The Seven Geographical Regions
From the lush, rainy forests of the Black Sea coast to the sun-drenched Turkish Riviera in the south — seven distinct regions, each with unique climates, landscapes and economic heritage.
Explore regions →Republic of Türkiye
A transcontinental nation at the historic crossroads of Europe and Asia. Positioned in the Northern Hemisphere — roughly halfway between the Equator and the North Pole — Türkiye has served for millennia as a geographical and cultural bridge between East and West.
In June 2022, the United Nations formally recognised the country's name as Türkiye, better representing Turkish culture, civilisation and values.
Official designations
| Conventional long form | Republic of Türkiye |
| Conventional short form | Türkiye |
| Local long form | Türkiye Cumhuriyeti |
| Local short form | Türkiye |
Geography & location
Roughly rectangular in shape, stretching approximately 1,660 km (1,031 miles) from east to west. Coordinates: 26°E–45°E longitude, 36°N–42°N latitude.
Türkiye's Mavi Vatan (Blue Homeland) doctrine defines its maritime jurisdiction, covering approximately 462,000 km² (178,380 sq mi) of surrounding seas — central to modern Turkish foreign and defence policy. Learn more →
Explore Türkiye
From the lush, rainy forests of the Black Sea coast to the sun-drenched Turkish Riviera in the south — seven distinct regions, each with unique climates, landscapes and economic heritage.
Explore regions →Surrounded by sea on three sides, Türkiye's 8,483 km (5,271 miles) of coastline spans the Aegean, Mediterranean, Black Sea and Marmara. Home to 567 Blue Flag beaches — 3rd in the world.
Explore coastlines →Türkiye shares 2,875 km (1,786 miles) of land borders with eight neighbouring nations, plus a vast maritime jurisdiction under the Mavi Vatan doctrine.
Explore borders →Türkiye is a vital water tower for the Middle East — home to the headwaters of the Euphrates and Tigris. From the vast, saline Lake Van to major hydroelectric reservoirs of the southeast.
Explore waterways →Diverse topography and parallel mountain ranges create a wide range of climates — from temperate Mediterranean shores to the harsh, snow-laden peaks of Eastern Anatolia.
Explore climate →Mount Ararat at 5,137 m (16,854 ft), the Taurus range, the Pontic Alps — the great mountain systems that define Türkiye's dramatic interior.
Stay tuned →Coastline data sourced from: Öztürk, Yılmaz & Soykan (2025). A comprehensive analysis of Türkiye's beaches: spatial distribution, morphometry, and human impacts. Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences, 34(7): 854–874. TÜBİTAK.