Is Turkey in Europe? Where is Turkey?

Turkey is one of the most popular destinations in the world for holidays and vacations.

The warm weather, beautiful beaches and delicious food attract millions of visitors each year.

But is Turkey in Europe?

This is a common question that people have before visiting the country – which is now known as Türkiye.

It’s important to find the answer for travel insurance purposes, visas, or simply curiosity.

Luckily for you, I’m a full-time traveller and I have spent a good amount of time in Turkey, and I’m here to provide an answer to your burning question.

So without further ado, let’s hop right into it.

Is Turkey in Europe?

Turkey is a pretty large country, and it’s so large in fact, that it’s transcontinental.

In basic terms, that means that Turkey spans across more than one continent.

These two continents are Europe and Asia.

So yes, Turkey is in Europe, but not exclusively, it is also in Asia.

Western Turkey is part of Europe, and Eastern Turkey is part of Asia. The country is split by the Bosporus Strait and the Dardanelles which is very close to the west. If you aren’t big into geography like me, they’re essentially two passages of water which split Turkey into two main land masses.

This is often considered the dividing line between Europe and Asia in Turkey, meaning much more of Turkey is in Asia than Europe. The part of Turkey which is in Europe has lots of names such as European Turkey and Eastern Thrace.

As you can imagine, this sometimes gets complicated when it comes to politics, geography and things like international sporting events…what region does Turkey fall under? Turkey is often referred to as a Eurasian country.

But nonetheless, the answer to “Is Turkey in Europe?” is yes, but it’s also in Asia.

Is Turkey in Asia?

Yes, Turkey is also in Asia.

As Turkey is transcontinental, it is in more than one continent: Europe and Asia.

Most of Turkey is in Asia due to the Bosporus Strait and the Dardanelles which I mentioned earlier.

So although Turkey is not exclusively in Asia as it is part of Europe too, it is indeed part of Asia.

People also ask if Turkey is in the Middle East, but this doesn’t have a definitive answer and is up for interpretation.

Is Turkey in the EU?

Like all of these headings so far, there isn’t a straightforward yes or no answer to whether Turkey are in the EU or not.

Turkey are considered a candidate country for the EU, which means that they aren’t part of the European Union, but are in the process of joining.

But this has been the case since 1999, and although relations have been strong and there have been lots of EU-Turkey deals, Turkey is still not an EU member country as of 2023.

This means that Turkey doesn’t use Euros as currency – it uses Turkish lira.

So to summarise, Turkey want to join the EU and has been in the process for over 20 years, but they are not currently a European Union nation.

Why is Turkey in European Football?

The answer as to why Turkey play in European football is actually pretty straightforward, and it’s because part of Turkey is in the continent of Europe.

The most western parts of Turkey are in Europe, making them eligible to compete in European football competitions like the European Championships and the Nations League.

Turkey is also a good footballing nation and has a good relationship with UEFA, the governing body over these competitions, so that is another reason why they are included.

Their best performance to date was reaching the semi-finals of the Euros in 2008, where they, unfortunately, lost out to a 90th-minute Germany winner.

Where is Europe? Where is Turkey?

Europe is one of the seven continents on our planet. You can find it by locating Africa and going north, where you will find Spain, Italy, Greece and other southern European nations.

To the southeast of Europe is Turkey, a large country that borders Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, and Syria.

So if you can find any of the 8 countries above, you should be able to find Turkey alright.

Facts about Turkey

Since we have now established that Turkey is in Europe, as well as Asia, you may be interested in learning a little bit more about Turkey. So here are 5 fun facts about Turkey that might interest you before visiting the country.

1. Turkey’s rich history: There are remnants of the Hittites, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans civilizations in Turkey, meaning there is an abundance of historical heritage to explore. There are so many UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Turkey.
2. The climate is very hot: Turkey’s weather is one of its biggest selling points and it’s always so warm – in a good way. Whether you are exploring Istanbul, flying a drone in Cappadocia, or diving in Antalya, you’re guaranteed a bit of sunshine.
3. Beaches galore: The coastline of Turkey is over 8,000 kilometres long, and there are so so many beaches to check out along the way. In my opinion, some of the nicest beaches in the world are found in Turkey.
4. Turkey has volcanoes: Not many people know that Turkey has volcanoes, and active ones too. The largest is Mount Ararat which is still active and last erupted in 1840.
5. Several mountain ranges: Turkey’s landscape is incredibly diverse. A good way to sum this up is by the number of different mountain ranges. The main ones are the Taurus Mountains, Pontic Mountains and the Armenian Highlands.

Is Turkey in Europe: FAQ

Below are some related questions around “Is Turkey in Europe?” along with my answers.

Is Turkey in Europe: Conclusion

And there you have it, a complete guide to “Is Turkey in Europe?“

Remember, Turkey is transcontinental meaning the country has such a large area, that it’s in more than one continent.

Turkey is in both Europe, to the west, and Asia, to the east.

So the answer to the question is yes, Turkey is in Europe. But also Asia.