
Area comparison map:
total:
2,656 km
border countries:
Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 17 km, Bulgaria 240 km, Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
7,200 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea:
6 nm in the Aegean Sea; 12 nm in Black Sea and in Mediterranean Sea
exclusive economic zone:
in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary agreed upon with the former USSR
temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior
More Climate Details
high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several mountain ranges
lowest point:
Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point:
Mount Ararat 5,166 m
coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone, magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable land, hydropower
arable land:
26.21%
permanent crops:
3.94%
other:
69.84% (2011)
53,400 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
211.6 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total:
40.1 cu km/yr (14%/10%/76%)
per capita:
572.9 cu m/yr (2008)
severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van
volcanism:
limited volcanic activity; its three historically active volcanoes; Ararat, Nemrut Dagi, and Tendurek Dagi have not erupted since the 19th century or earlier
water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic
party to:
Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification
strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's ark, is in the far eastern portion of the country