Turkey stretches across both southeastern Europe (Eastern Thrace) and the Near East (Anatolia) and has a coastline of more than 7000 kilometers. The two parts of the country are separated by the Bosporus-Marmara Sea-Dardanelles waterway. The successor state of the former Ottoman Empire borders the Mediterranean Sea in the south and west and the Black Sea in the north. The beautiful beaches are very popular with seaside vacationers. In Ankara, the capital, Roman legacies from the past can still be found. In addition, the mausoleum of state founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is located here. Istanbul used to be called Constantinople and is home to the world famous Hagia Sophia. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the former seat of the ruler Topkapi Palace and the striking Galata Tower can also be seen here.
