Turkey is a vast peninsula,
covering an area of 814,578 square kilometres or 314,510 square miles
and linking Asia to Europe through the Sea of Marmara and the Straits
of Istanbul and Çanakkale. Across the Sea of Marmara, the triangular
shaped Trace is the continuation of Turkey on the European continent.
Anatolia is rectangular in outline, 1500 kilometres long and 550
kilometres wide.
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It is characterised by a central
plateau surrounded by chains of mountains on the north, west and south
and a rugged mountainous region in the east with an average elevation
of 1050 metres. In the west, the mountains descend gently towards the
sea. The northern Anatolia mountain range, and the Taurus range in the
south, stretches like arcs, becoming ever denser in the east. Turkey's
highest mountain peak at 5165 metres or 16,946 feet is Ağrı Dağı (Mount
Ararat), situated in the north east. It is believed to have been the
resting place for Noah's Ark.
Turkey has a quite large river system
that allows for important hydroelectric power generation and
irrigation. The country's longest rivers, the Sakarya, the Kızılırmak
and the YeÅŸilirmak, flow from the Central Anatolia towards the Black
Sea. The famous Dicle (Tigris) and Firat (Euphrates) flow from the
eastern Anatolia south into Syria and Iraq. Four other rivers: the Büyük
Menderes and Gediz flow from the Anatolian Plateau into the Aegean
Sea; the Meric, which forms the border between Turkey and Greece; and
the Seyhan, which runs from the eastern highlands all the way into the
Mediterranean, all round out the major rivers of Turkey.
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Turkey has over 300 natural and
130 artificial lakes. In terms of numbers of lakes, the Eastern
Anatolian region is the richest including Lake Van, (the largest of
the country with its 3,713 square kilometres surface), and the lakes of
Ercek, Cildir and Hazar. There are also many lakes in the West Taurus
Mountains area: the Beysehir and Egirdir lakes, Burdur and Acigoller
lakes. The lakes of Sapanca, Iznik, Ulubat, Manyas, Terkos,
Kucukcekmece and Buyukcekmece are in Marmara region, and the  second
largest lake of Turkey, Tuzgolu and The lakes of Aksehir and Eber are
located in the Central Anatolia region. A number of dams have been
constructed during the past thirty years, which have resulted in the
formation of several large dam lakes including the Atatürk, Keban and
Karakaya.
Turkey is like a mosaic made up
of many different reliefs and formations: parallel mountain ranges,
extinct volcanoes, plateaux fissured by valleys and plains. Surrounded
on its three sides by warm seas, it falls in the temperate climate
zone. The climate varies considerably however from region to region: a
temperate climate in the Black Sea Region, a Mediterranean climate on
the southern coast and the Aegean, a continental and arid climate on
the central plateau and a harsh mountain climate in eastern Turkey.
Because of these variations in climate, the fauna and flora are some of
the richest in Europe and the Middle East.
Turkey is separated into seven
geographical regions, which are, in order of size: East Anatolia (21
%), Central Anatolia (20%), Black Sea (18%), Mediterranean (15%),
Aegean (10%), Marmara (8.5%) and Southeast Anatolia (7.5%).
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There are more than 10,000
species of plants in Turkey, 20% of which are found only in these
lands. The abundant rainfall in the Black Sea region allows the growth
of rich forest vegetation. The Çanakkale Strait forms a transition
between the Black Sea and the Aegean regions and therefore has a
mixture of temperate and Mediterranean type of vegetation. Thrace has
fine forests which are subject to the continental influence of the
Balkans. The coasts of the Aegean and the Mediterranean, from the
Çanakkale Strait to the Gulf of Iskenderun, have typically
Mediterranean vegetation which extends to the plains and western slopes
of mountains as high as 1000 metres. The southern coast has very hot
and dry summers and the vegetation in some places is subtropical with
banana trees and date palms. In the Taurus Mountains, the vegetation
consists of pine and cedar forests, with even junipers at higher
altitudes. Central and eastern Anatolia are isolated from all maritime
influence by mountains. Rainfall is low, the summers hot and dry and the winters harsh. In certain areas, the vegetation is steppe-like but also with forests of pine, oak and beech. The region around the Salt Lake is almost entirely barren. The climate in eastern Turkey is even harsher, although the rainfall in the Southeast allows birches, walnuts and oaks to thrive.
influence by mountains. Rainfall is low, the summers hot and dry and the winters harsh. In certain areas, the vegetation is steppe-like but also with forests of pine, oak and beech. The region around the Salt Lake is almost entirely barren. The climate in eastern Turkey is even harsher, although the rainfall in the Southeast allows birches, walnuts and oaks to thrive.
Turkey has a great variety of
wild animals, with over 114 species of mammals. The forest belt in the
north is home to grey hears and in the south to wild goats. Sea turtles
and seals play in the waters of the Mediterranean and the Aegean, just
as in other parts of the world, some species have become extinct or on
the verge of extinction such as the wild Asian donkeys, lions and
tigers. Some 400 species of indigenous or migratory birds live in
Turkey, some of which are extinct in Europe such as the black vulture.
Turkey is an important stopover
for birds migrating between Africa, Asia and Europe, with the predatory
birds stop in these places before continuing on Istanbul Strait and
Artvin being the preferred sites. According to the International Office
of Aquatic Birds and Areas, there are some 800 aquatic species in
Turkey spanning sixty different areas. The shores of Lake Manyas near
Balıkesir are home to over 200 species of indigenous or migratory
aquatic birds. This lake is considered to be one of Europe s richest
aquatic bird centres. Over 250 indigenous or migratory birds live in the
Sultan Marshes (Sultan Sazlığı) near Kayseri; 20 of these are
considered endangered species, although they come here to mate and
breed. The Sultan marshes are thought to be the only place where
flamingos, cranes, herons and pelicans breed together. The protected
salt marshes near Izmir are like a natural museum, with some 190
species of birds living in its marshes, lakes and hills. The hills also
shelter rabbits, foxes and even boars. The Iztuzu sand beaches near
Dalyan are the main breeding area for sea turtles.
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