GEOGRAPHY

Turkey's lands mass is 814.578 sq km. The European and Asian sides are divided by the Istanbul Bogazi (Bosphorus), the Sea of Marmara and the Canakkele Bogazi (Dardanellas). Anatolia is a high plateau region rising progressively towards the east, broken by the valleys of about 15 rivers, including the Dicle (Tigris) and the Firat (Euphrates. There are numerous lakes and some, such as Lake Van, are as large as inland seas. In the north, the Eastern Black sea Mountain chain runs parallel to the Black sea; in the south, the Tauros Mountains sweep down almost to the narrow, fertile coastal plain along the coast. Turkey enjoys a variety of climates, changing from the temperate climate of the Black Sea region, to the continental climate of the interior, then to the Mediterranean climate of the Aegean and Mediterranean coastal regions. The coastline of Turkey's four seas is more than 8.333 km. along.