At a first approximation, the answer to the question of whether Turkey is Europe or Asia seems rather simple, because from a formal point of view it is located in two parts of the world at once, although with a significant predominance of Asia. Culturally, however, Turkey is a surprisingly complex mixture of the cultures of the peoples that have ever inhabited the former Ottoman Empire.
In Europe or Asia? Where is Turkey
Historically, Turkey is usually referred to the countries of the Middle East, since ninety-seven percent of its territory is in the Asian part. In Europe, only the historical region of Thrace is located, occupying the eastern edge of the Balkan Peninsula.
The Asian part of the country is more diverse due to its size, it presents a variety of natural landscapes. A significant part of the country is located on the peninsula of Asia Minor, and the extreme east is almost completely occupied by the Armenian Highlands and the foothills of the Caucasus.
Central Turkey is located on the Anatolian Plateau, sandwiched between the Pontic Mountains in the north and the Taurus Mountains in the south. In general, the plateau is a fairly uniform steppe, and sometimes semi-deserts, among which mountain ranges can rise, reaching a height of two and a half thousand meters.
Eastern borders of the country
Having answered the question of whether Turkey is Europe or Asia, it is worth moving on to a more detailed acquaintance with the geography of this unique country. A significant part of the east of Turkey is occupied by the Armenian Highlands , continuously inhabited by people for more than a thousand years. Fertile valleys and moisture-rich mountain slopes have long served as a source of wealth for many peoples. The most notable and mysterious of them are the Urarts, who built their own state in the city of Tushpa, on the site of which is now the Turkish city of Van.
In these parts, the question of whether Turkey belongs to Europe or Asia is not so urgent. The cultures that arose and died here spread beyond the borders of not only the Armenian Highlands, but also went beyond Asia, significantly influencing the development of European civilization, as well as the peoples of the Caucasus.
Benefits and costs of geographical location
Does Europe belong to Europe or Asia? Given the difficult, albeit advantageous geographical location of Turkey, one should not be surprised that this question is asked quite often. And although geographically the answer to it is unequivocal, culturally, everything is much more complicated. The country is located on the territory of numerous former empires, whose centers were in different parts of the world. For example, the Roman Empire with a center in Rome, the Byzantine Empire with a center in Constantinople, as well as numerous Armenian states of antiquity, the Hittite states and the Arab Caliphate occupied the territory of modern Turkey at different times.
Moving from east to west of the Armenian Highlands, you can meet the Taurus mountain system, which determines the climate on the Mediterranean coast and in central Anatolia. Separating these two regions from one another, the Taurus for centuries also determined the migration routes of various peoples.
When answering the question whether Turkey is Europe or Asia, one should always keep in mind the idea that not only the geographical position of the country matters, but also its place on the cultural map of the world. Turkey today is at the intersection not only of trade routes, but also of the ways in which refugees from the dysfunctional states of the Middle East and Africa seek to enter Europe.
Migration crisis
Since 2012, Turkey has become increasingly aware of not only the benefits of its geographical location, but also the responsibility for people who are forced to use this position. This is primarily about refugees, including Syrian.
The civil war in the Syrian Arab Republic put many people on the brink of survival and forced them to leave their own homes. For internally displaced persons, the answer to the question Turkey - is it Europe or Asia, is not so fundamental, because in the first place they seek safe refuge in the immediate vicinity of the state border of Syria and only then go to the West.
The length of the country from west to east is about 1,600 kilometers, but refugees try to shorten the path and cross the border not by land, but through the sea, and fall on the Greek islands, many of which are located in close proximity to the Mediterranean coast of Turkey.
Western turkey
The border of Europe and Asia on the territory of Turkey passes through the waters of the two straits most important for European civilization - the Bosphorus, on the banks of which Istanbul is located, and Canakkale, known to Europeans as the Dardanelles.
The Canakkale Strait serves as a natural border between the southeast of the Balkan Peninsula and the Asia Minor Peninsula, and on its shores there are such cities: Gelibolu on the European side and Canakkale on the Asian side.
Canakkale is one of the most remarkable cities in this part of the country, since human settlements existed on its territory since the time of the Eneolithic. However, the modern city appeared in 1462 to protect the crossing through one of the narrowest spots of the strait.
Also in the immediate vicinity of the city was the legendary Troy, excavations of which are carried out today by several international teams of archaeologists.
Thrace. European Turkey
Answering the question of whether Turkey is Europe or Asia, one cannot ignore the actual European part of the country located in the Balkans. The European part of the republic, also known as the historical province of East Thrace, occupies no more than five percent of the territory.
In the far west of the current Turkish possessions is the city of Edirne, built by the Roman emperor Hadrian in the lV century of a new era. Before the Turks took Constantinople, the capital of the Ottoman state was in this city, thanks to which you can still see beautiful mosques and palaces, as well as ancient cemeteries and parks in it. Thus, answering the question of whether Turkey is located in Europe or Asia, one can also understand how this situation has had an impact on its history and modern economy.