Location: Southwestern Asia (that part west of the Bosporus is
sometimes included with Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between
Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the
Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria
Map references: Middle East
Area:
total area: 780,580 sq km
land area: 770,760 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Texas
Land boundaries: total 2,627 km, Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km,
Bulgaria 240 km, Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 331
km, Syria 822 km
Coastline: 7,200 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only - to the maritime boundary
agreed upon with the former USSR
territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea, 12 nm in the Black Sea and in
the Mediterranean Sea
International disputes: complex maritime, air and territorial disputes with Greece in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question; Hatay question with Syria; ongoing dispute with downstream riparians (Syria and Iraq) over water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Climate: temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher
in interior
Terrain: mostly mountains; narrow coastal plain; high central plateau
(Anatolia)
Natural resources: antimony, coal, chromium, mercury, copper, borate,
sulphur, iron ore