Turkeys Strategic Geographical Location In The World of Geo-Politics E

Turkey's Strategic Geographical Location In The World of Geo-Politics The country of Turkey, slightly larger than Texas in size (780,580 sq km), lies on the southeastern side of Europe and the southwestern side of Asia.? It borders the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.? Land wise, Turkey is bordered to the northwest by Bulgaria and Greece, to the east by Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia (all three part of the former USSR) and Iran, and to the south by Iraq and Syria.? Strategically located, Turkey controls the Turkish straights including the Bosphorus, Sea of Marmara, and Dardanelles.? Because Turkey is positioned on an area where Europe meets Asia and is very close geographically to Africa, the country provides a link between these three continents. The European part of the country is named Thrace, while the Asian part is known as Anatolia.? Throughout history, Turkey, especially Anatolia, has been a prominent center of commerce because of its land connections to three continents and the sea surrounding it on three sides (?Tur key at a Glance?).? Additionally, Turkey?s geographical location plays an important role in the geo-politics of Europe and Asia not just as a crucial land bridge between Europe and Asia but as an integral part of the prosperous Mediterranean economy, a center for trade, and a critical link to the sea for Russia and the Ukraine.? In the past, Turkey?s geographic location has been the center of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires and has acted as a fortress against an expanding Soviet Union and more recently an expanding Iraq (Larson). Turkey?s Role in ?Operation Iraqi Freedom? Within the past year, Turkey has played a vital role in ?Operation Iraqi Freedom. The United ... ...ews. 10 Dec. 2003 Stanford, Dick. ?Panel Discussion, Turkey's Relationship and Foreign Policy Issues with ?her Neighbors and the European Union.? 12 June 2003. Accessed on 22 Nov. 2003.< http://facweb.furman.edu/~dstanford/med04/topic3.htm> Stanford, Dick. ?Water Control Issues in the Eastern Mediterranean region.? 13 June ? 2003. Accessed on 22 Nov. 2003. ?Turkey at a Glance.? Google. 10 Dec. 2003 ?Turkey Belongs in Europe.? The Economist 7 Dec. 2003: LexisNexis Acadmic: News. ?10 Dec. 2003 ?Turkey, Iraq, Sign Protocol to Boost Trade.? Turkish Daily News 22 Nov. 2003: LexisNexis Acadmic: News. 10 Dec. 2003 Turkey's Strategic Geographical Location In The World of Geo-Politics E Turkey's Strategic Geographical Location In The World of Geo-Politics The country of Turkey, slightly larger than Texas in size (780,580 sq km), lies on the southeastern side of Europe and the southwestern side of Asia.? It borders the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.? Land wise, Turkey is bordered to the northwest by Bulgaria and Greece, to the east by Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia (all three part of the former USSR) and Iran, and to the south by Iraq and Syria.? Strategically located, Turkey controls the Turkish straights including the Bosphorus, Sea of Marmara, and Dardanelles.? Because Turkey is positioned on an area where Europe meets Asia and is very close geographically to Africa, the country provides a link between these three continents. The European part of the country is named Thrace, while the Asian part is known as Anatolia.? Throughout history, Turkey, especially Anatolia, has been a prominent center of commerce because of its land connections to three continents and the sea surrounding it on three sides (?Tur key at a Glance?).? Additionally, Turkey?s geographical location plays an important role in the geo-politics of Europe and Asia not just as a crucial land bridge between Europe and Asia but as an integral part of the prosperous Mediterranean economy, a center for trade, and a critical link to the sea for Russia and the Ukraine.? In the past, Turkey?s geographic location has been the center of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires and has acted as a fortress against an expanding Soviet Union and more recently an expanding Iraq (Larson). Turkey?s Role in ?Operation Iraqi Freedom? Within the past year, Turkey has played a vital role in ?Operation Iraqi Freedom. The United ... ...ews. 10 Dec. 2003 Stanford, Dick. ?Panel Discussion, Turkey's Relationship and Foreign Policy Issues with ?her Neighbors and the European Union.? 12 June 2003. Accessed on 22 Nov. 2003.< http://facweb.furman.edu/~dstanford/med04/topic3.htm> Stanford, Dick. ?Water Control Issues in the Eastern Mediterranean region.? 13 June ? 2003. Accessed on 22 Nov. 2003. ?Turkey at a Glance.? Google. 10 Dec. 2003 ?Turkey Belongs in Europe.? The Economist 7 Dec. 2003: LexisNexis Acadmic: News. ?10 Dec. 2003 ?Turkey, Iraq, Sign Protocol to Boost Trade.? Turkish Daily News 22 Nov. 2003: LexisNexis Acadmic: News. 10 Dec. 2003