TURKEY: A COUNTRY OF INCREDIBLE DIVERSITY
Turkey is a land of remarkable diversity in nature, culture, history, beliefs, and ideas. Serving as a bridge between Europe and Asia, it offers visitors breathtaking natural beauty, unique historical and archaeological sites, an improving hotel and tourist infrastructure, a tradition of hospitality, and competitive prices. It’s no surprise that Turkey has become one of the world’s most popular tourism destinations.
Visitors to Turkey would have an extraordinary range of experiences. This diversity is so rich that it can challenge even the most seasoned travelers. Descriptions of the Turkish landscape often depict it as a "symphony of sounds, smells, and people in the most unlikely combinations of appearance and action," showcasing the vibrant contrasts found within a compact area.
Thanks to Turkey's varied geography, one can experience four distinct climates in a single day. This rectangular-shaped country is bordered on three sides by different seas, featuring an array of beaches, bays, coves, ports, islands, and peninsulas. Turkey also boasts majestic mountains, valleys, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and caves, making it ideal for winter and summer tourism as well as various sports. Skiers, mountain climbers, trekkers, hikers, and hunters can all find new and unforgettable adventures in Turkey. The country is rich in hot springs, healing waters, and mud baths, which are recommended by medical authorities as remedies for many ailments. Above all, Turkey serves as a vast open-air museum, housing the remnants of countless civilizations that have thrived in Anatolia.
In addition to its iconic sights and monuments, Turkey offers endless opportunities for leisure and enjoyment. The majestic mountains are perfect for climbers, hikers, skiers, and paragliders. With over 8,000 km of coastline, visitors can explore picturesque bays and coves, which are not only ideal for summer vacations but also offer exciting activities such as scuba diving, sailing, parasailing, and cruising. Turkey is home to year-round sunshine in some regions and plentiful snowfall in others. The country features a solid and expanding tourism infrastructure, one of the world’s healthiest cuisines, and an exceptionally hospitable population. Whether you are a senior, a history lover, a yachtsman, a mountaineer, a parent with toddlers, or a business traveler seeking adventure, Turkey has something special to offer.
A Unique Geography Connecting East to West
Turkey resembles a mosaic of diverse landscapes, including parallel mountain ranges, extinct volcanoes, plateaus fractured by valleys, and plains. Covering an area of 780,000 square kilometers, this vast peninsula connects Asia to Europe through the Sea of Marmara and the Straits of İstanbul and Çanakkale.
The country is characterized by a central plateau surrounded by mountain chains on the north, west, and south, while the eastern region features rugged mountainous terrain with an average elevation of 1,050 meters. The Northern Anatolia mountain range and the Taurus range in the south curve like arcs, becoming denser in the east. In contrast, the mountains in the west gently descend toward the sea.
Turkey is enveloped by seas on three sides and has a temperate climate. However, the climate varies significantly from region to region: a temperate climate in the Black Sea region, a Mediterranean climate along the southern coast and the Aegean, a continental and arid climate on the central plateau, and a harsh mountain climate in eastern Turkey. These climatic variations contribute to an incredibly diverse range of flora and fauna, making it one of the richest ecosystems in the world.
Turkey is home to over 10,000 plant species, 20% of which are endemic. The country boasts a variety of ornamental flowers, the most famous being the tulip. In the 1500s, tulip bulbs were brought from İstanbul to Vienna, sparking a craze for tulips in England and the Netherlands. By 1634, the fascination with tulips had culminated in "tulipomania" in Holland, where individuals invested in tulips much like stocks today. This period of elegance and amusement in 17th-century Turkey was marked by the tulip, earning the era the title "The Tulip Age."
Turkey is also rich in wildlife, with approximately 160 mammal species. The northern forest belt is home to grey bears, while wild goats inhabit the southern regions. Sea turtles and seals can be found in the waters of the Mediterranean and the Aegean. Unfortunately, like many places worldwide, some species in Turkey face extinction or are endangered. The country hosts 418 species of indigenous or migratory birds, some of which are no longer found in Europe, such as the black vulture.