Geographical regions of Turkey

Color-coded geographical regions map of Turkey, with national and provincial borders superimposed in thicker gray and thinner white, respectively. The seven official geographical regions are the Marmara Region (dark green), the Black Sea Region (light green), the Aegean Region (blue), the Mediterranean Region (purple), the Central Anatolia Region (brown), the Eastern Anatolia Region (orange), and the Southeastern Anatolia Region (gold)

The geographical regions of Turkey comprise seven regions (Turkish: bölge) which were originally defined at the country's First Geography Congress in 1941.^[1] These seven regions are subdivided into twenty one sections (Turkish: bölüm), which are further split into numerous areas (Turkish: yöre) as defined by microclimate and bounded by local geographic formations.

"Regions" as defined in this context are merely for geographic, demographic, and economic purposes, and do not refer to an administrative division. As such, borders of geographical regions do not overlap with the borders of the administrative provinces.

Regions and subregions

• Aegean Region
  • Aegean Section
    • Edremit Area
    • Bakırçay Area
    • Gediz Area
    • İzmir Area
    • Küçük Menderes Area
    • Büyük Menderes Area
    • Menteşe Area
  • Inner Western Anatolia Section
• Black Sea Region
  • Western Black Sea Section
    • Inner Black Sea Area
    • Küre Mountains Area
  • Central Black Sea Section
    • Canik Mountains Area
    • Inner Central Black Sea Area
  • Eastern Black Sea Section
    • Eastern Black Sea Coast Area
    • Upper Kelkit - Çoruh Gully
• Central Anatolia Region
  • Konya Section
    • Obruk Plateau
    • Konya - Ereğli Vicinity
  • Upper Sakarya Section
    • Ankara Area
    • Porsuk Gully
    • Sündiken Mountain Chain Area
    • Upper Sakarya Area
    • Konya - Ereğli Vicinity
  • Middle Kızılırmak Section
  • Upper Kızılırmak Section
• Eastern Anatolia Region
  • Upper Euphrates Section
  • Erzurum - Kars Section
  • Upper Murat - Van Section
    • Upper Murat Area
    • Van Area
  • Hakkari Section
• Marmara Region
  • Çatalca - Kocaeli Section
    • Adapazarı Area
    • Istanbul Area
  • Ergene Section
  • Southern Marmara Section
    • Biga - Gallipoli Area
    • Bursa Area
    • Karesi Area
    • Samanlı Area
  • Yıldız Section
• Mediterranean Region
  • Adana Section
    • Çukurova - Taurus Mountains Area
    • Antakya - Kahramanmaraş Area
  • Antalya Section
    • Antalya Area
    • Göller Area
    • Taşeli - Mut Area
    • Teke Area
• Southeastern Anatolia Region
  • Middle Euphrates Section
    • Gaziantep Area
    • Şanlıurfa Area
  • Tigris Section
    • Diyarbakır Area
    • Mardin - Midyat Area

Trivia

The Aegean Region has;

• the longest coastline.

The Black Sea Region has;

• the highest annual precipitation,
• the largest forest area,
• the fewest sunshine hours,
• the most landslides.

The Central Anatolia Region has;

• the lowest annual precipitation,
• the most erosion.

The Eastern Anatolia Region has:

• the largest area,
• the highest altitude,
• the lowest annual temperature,
• the coldest winters,
• the highest temperature between seasons,
• the most volcanic activity,
• the smallest population,
• the highest mineral resources.

The Marmara Region has;

• the smallest area,
• the lowest altitude,
• the most climate diversity,
• the highest energy consumption,
• the coolest summers,
• the largest population.

The Mediterranean Region has;

• the highest annual temperature,
• the mildest winters,
• the wettest winters,
• the most greenhouse farming activity.

The Southeastern Anatolia Region has;

• the hottest summers,
• the driest summers,
• the smallest forest area,
• the most sunshine hours.

Sources

1. Ali Yiğit, "Geçmişten Günümüze Türkiye'yi Bölgelere Ayıran Çalışmalar ve Yapılması Gerekenler", Ankara Üniversitesi Türkiye Coğrafyası Araştırma ve Uygulama Merkezi, IV. Ulural Coğrafya Sempozyumu, "Avrupa Birliği Sürecindeki Türkiye'de Bölgesel Farklılıklar", pp. 34–35.