Turkey is at the northeast end of the Mediterranean Sea in southeast Europe and southwest Asia. To the north is the Black Sea and to the west is the Aegean Sea. Its neighbors are Greece and Bulgaria to the west, Russia, Ukraine, and Romania to the north and northwest (through the Black Sea), Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran to the east, and Syria and Iraq to the south.
Fast Facts about Turkey
1. The official name of Turkey is the Republic of Turkey.
2. Geographically, Turkey sits in two continents, Europe and Asia, although around 97% of it’s land area is on the Asian side.
3. The capital of Turkey is Ankara, The President of Turkey is Abdullah Gul.
4. The only official language of Turkey is Turkish, although other languages spoken by minority groups include Arabic and Kurdish.
5. Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey and is the third most populous urban area in Europe.
6. Noah’s Ark landed on Mount Ararat (Agri Dagi) in Eastern Turkey.
7. The highest point in Turkey is Mount Ararat 5137 m (16,854 ft).
8. The currency used in the country is called the Turkish Lira.
9. The most popular sport in Turkey is football (soccer), basketball and volleyball are also popular sports in Turkey.
10. Called either Ay Yιldιz (meaning “moon star”) or Alsancak (“red banner”), the flag of the Republic of Turkey depicts a white crescent moon and star on a red background. Although the crescent moon is a common symbol for Islam, it predates Muhammad by thousands of years.
