Map of Turkey

To understand the fate, chances, opportunities, crises and future of some countries, it is not enough just to look at the map in the sky.
It is also necessary to read the map drawn on the earth.
Because the map of some countries is very bright; everyone looks at it. And everyone determines their position accordingly.
This is exactly what we call geopolitics.
The political, military and economic meaning that the special position of a country gives it...
Of course, this is not a state of being any place; it is a state of being a place that is passed through, expected, observed, calculated and stopped and thought about.
And when we look at the map of Turkey, we see that it stands in exactly such a place.
In the legend of this map, there are energy lines, security crises, migration routes, war and peace intervals.
This is why Turkey comes to the table, directly or indirectly, in every major issue being discussed today.
At every table where America talks, Russia calculates, Europe makes decisions, China thinks about its future...
In the Middle East, in the Caucasus, in the Black Sea, in the new balances established with the Turkic Republics, we always come across the same map.
This is undoubtedly a matter of pride.
But is it always an advantage to be at every table?
Or is it sometimes the danger itself?
And the question is:
Why are we at this table?
The answer to this question is not new.
It stands in a word with an old name and a heavy burden: Geopolitics.
So the relationship between the place on the map and destiny...
Because some countries come to the table with their preferences; others with their maps. Turkey is in the second group.
There are some countries that cannot be left alone where they are. Because it is a gateway, a threshold, a lock.
Turkey is in exactly such a place.
Geopolitical strategists have been issuing the same warning for almost a century:
“It is not those who live in this geography who win, but those who govern them”.
As can be seen, geopolitical theories are not innocent academic readings. They describe how the powers that claim to control the world view the map.
The idea of establishing world domination by controlling geographical regions is the common ground of these theories.
Although they emerged in different periods and with different concepts, they all pursue the same question:
Where does one rule the world?
This is why, when we look at these theories, we can see why the map of Turkey is constantly on the agenda.
Indeed, Mackinder, Land Dominance Theory In building the world, he sets his sights on the world island (Asia, Europe and Africa). According to him, the one who controls the world island determines the direction of the global game. Turkey may not be at the center of this land mass, but it is right at its doorstep. And a country standing at the gate is as decisive as the one inside.
Spykman takes this view a little further. Rimland Theory and that the real struggle is taking place on the lines where land and sea meet. Whoever dominates the marginal belt affects Eurasia, and whoever dominates Eurasia affects the fate of the world. Turkey is exactly on this line. Therefore, it is neither a purely terrestrial nor a purely maritime power, but it influences the balance of both.
Mahan, on the other hand, reads the issue from the seas. Maritime Dominance Theory, emphasizes that whoever controls the straits and passageways will have the upper hand. The Bosporus and Dardanelles Straits are therefore not only waterways but also decision points throughout history.
Seversky says the war has moved to the sky. Air Dominance Theory, The Turkish military tells us that whoever controls the airspace will gain an advantage in both war and politics. In this geography where the air routes of three continents intersect, Turkey cannot be ignored from the sky.
Ratzel's Life Space Theory, It points to the potential of geography to expand and generate pressure. Turkey's periphery has been the site of this pressure, this compression and this competition throughout history. That is why nothing remains constant in this geography for long.
Fukuyama “the end of history”Turkey cannot be left out of this never-ending history. Because even if ideologies change in this geography, the way of struggle changes; the game does not end.
Brzezinski's Grand Chessboard Theory and that is exactly what it says. Eurasia is the center of the global struggle. Turkey is not just a piece on this board, but a square that influences the moves.
Huntington, on the other hand, reads the issue in terms of civilizations. He sees Turkey not as a border country but as a threshold. It is not a line between East and West; it is a transition. And transitions are always wanted to be controlled.
The theories are different, but the destination is the same:
Turkey is not a country that can be ignored because of its geography.
Because the balance established in this field also determines the course of the world.
And it is not just geopolitics.
There is also the geological and energy dimension.
Most of Turkey's territory was formed in the Third Geological Time.
This is a time of intense mineral and energy resources and fault lines in the world.
This is why Turkey is home to strategic minerals such as lignite, boron, salt, iron, chromium, copper and strong geothermal resources.
Especially boron
Approximately 70-75 percent of the world's boron reserves are in Turkey.
This is not a coincidence, but the result of geological history.
Well, oil and natural gas are formed in the 3rd geologic time. Is there any in Turkey?
This question is always asked:
“Why is there no oil in such a precious geography?”
The most accepted scientific view is this:
Oil and natural gas are formed in the third geological time, but it is not enough to be formed, they need to accumulate.
The structure of Turkey is very young, very mobile and very fractured. This mobility does not allow the formation of large and easily extractable basins.
There is oil, but it is deep, fragmented and costly.
It is not a question of absence, but of geological conditions.
Earthquakes are part of this. They show not only the destruction but also the energy and potential of the earth's crust...
So Turkey's geological mobility is a sign as well as a weakness.
And it is not just about fossil fuels or geopolitics. It is also the spirit of the times.
The map of Turkey now tells not only about resources but also about the spirit of the times.
And that is precisely why it is important to look at the balance of power when looking at this map.
Because the impact of place on politics and politics on place is shaped according to the spirit of the time. As energy lines, transit corridors and thresholds are realigned, priorities are set according to the sensitivities of the owners of the place. Sometimes there are rewards, sometimes punishments.
At this point, Turkey's map shows not only where it is located, but also the order in which it is competing globally.
When talking about the balance of power, the actors with the most weight on the map inevitably come to the fore.
That is why today “new world order” When people talk about China and Russia, they turn their eyes to China and Russia. But a closer look at the map reveals a different picture.
Russia has been preoccupied with a war for a long time, while China is kept in a more cautious and time-limited position.
Because the big game is not played all at once. First, energy pathways, transitions and thresholds are organized.
The maps are slowly redrawn; then come the real moves.
And right in the middle of these thresholds is a Turkey that should not be frightened.
That is why Turkey is at every table. But the issue is not being at the table, but how it stands there.
Geopolitical importance is not a medal.
It is a test.
It is like walking on a deep sea with thin ice.
If you speed up, the ice will break; if you stop, you will freeze.
If you fall, you will drown in the icy depths.
But falling through the ice is often not an external blow. Countries fall most easily when the internal balance they rely on the most is disrupted. That is why in this test, not only foreign policy but also the balance, unity, brotherhood and solidarity in domestic politics are decisive.
Global powers, aware of Turkey's opportunities and threats, play quiet, layered and long-term calculations. As the cards are redistributed, the issue is not only what to do but also what not to lose.
When walking on this thin ice, the main issue is not speed, but balance, rhythm and staying together. Because what we gain is not independent of what we lose; often the losses are invisible.
And perhaps the real question to be asked is this:
In a chess game with so many pieces, is Turkey playing its own game, or is it playing a game set up by others?