Exploring Turkey's Neighbors: Azerbaijan Or Georgia?

Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan are all transcontinental countries located in the Caucasus region, with Turkey and Azerbaijan in West Asia and Georgia in Eastern Europe. Turkey is bordered by Georgia to the northeast, while Azerbaijan is bordered by Georgia to the northwest. Turkey and Azerbaijan are also neighbours, with Turkey to the west of Azerbaijan.

Turkey's neighbours

Turkey is surrounded by water on three sides and has eight neighbouring countries. To the northwest, it borders Bulgaria and Greece, and to the east, it borders Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran. Turkey also shares a border with Georgia to the northeast, Syria to the south, and Iraq to the southeast.

Turkey's border with Greece and Bulgaria was settled by the Treaty of Constantinople in 1913 and confirmed by the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923. The current borders with Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia were defined by the 1921 treaties of Moscow and Kars with the Soviet Union. The Iranian border was first settled by the 1639 Treaty of Kasr-ı Şirin and confirmed in 1937.

Turkey's border with Syria is disputed due to the 1939 transfer of the Hatay Province, which Syria does not recognise. Turkey also ceded the territories of present-day Iraq and Syria with the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923.

Turkey's relationship with Azerbaijan has always been strong, with Turkey recognising Azerbaijan's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The two countries share a 17km-long international border and have a close economic partnership.

Turkey's border with Georgia is 252km long, and the country is strategically located between Europe and Asia. Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them.

Turkey's border with Armenia is more tense, with Turkey joining Azerbaijan in imposing a full economic embargo on Armenia after the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Turkey has supported Azerbaijan politically and with arms in the conflict.

Turkey's borders with Iraq and Syria have been affected by the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) separatist insurgency, which has dominated the attention of Turkish security forces since 1984.

Georgia's neighbours

Georgia is a transcontinental country in Eastern Europe and West Asia. It is part of the Caucasus region, bounded by the Black Sea to the west, Russia to the north and northeast, Turkey to the southwest, Armenia to the south, and Azerbaijan to the southeast.

Georgia has a population of 3.7 million, of which over a third live in the capital and largest city, Tbilisi. The country has a diverse landscape, ranging from lowland marsh-forests, swamps, and temperate rainforests to eternal snows and glaciers. The Greater Caucasus Mountain Range forms the northern border of Georgia, with the Likhi Range dividing the country into eastern and western halves. The highest mountain in Georgia is Mount Shkhara at 5,203 metres (17,070 ft) above sea level.

• Russia to the north and northeast
• Turkey to the southwest
• Armenia to the south
• Azerbaijan to the southeast

Georgia has a total of four neighbouring countries.

Azerbaijan's neighbours

Azerbaijan is a transcontinental country in Eastern Europe and West Asia, with a coastline on the Caspian Sea. It has international land borders with five states: Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Iran to the south, Turkey to the west, and Armenia to the west and north (via the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan).

Azerbaijan's border with Turkey is via the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan, which is also bordered by Armenia and Iran. The exclave is separated from the rest of Azerbaijan by Armenian territory.

Azerbaijan's border with Georgia is 480km long, and its border with Armenia is over 1,000km long.

Azerbaijan's border with Russia is 390km long, and its border with Iran is 756km long.

Turkey's population

The population is predominantly ethnic Turks (70-75%), with Kurds being the largest ethnic minority (19%). Other ethnic groups include Armenians, Arabs, Assyrians, Albanians, Bosniaks, Circassians, Chechens, Georgians, Pomaks, Romani, and Laz people. The official language is Turkish, which is spoken by 85-90% of the population as a first language, while Kurdish is the most commonly spoken minority language.

In terms of religion, Turkey is a secular state with no official religion. However, the majority of the population (99.8%) is Muslim, with small minorities of Christians and Jews making up the rest.

Turkey has a high literacy rate, with 96.2-99.4% of the population able to read and write. The country has made significant progress in improving access to education, with the number of pre-primary institutions quadrupling in the last decade.

Georgia's population

Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia, located at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is bounded to the north and northeast by Russia, to the east by the Caspian Sea, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan.

As of 2024, Georgia's population is approximately 3.8 million people, with 61.8% of the population living in urban areas. The median age in Georgia is 37 years, and the population density is 55 people per square kilometre.

The country's population has experienced fluctuations over the years, with an estimated population of 4.9 million in 2021. Georgia's population growth rate has been relatively low compared to other countries, with a rate of 0.06% in 2021. The country's total fertility rate is 1.75 children per woman, which is below the replacement level of 2.1.

The ethnic makeup of Georgia includes Georgians, Azerbaijanis, Armenians, Russians, and other ethnic groups. The official language of Georgia is Georgian, and the country has a high literacy rate of 99.4%.

The population of Georgia is predominantly urban, with the capital city of Tbilisi being the largest city in the country, with a population of over 1 million people. Other major cities include Batumi, Kutaisi, and Gori.

Georgia has experienced a negative net migration rate in recent years, with more people emigrating from the country than immigrating. This has contributed to the slow population growth rate and has had economic and social implications for the country.

The country's population is expected to continue growing slowly, with the United Nations projecting a population of around 3.9 million by 2030. However, this projection assumes a decrease in the net migration rate and an increase in the total fertility rate.

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