Geography & Landforms

Turkey spans 783,562 km² across two continents — the larger part (97%) lies in Anatolia (Asia), the smaller (3%) in Thrace (Europe). Four seas wash the country's shores: the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara, the Aegean, and the Mediterranean.

Landscape Zones

• Aegean and Mediterranean Coast: Mediterranean landscape with olive groves, pine forests, citrus plantations, and over 8,000 km of coastline. Bays, peninsulas, offshore islands.
• Taurus Mountains (Toroslar): Runs parallel to the southern coast — up to 3,756 m (Demirkazık). Separates the coast from the high plateau. Gorges, glacial lakes, cedar forests.
• Central Anatolian Plateau: Steppe landscape at 800–1,200 m altitude — Cappadocia with its tuff formations is the most spectacular part.
• Black Sea Coast: Humid, green, mountainous — tea plantations, hazelnut groves, dense forests. The Kaçkar Mountains (3,937 m) resemble the Alps.
• Eastern Anatolia: High mountains and plateaus — Mount Ararat (5,137 m) is the highest peak in Turkey. Extreme continental climate.