Türkiye, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan

Türkiye (the official international name since 2022; formerly Turkey) lies where Europe and Asia meet: about 97 % of its land is in Asia (Anatolia on the Asia Minor peninsula) and about 3 % in Europe (East Thrace). Its area is about 780 thousand km², population about 85 million, capital Ankara and largest city Istanbul. The Bosphorus and Dardanelles between the Black and Mediterranean Seas form an international sea route, so its economic-geographical position is very favourable. After changes in 2017–2018 it is a republic with a presidential system. Mountains and highlands dominate the relief, with the Anatolian plateau in the middle; seismic activity is high, and a strong earthquake in 2023 caused great loss in the south-east. The coasts have a subtropical climate, the interior a continental one. Its big rivers are the Tigris, Euphrates and Kızılırmak, and its lakes Van and Tuz. Of minerals, chromium, mercury, tungsten, bauxite and marble matter, while oil and gas are scarce. About 75 % of people live in cities, the western coast being the densest; Turks are the majority and Kurds are numerous in the south-east. The economy is industrial-agrarian and large in the world: textiles, clothing, car making, electrical goods, food and building materials. In farming, fruit, nuts, grapes, olives, tea, cotton and sugar beet matter; tourism brings large income as the country is among the most visited.