Turkey's Country Profile: What To Do In TURKEY?

The straddling of two continents has meant that Turkey has always offered the world a unique mixture of both Western and Eastern culture. The country has a powerful cultural, economic, and historical presence, in its region of the world. And, currently often serves as a gateway between the western European Union, eastern Central Asia, northern Russia, and southern Middle East.

History:

The region of Asia Minor, which comprises most of today's modern Turkey, is one of the world's oldest and continually inhabited geographic regions of the world, as demonstrated by some of the earliest human settlements discovered in the area. As an example, the historical settlement of Troy, and the associated location of the Trojan War, was located in Turkey. Today, Turkey is a democratic country, with an increasingly liberalized economy.

Geographical Regions:

Turkey is comprised of seven geographical regions. These include: the Aegean; the Black Sea; Central Anatolia; East Anatolia; Southeast Anatolia; Marmara; and the Mediterranean region.

The Aegean region of Turkey, reaches from the Aegean sea to the inner sections of western Anatolia. The lands of the Black Sea region form a lengthy and narrow belt, along the terrain of the north of Turkey. The Central Anatolia region is located in the exact middle of the country, and relatively flat, whereas Eastern Anatolia is the largest and extremely mountainous. In comparison, the Southeast Anatolia region is fairly uniform in geography. The Marmara region circles the Sea of Marmara and includes the European section of Turkey. And, lastly, the Mediterranean region is comprised of the southern part of the country, and features both the Taurus and Amanos mountains.

Geographical Profile:

As mentioned, Turkey has a unique location of being a transcontinental Eurasian country. This distinction has divided the country into two sections - Asian Turkey and European Turkey. Asian Turkey makes up 97 percent of the more than 300,000 square miles of the country, while European Turkey is only 3 percent of the area. Surrounded by seas on three of its sides, and hosting the Sea of Marmara as well as its highest peak, Mt. Ararat, Turkey is the 37th largest country in the world.

Coastlines:

Three seas bound the country of Turkey, including: the Black Sea, to the north; the Aegean Sea, to the west; and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. This has resulted in thousands of miles of coastline, for the country.

Rivers:

Turkey features a variety of rivers that often flow into one of the three seas that border the country. Three of the longest rivers in Turkey, the Yesilirmak, Kizilirmak, and Sakarya all lead into the Black Sea. Whereas The Kucuk Menderes, Gediz, Meric, Buyuk Menderes all flow into the Aegean. The Ceyhan, Seyhan and the Goksu pour into the Mediterranean. And, The Biga, Gonen, and Susurluk all flow into the internal Sea of Marmara. The exception to this rule is the Dicle (Tigris) and the Firat (Euphrates), which come together in Iraq, before then flowing into the Persian Gulf.

Places to see:

When visiting Turkey, there are so many places to see, you may find yourself already planning your next trip while you're still there! The ruins of Ephesus and the city of Bodrum, which was the site of King Mausolous' Tomb, on the Seven Wonders of the World, are must sees in the Aegean region. Sinop, in the Black Sea region, is one the country's most beautiful sea harbors, and features a fascinating Archaeological Museum. If you find yourself in Eastern Anatolia, seeing the tallest peak in Turkey, Mt. Ararat is a must, and perhaps you'll be the one who finally discovers the location of Noah's Ark!