I. Introduction
The science that studies the relationships between a country’s international politics and its geographical features is called geopolitics. Geopolitics is a term in which natural (physical) conditions arise within the inter-state policy of a state. (Deudney, 1998) If we want to make a preliminary condition in characterising geopolitics, we may say it belongs more to the realm of political science and political sociology than to the domain of proper geography. (Cahnman, 1943) Geography can be regarded as the study of purely natural phenomena such as weather, topography, soil and resources. It can research social organisation as based on those natural phenomena in more optimistic formulations and seek to trace the casual relations between the conditions that are naturally offered and social practices and customs, as well as the method of securing a livelihood. (Hagan, 1942)
Geopolitics originated and has further been rooted by political geographers and political scientists and has flourished thanks to the work of political scientists. Military strategists, on the other hand, have benefited from geopolitics and contributed to its development because global strategy in the world is shaped by the relationships between the powers that seek and defend world domination. Geography has a right to comment on strategy, politics and economics with all its features. It determines the relationship between countries’ positions and their foreign policy, economy and defence policies.
The concept was coined by the Swedish political scientist, Rudolf Kjellén, in 1899. (Sideway, 2011) The emphasis was placed on the various aspects of the state in Kjellen’s revision of the political science material. In this context, the Swedish political scientist tried to create what he called a “true” and “realistic” political science, as opposed to the usual legalist or idealistic approach. (Cahnman, 1943) It was intended to deal with land, citizens, management to encourage national health, social organisation and the structure of government. (Hagan, 1942) In the preface to his Political Geography, Friedrich Ratzel, the spiritual founder of Geopolitics, expresses his conviction that the entire interconnected social sciences complex can only be built on the basis of a geographical base. (Cahnman, 1943) Karl Haushofer, the leading figure in German geopolitics, argues that geopolitics formulates the scientific basis of the art of political transactions in the search for the degree to which political ways of life in the living space of the Earth occur. (Hagan, 1942)
Under Karl Haushofer’s leadership, the first of six theses published in 1928 described geopolitics as an attempt to investigate the relationship between political events and a significant part of the surface of the earth. (Hagan, 1942) The role of political geographers like Alfred Mahan, Halford Mackinder and Nicholas J. Spykman have had a huge role in the birth of Geopolitics.
Turkey, in terms of its geopolitical position, was separated from all other countries at this point. She is a strategic bridge between the west and the east that brings these two different civilisations closer together. Because of its geopolitical position, Turkey is both European, Middle Eastern, Caucasian and Central Asian. Turkish lands which meet right next to these four indispensable power centres have considerable advantages thanks to its geopolitical position. The aim of the article is to present the geopolitical importance of Turkey from a geographical aspect. The sole research problem formed by the author is, “Why is Turkey a geo-strategically important country?” The article mainly uses theoretical methods regarding the subject’s and author’s research findings. The content of the article examines and includes classical geopolitical theories.

II. Geopolitics of Turkey
States, from the past to the present, that have been established close to some significant regions or states, hold places of strategic importance on the world’s vital points and have always been one of the world’s rarer powers. For example, the states that dominated the Silk Road thousands of years ago have always held high power in world politics. (Christian, 2000) Particular places in the world have a special location in countless aspects. Straits, shores of the seas, transportation corridors, both above ground and underground sources, historical monuments, religious centres, climatic conditions, agricultural areas, commercial centres, water resources and the population density of a geography determines the geopolitical importance of states. The influence of geopolitics can be drawn as the effect of the characteristics of a country or region such as geography, history, economy, population on that country’s place and importance to the world politics. At this point, the importance of the geopolitical position of some regions, including Turkey, should be well underlined. Historically, Turkey has been of considerable strategic significance to states in its surrounding regions and to states that are more distant. (Tekin, 2007)
Turkey’s territories are situated in Asia and Europe, bordering with the Middle East and post-Soviet states, here its underlying Importance of Turkey’s geographical features to achieve different continents. Turkey is also surrounded by seas (the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean) in three dimensions, has a natural link between Europe and Asia and reigns the Bosporus and Dardanelles. (Çelik, 1999) Turkey “is a peninsula itself formed by two distinct peninsulas” (Dominian, 1916) Lyrically, “Faint rays of prehistoric light reveal it as the bridge over which the race of round-headed men crossed into Europe from Asia”. (Dominian, 1916) Turkey, thanks to historical routes, has always been an important place in the world in terms of geographical location, which is one of the main and constant bases of power. This effect has a considerable importance in the transformation of states into world or regional powers. Furthermore, Turkey has played a vital role in world politics. Up until now, Turkey has served as a giant bridge in Asian and European mutual relations. Turkey holds the key not only to the Turkish Straits but also to the Balkan-Middle East and Caucasus-Persian Gulf paths. (Aydın, 1999)
The most fundamental issue on which geopolitics concentrates is the use of power. Today, the power parameters of countries are not seen as simple independent elements but as dynamic elements, each affecting each other’s functions. Herein, the shortest waterways between the Middle East geopolitical region, which is the oil Centre, and the European countries, which are the industrial centres, pass through Turkey. Turkey has great importance in transit trade and energy transfers between these countries. This circumstance offers Turkey an opportunity to play a part in the local transportation of natural resources. At the same time, the transportation of Middle East oil and Caspian Sea oil through Turkey increases the importance and significance of Turkey. (Bağci & Doganlar , 2009)
The Caspian geopolitical region is very rich in oil and natural gas. Turkey has been a key country in order to carry out and implement the natural gas pipelines to commercial traffic towards the European continent in between the natural riches of the Caspian Basin to the world markets. The pipeline that will carry natural gas to Europe will pass/has been passing through Turkey. Turkey is a possible major route to the major Western markets. Turkey therefore plays a major geopolitical role in the Caspian region. (Tekin, 2007) Few nations have been as effective in exploiting their geographical location as Turkey has been throughout history. (Shah, 2009)
With the increase of traffic towards the Caucasus and Central Asia by straits, Turkey has strengthened its status as a bridge. Istanbul and the Dardanelles, which connect the Black Sea countries to the high seas, have maintained their importance in every period. Due to its geographical location, Turkey will remain a transportation corridor in the future as it has been throughout history.
Turkey is a member of various international organizations, commercial, economic, military and political. Turkey, is a NATO country, is in an important area in this respect, as well as a European Union associate member. (Aydın, 1999) It has a strong army in its region. Turkey plays a leading role in some of the UN and NATO initiatives for peacekeeping, regional security. Not only that, Turkey continues to regard the Alliance as crucial for its stability, contributing to a number of NATO operations in the Middle East and Kosovo. (Zandee, 2019) It is therefore of regional and global importance due to the situation Turkey is in. The Turkish economy is gradually improving. “Turkey’s economic and social development performance since 2000 has been impressive, leading to increased employment and incomes and making Turkey an upper middle-income country.” (Bank, 2019) With a large proportion of young people, Turkey has the potential to take an active role in the political, economic, social and cultural developments in the region.
In addition, culturally, most of the country represents the peculiarities of the wider Middle Eastern community, yet it participates in European cultural events with equal intensity. It claims to have a liberal economic model but the planned economy still hampers the development of the country. It is a Middle Eastern country in political, historical and geographical context, yet any change that affects the status quo of the Balkans and the Caucasus affects Turkey directly just as much. (Aydın, 1999)
Turkey’s geographical position, which is of great importance in terms of strategic and geopolitics, has created a weight in directing foreign policy. Since the 1920s, Turkey has experienced profound changes but there has been no change in its location or strategic value. Although its relative importance to other states has changed, what Turkish decision-makers perceive of their geographical significance and threats from this particular location have not yet radically changed. (Aydın, 1999)

III. Turkey in Geopolitical Theories
The core of U.S. Admiral Mahan’s theory of dominance of sea power is: the war must keep out of states borders. The way the direct and manage the conflicts in the world, passes through control the world’s production and trade routes. In order to acknowledge this aim, states should dominate and control the seas because they provide better mobility and transportation. The seas are in contact with most of the world’s reserves. The maritime force can more easily and economically deploy economic and political activities as well as military forces. With this power, states can control the world’s major crossings and channels, and therefore, trade. (Mahan, 1898) For Mahan, the sea is indivisible and consequently, so too is the command of the indivisible, with the dominant power capable of dominating worldwide maritime communication (Barber, 1972) Barber Mahan’s theories are influenced by his emphasis on European history, where common European waters were sufficient to conquer all the major trade routes of the world. (Barber, 1972) Herein, the Turkish Straits connect the Eastern Mediterranean, the Balkans, the Near East and Western Eurasia with different sea ways; in particular, the Straits provide maritime links from the Black Sea to the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, the Atlantic Ocean via Gibraltar and the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal, making them crucial international waterways. (Saighal, 2019) In this context, Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are of great importance.
In the Halford John Mackinder’s theory of geographical pivots of history, a pivot region contains the Volga region encompassing Eastern Siberia, the Arctic ocean, Iran, Afghanistan and Caucasia. The Inner Crescent contains Germany, Austria, Turkey, India and China. The Outer crescent of his theory consists of Britain, South Africa, Australia, the United States, Canada and Japan. (Mackinder, The Geographical Pivot of History, 1904) Mackinder outlined his argument later in 1919, “Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland; who rules the Heartland commands the World-Island; who rules the World-Island commands the world.” (Mackinder, Democratic Ideals and Reality. A Study in the Politics of Reconstruction, 1996) Moreover, there is Nicholas John Spykman and his Rimland Theory: In 1942, the theory which opposed the Heartland theory of Mackinder. Spykman said the rimland of Eurasia, the coastal areas, is the secret to managing the island of the planet. The Heartland is in the rimland. According to Spykman, “Who controls the Rimland rules Eurasia; who rules Eurasia controls the destinies of the world.” (Spykman, 1944) Here it is, according to these well-known geopolitical theories: Mackinder emphasises the fact that Turkey is located at an essential point to the heart of the World. In Spykman’s rimland, Turkey is located in between Eurasia and Rimland, as in Mackinder’s heartland theory. When considered together with other Turkish speaking countries, the territory of Turkey occupies a large part of the world island. Turkey is in the middle of what has been described as the last area of the siege for a nation that aspires to have a world fortress. For this reason, the path of world domination passes through Turkey.
American strategist Brzezinski, in his work, The Great Chessboard (Brzezinski, 1997) argues that whoever dominates Eurasia will dominate the world. Although this view appears to be a continuation of Mackinder’s land domination theory and Spkyman’s Rimland Theory, it is important for Turkey to emphasise its geopolitical value. Turkey’s main role on this chessboard is also evident: to maintain stability in the Black Sea region, to control the transition to the Mediterranean, to balance Russia in the Caucasus, to be an antidote to Islamic fundamentalism and to be NATO’s mainstay in the South. An unstable Turkey would mean Russia taking control again of the unstable Balkans and Caucasus.
Geopolitical theories deliberate states according to their basis of geography in world politics. Within this framework, the region at the centre of the developed intersection cluster is the Anatolia and Mediterranean region. Turkey is also an important part of this geography and takes part in the views and calculations based on these theories. According to the theories of land and sea, Turkey is in a region that must be kept for world domination.

IV. Conclusion
Turkey is at the centre of the struggle for dominance and transition zones in the east-west and north-south direction of the land and sea power centres. Two crucial land transition zones (Balkans and the Caucasus) and a waterway transition zone (Sea of Marmara and straits) connect the Eurasian central to Mediterranean and Africa intersect on the territory of Turkey and connect these regions to the Middle East and Caspian Basin, which are geo-economic resource centres. In the east-west direction, the Anatolian peninsula is an essential landmass of the peninsula that surrounds Eurasia like a natural thrace.
The Turkish geopolitical region is one of the areas that has been the scene of global struggle in the historic period and today. The historical, natural and political structure of the region is a cause of conflict. The region is in the interests of powers with global influence, such as European countries, the United States, Russia, and China. Its position makes Turkey ‘indispensable’ for countries that have interests in these regions. In the world system, Turkey has become a serious regional power with the contribution of its geopolitical characteristics. Turkey continues its existence as a ‘regional power’. Therefore, Turkey’s current existence as a regional power and its importance look set to continue for many more years to come.
In particular, ‘globalisation’ emphasises Turkey’s strategic importance in the world. Because of this characteristic, global powers have to take Turkey into account when determining their situation and policies against each other.
Turkey’s geography has been the scene of continuous and multifaceted conflicts of interest in every period of history, both within and around its borders, which affect the balance of power in the world. Any issue that takes place in this geography resonates all over the world. For this reason, Turkey remains at the centre of almost all geopolitical, cultural and economic theories in these lands where civilisations have been formed throughout the ages and where significant conflicts have been experienced and continue to be so today. No problem around Turkey can be solved or understood without Turkey itself.

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Abstract
Geopolitics is the science that studies the relationship between the geographical features of states and their politics. In other words, it is the study of the influence of geographical factors on power relations in international politics. The Republic of Turkey geographically lies in a strategically essential place in the middle of the region between Europe, Asia and the Middle East. This geographical position of Turkey gives a specific importance that will affect and be affected by the tensions or wars that might occur in this geography. Turkey is at a critical point in the energy trade from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean via its Straits. Militarily strong Turkey is also a member of organisations such as the UN and NATO to ensure regional peace and security. This article examines the importance of Turkey’s geopolitical situation in the region and its geopolitical dynamics. The aim of this article is to demonstrate Turkey’s geopolitical position and importance.

Keywords: Geopolitics, Turkey, Importance

Аннотация
Геополитика — это наука, изучающая взаимосвязь между географическим месторасположением государств и особенностями их политики. Иными словами, это исследование влияния географических факторов на соотношение сил в международной политике между государствами. Турецкая Республика географически занимает важное место в центре региона между Европой, Азией и Ближним Востоком. Такое географическое положение придает этой стране особое стратегичнское значение, которое влияет и будет зависеть от напряженности или войн, которые могут произойти в этом регионе. Турция находится в критической точке в связи с торговлей энергоносителями, транспорт которых осуществляется из Черного моря в Средиземное через турецкие проливы. Сильная в военном отношении Турция также является членом таких организаций как ООН и НАТО, что укрепляет обеспечение регионального мира и безопасности. В данной статье рассматриваются особенности геополитической ситуации Турции и регионе и ее геополитическая динамика. Целью данной статьи является демонстрация положения и значения Турции в геополитических процессах региона.

Ключевые Слова: Геополитика, Турция, Важность