Geography & Climate

Sarp, Georgia border

Turkey is located halfway between the Pole and Equator, and lies like a natural bridge between Asia and Europe. The European part of the country is called Thrace, while the Asian part is known as Anatolia (or Minor Asia). Turkey is 814.578 km2 (301.000 square miles) of which 24.000 km2 in Europe. The country is bordered in the north by Black Sea, in the northeast by Georgia and Armenia, in the east by Iran, in the southeast by Iraq and Syria, in the south by Mediterranean Sea, in the west by Aegean Sea and in the northwest by Greece and Bulgaria.

Turkey is divided into 7 regions: The Black Sea, The Marmara, The Aegean, The Mediterranean, The Central Anatolian, and The Eastern and Southeastern Regions. Each region has different types of landscape, climate and fauna.

Climate by regions:
Black Sea Coast: Warm summers, mild winters and relatively high rainfall.
Central Anatolia: Harsh climate with hot, dry summers: cold winters
Eastern Anatolia: Long snowy, cold winters, with mild summers.
Southeast Anatolia: Hot summers with mild, rainy winters.
Marmara, Aegean and Mediterranean coasts: These coasts have a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers, and mild winters

The European and Asian regions are separated by the Istanbul Boğazı (Bosphorus), the Sea of Marmara, and the Çanakkale Boğazı (Dardanelles). Anatolia is a high plateau rising progressively towards the east, broken up by the valleys of about 15 rivers, including the Dicle (Tigris) and the Fırat (Euphrates).

There are numerous lakes and some, such as Lake Van, are as large as inland seas. In the north, the mountains along the eastern Black Sea coast run parallel to the Sea: in the south, the Taurus Mountains sweep down almost to the narrow, fertile coastal plain.

Turkey enjoys a variety of climates, ranging from the temperate climate of the Black Sea region, to the continental climate of the interior, then, to the Mediterranean climate of the Aegean and Mediterranean coastal regions. The coastline touching the four seas that border the country is 8333 km in length.


Also See:

Ankara	History
Major Cities	Geography & Climate
Language	Religion
Political System	Currency
Work Hours & Holidays	Population
Conversion Table

Latest comments about this article

 By imtiaz  23.9.2004

THis is a question actually. What kind of weather should I prepare for for early To mid November? Heavy or light rains usually? I´ll be in Istanbul and Central Anatolia for a bit. Thanks!

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