List of mosques in Afghanistan
Table:
Name	Province	City	Year	Remarks

Abdul Rahman Mosque	Kabul Province	Kabul	2009	Largest mosque in Afghanistan

Friday Mosque of Kandahar	Kandahar Province	Kandahar	1750	Houses the cloak of the Islamic prophet Muhammad

Omar Al-Farooq Mosque	Kandahar Province	Kandahar	2014	Built on the site that was a popular cinema of Kandahar . [ 1 ]

Great Mosque of Herat	Herat Province	Herat	1446	The mosque was the city 's first congregational mosque , built on the former site of two smaller Zoroastrian Fire temples destroyed by earthquake and fire

Shrine of Ali	Balkh Province	Mazar-i-Sharif	?	Also known as the Blue Mosque of Mazar-i-Sharif

Sakhi Shrine ( Ziarat-e Sakhi )	Kabul Province	Kabul	?	Also known as Karte Sakhi Shrine

Mosque of Jalalabad	Nangarhar Province	Jalalabad	?

Lashkargah Mosque	Helmand Province	Lashkar Gah	?

Khost Mosque	Khost Province	Khost	2000

Amir Ali Shernway Mosque	Jowzjan Province	Sheberghan	2017	Built by Turkey [ 2 ]

Considering the table and the passages listed.

Provide an answer to this question: What dynasty did the city with a mosque containing the Kherqa serve as capital in 1709 ? Return your answer as JSON: {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Do not introduce information beyond the provided sources.

The Abdul Rahman Mosque ( Dari : مسجد عبدالرحمان ; Pashto : د عبدالرحمان جومات ) , also known as the Grand Mosque of Kabul , is one of the largest mosques in Afghanistan . It is located in one of Kabul 's central commercial areas called Deh Afghanan , near the Pashtunistan Square , Zarnegar Park , and across the once popular Plaza Hotel . The building is three stories high , built on 3.5 acres of land . One floor of the building is dedicated to women only . The mosque is named after an influential Afghan businessman named Hajji Abdul Rahman who has died but his sons continued the project . Construction of the mosque began in 2001 by Hajji Abdur Rahman but was delayed for several years due to red tape . The mosque has the capacity to serve 10,000 people at a time . There is also a madrasa inside the mosque and a library containing 150,000 books . The major work on the mosque was completed in late 2009 but the official inauguration took place in July 2012 which was attended by the former Afghan President Hamid Karzai and many other high-ranking officials . The building of the mosque is said to have been initially designed by Afghan architect Mir Hafizullah Hashimi . [ citation needed ]
Kābul ( Pashto : کابل , romanized : Kābəl , Persian : کابل , romanized : Kābul ) , situated in the east of the country , is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan . The capital of the province is Kabul city , which is also Afghanistan 's capital . The population of the Kabul Province is nearly 4 million people as of 2012 , of which almost 80 percent live in the urban areas . The current governor of the province is Muhammad Yaqub Haidari .
Kabul ( Persian : کابل , romanized : Kābol , Pashto : کابل , romanized : Kābəl ) is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan , located in the eastern section of the country . It is also a municipality , forming part of the greater Kabul Province , and divided into 22 districts . According to estimates in 2019 , the population of Kabul is 4.114 million , which includes all the major ethnic groups of Afghanistan . Afghanistan 's only city with a population of over 1 million , Kabul serves as its political , cultural and economical center . Rapid urbanization had made Kabul the world 's 75th largest city . Kabul is located high up in a narrow valley between the Hindu Kush mountains , with an elevation of 1,790 metres ( 5,873 ft ) making it one of the highest capitals in the world . The city is said to be over 3,500 years old , mentioned since at least the time of the Achaemenid Empire . Located at crossroads in Asia - roughly halfway between Istanbul in the west and Hanoi in the east - it is in a strategic location along the trade routes of South and Central Asia , and a key location of the ancient Silk Road . It has been part of the Achaemenids followed by the Seleucids , Mauryans , Kushans , Kabul Shahis , Saffarids , Samanids , Ghaznavids , Ghurids , Khwarazmians , Qarlughids , Khaljis , Timurids , Mughals , and Hotaks , until finally becoming part of the Durrani Empire ( also known as the Afghan Empire ) in 1747 . Kabul became the capital of Afghanistan in 1776 , during the reign of Timur Shah Durrani , the son of Ahmad Shah Durrani . In the early 19th century , the British occupied the city , but after establishing foreign relations , they were compelled to withdraw all forces from Afghanistan . The city was occupied by the Soviets in 1979 but they too abandoned it after the 1988 Geneva Accords were signed .
The Shrine of the Cloak ( Pashto : خرقه شريفه Kherqa Sharīfa ) is located adjacent to the main mosque in Kandahar , Afghanistan . It contains the Kherqa , a cloak believed to have been worn by the Islamic prophet Muhammad during the famous Night Journey in 621 CE . It is said to be one of the holiest sites in Islam , and even considered by some as the heart of Afghanistan . The building 's exteriors are of green marble from Lashkargah , with tiled surfaces and gilded archways . The cloak itself is locked away inside the mosque and is rarely seen . It has been guarded by the same family for over 250 years . Its guardians have traditionally only shown the cloak to recognized leaders of Afghanistan , although in times of great crisis such as natural disasters , it has been publicly displayed as a means of reassurance . The cloak was given to Amir Ahmad Shah Durrani ( regarded as the founder of modern Afghanistan ) by Amir Murad Beg of Bukhara ( in modern Uzbekistan ) in 1768 in order to solidify a treaty between the two leaders . An alternate account states that when Ahmad Shah had traveled to Bukhara , he saw the cloak of Muhammad . He then decided to take the artifact with him to Kandahar , and asked whether he could borrow the cloak from its keepers . They , worrying that he might try to remove it from Bukhara , told him it could not be taken from the city . Ahmad Shah then is said to have pointed to a heavy stela of stone firmly planted in the ground , saying that he would never take the cloak far from the stone .
Kandahār ( Pashto : کندھار ; Persian : قندهار , Qandahār ) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan , located in the southern part of the country next to Pakistan . It is surrounded by Helmand in the west , Uruzgan in the north and Zabul Province in the east . Its capital is the city of Kandahar , which is located on the Arghandab River . The greater region surrounding the province is called Loy Kandahar . The province contains about 18 districts , over 1,000 villages , and approximately 1,368,100 people , which is mostly tribal and a rural society . The main inhabitants of Kandahar province are the native ethnic Pashtuns , although smaller communities of Tajiks , Hazaras , Uzbeks and Baloch are also found in parts of the city of Kandahar . The current governor of the province is Humayoon Azizi .
Kandahar ( /ˈkɑːnðəˌhɑːr/ ) or Qandahar ( Pashto : کندهار ; Dari : قندهار ; known in older literature as Candahar ) is a city located in Afghanistan , with a population of about 614,118 . Kandahar is located in the south of the country on the Arghandab River , at an elevation of 1,010 m ( 3,310 ft ) . It is the capital of Kandahar Province , and also the center of the larger cultural region called Loy Kandahar . In 1709 , Mirwais Hotak made the region an independent kingdom and turned Kandahar into the capital of the Hotak dynasty . In 1747 , Ahmad Shah Durrani , founder of the Durrani dynasty , made Kandahar the capital of the Afghan Empire . Kandahar is one of the most culturally significant cities of the Pashtuns and has been their traditional seat of power for more than 300 years . It is a major trading center for sheep , wool , cotton , silk , felt , food grains , fresh and dried fruit , and tobacco . The region produces fine fruits , especially pomegranates and grapes , and the city has plants for canning , drying , and packing fruit , and is a major source of marijuana and hashish en route to Tajikistan . The region around Kandahar is one of the oldest known human settlements . A major fortified city existed at the site of Kandahar , probably as early as c. 1000-750 BCE , and it became an important outpost of the Achaemenid ( Persian ) Empire in the 6th century BCE . Alexander the Great had laid-out the foundation of what is now Old Kandahar in the 4th century BC and gave it the Ancient Greek name Αλεξάνδρεια Aραχωσίας ( Alexandria of Arachosia ) . Many empires have long fought over the city due to its strategic location along the trade routes of southern , central and western Asia .
Muhammad [ n 1 ] ( Arabic : مُحَمَّد , pronounced [ muħammad ] ; [ n 2 ] c. 570 CE - 8 June 632 CE ) was an Arab religious , social , and political leader and the founder of Islam . According to Islamic doctrine , he was a prophet , sent to present and confirm the monotheistic teachings preached previously by Adam , Abraham , Moses , Jesus , and other prophets . He is viewed as the final prophet of God in all the main branches of Islam , though some modern denominations diverge from this belief . [ n 3 ] Muhammad united Arabia into a single Muslim polity , with the Quran as well as his teachings and practices forming the basis of Islamic religious belief . He is referred to by many appellations , including Messenger of Allah , The Prophet Muhammad , Allah 's Apostle , Last Prophet of Islam , and others ; there are also many variant spellings of Muhammad , such as Mohamet , Mahamad , Muhamad , and many others . Born approximately 570 CE ( Year of the Elephant ) in the Arabian city of Mecca , Muhammad was orphaned at the age of six . He was raised under the care of his paternal grandfather Abd al-Muttalib , and upon his death , by his uncle Abu Talib . In later years , he would periodically seclude himself in a mountain cave named Hira for several nights of prayer . When he was 40 , Muhammad reported being visited by Gabriel in the cave , and receiving his first revelation from God . Three years later , in 610 , Muhammad started preaching these revelations publicly , proclaiming that God is One , that complete submission ( islām ) to God is the right way of life ( dīn ) , and that he was a prophet and messenger of God , similar to the other prophets in Islam . The followers of Muhammad were initially few in number , and experienced hostility from Meccan polytheists . He sent some of his followers to Abyssinia in 615 to shield them from prosecution , before he and his followers migrated from Mecca to Medina ( then known as Yathrib ) in 622 .
The Great Mosque of Herat ( Persian : مسجد جامع هرات , Masjid-i Jāmi-i Herāt ) or Jami Masjid of Herat , is a mosque in the city of Herat , in the Herat Province of north-western Afghanistan . It was built by the Ghurids , under the rule of the Sultan Ghiyath al-Din Muhammad Ghori , who laid its foundation in 1200 CE , and later extended by several rulers as Herat changed rulers down the centuries from the Timurids to the Safavids , Mughals and then the Uzbeks , all of whom supported the mosque . Though many of the glazed tiles have been replaced during subsequent periods , the Friday Mosque in Herat was given its present form during the closing years of the fifteenth century . Apart from numerous small neighborhood mosques for daily prayer , most communities in the Islamic world have a larger mosque , a congregational mosque for Friday services with a sermon . The Jama Masjid was not always the largest mosque in Herat ; a much larger complex the Mosque and Madressa of Gawhar Shad , also built by the Timurids , was located in the northern part of the city . However , those architectural monuments were dynamited by officers of the British Indian Army in 1885 , to prevent its use as a fortress if a Russian army tried to invade India .
Herat ( Pashto/Dari : هرات ) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan , located in the western part of the country . Together with Badghis , Farah , and Ghor provinces , it makes up the north-western region of Afghanistan . Its primary city and administrative capital is Herat City . The province of Herat is divided into about 17 districts and contains over 1,000 villages . It has a population of about 1,780,000 , making it the second most populated province in Afghanistan behind Kabul Province . The population is multi-ethnic but largely Persian-speaking . The province of Herat shares a border with Iran in the west and Turkmenistan in the north , making it an important trading region . The Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline ( TAPI ) is expected to pass through Herat from Turkmenistan to Pakistan and India in the south . The province has two airports , one is the Herat International Airport in the capital of Herat and the other is at the Shindand Air Base , which is one of the largest military bases in Afghanistan . The Salma Dam which is fed by the Hari River is also located in this province .
Herāt ( /hɛˈrɑːt/ ; Persian/Pashto : هرات ) is the third-largest city of Afghanistan . It has a population of about 436,300 , and serves as the capital of Herat Province , situated in the fertile valley of the Hari River in the western part of the country . It is linked with Kandahar , Kabul , and Mazar-i-Sharif via Highway 1 or the ring road . It is further linked to the city of Mashhad in neighboring Iran through the border town of Islam Qala , and to Mary in Turkmenistan to the north through the border town of Torghundi . Herat dates back to Avestan times and was traditionally known for its wine . The city has a number of historic sites , including the Herat Citadel and the Musalla Complex . During the Middle Ages Herat became one of the important cities of Khorasan , as it was known as the Pearl of Khorasan . It has been governed by various Afghan rulers since the early 18th century . In 1717 , the city was invaded by the Hotaki forces until they were expelled by the Afsharids in 1729 . After Nader Shah 's death and Ahmad Shah Durrani 's rise to power in 1747 , Herat became part of Afghanistan . It witnessed some political disturbances and military invasions during the early half of the 19th century but the 1857 Treaty of Paris ended hostilities of the Anglo-Persian War . Herat lies on the ancient trade routes of the Middle East , Central and South Asia , and today is a regional hub in western Afghanistan .
A fire temple in Zoroastrianism is the place of worship for Zoroastrians , often called dar-e mehr ( Persian ) or agiyari ( Gujarati ) . In the Zoroastrian religion , fire ( see atar ) , together with clean water ( see aban ) , are agents of ritual purity . Clean , white ash for the purification ceremonies [ is ] regarded as the basis of ritual life , which are essentially the rites proper to the tending of a domestic fire , for the temple [ fire ] is that of the hearth fire raised to a new solemnity . For , one who sacrifices unto fire with fuel in his hand . , is given happiness . As of 2019 [ update ] , there were 167 fire temples in the world , of which 45 were in Mumbai , 105 in the rest of India , and 17 in other countries . There is a religious custom in India of not allowing Zoroastrian women to enter the Fire Temple and the Tower of Silence if they marry a non-Zoroastrian person . This custom has been challenged before the Supreme Court of India after a Zoroastrian woman was denied entry into Zoroastrian institutions .
The Blue Mosque is a mosque located in the center of Mazar-i-Sharif , Afghanistan . The Seljuq dynasty sultan Ahmed Sanjar built the first known shrine at this location . It was destroyed or hidden under earthen embankment during the invasion of Genghis Khan in around 1220 . In the 15th century , Sultan Husayn Bayqarah Mirza built the current Blue Mosque here . It is by far the most important landmark in Mazar-i-Sharif and it is believed that the name of city ( Noble Shrine , Grave of Hazrat-i-Ali { Sharif } originates from this shrine . A site plan of the location made in the 1910s shows that there had earlier been a smaller walled precinct in the mosque , which was razed to create parklands later , although the portals to this precinct still remain as gateways for the shrine . Tombs of varying dimensions were added for a number of Afghan political and religious leaders over the years , which has led to the development of its current irregular dimensions . These include the square domed tomb of Amir Dost Muhammad , Wazir Akbar Khan and a similar structure for Amir Sher Ali and his family . According to a local legend here has been buried Ali who reportedly was brought here by a white camel in order to save his remains from the desecration by his enemies . Most Muslims though consider that Ali is buried in Imam Ali Mosque , Najaf in Iraq . Alternatively , the personage buried in the shrine may have predated Islam . Identifying the shrine with Ali could likely be a myth to ensure the tomb would be protected and honored by the Islamic establishment .
Balkh ( Pashto and Persian : بلخ , Balx ) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan , located in the north of the country . It is divided into 15 districts and has a population of about 1,245,100 , which is multi-ethnic and mostly a Persian-speaking society . The city of Mazar-i-Sharif serves as the capital of the province . The Mazar-e Sharif International Airport and Camp Marmal sit on the eastern edge of Mazar-i-Sharif . The name of the province is derived from the ancient city of Balkh , near the modern town . The city of Mazar-e-Sharif has been an important stop on the trade routes from the Far East to the Middle East , the Mediterranean and Europe . Home to the famous blue mosque , it was once destroyed by Genghis Khan but later rebuilt by Timur . The city of Balkh and the area of Balkh Province was considered a part of various historical regions in history including Ariana and Greater Khorasan . It serves today as Afghanistan 's second but main gateway to Central Asia , the other being Sherkhan Bandar in the Kunduz Province .
Mazār-i-Sharīf ( Dari and Pashto : مزار شریف ; [ mæˈzɒːre ʃæˈriːf ] ) , also called Mazār-e Sharīf , or just Mazar , is the fourth-largest city of Afghanistan , with a 2015 UN-Habitat population estimate 427,600 . It is the capital of Balkh province and is linked by highways with Kunduz in the east , Kabul in the southeast , Herat in the west and Termez in Uzbekistan in the north . It is about 55 km ( 34 mi ) from the Uzbek border . The city also serves as one of the many tourist attractions because of its famous shrines as well as the Islamic and Hellenistic archeological sites . The ancient city of Balkh is also nearby . The name Mazar-i-Sharif means Tomb of the Prince , a reference to the large , blue-tiled sanctuary and mosque in the center of the city known as the Shrine of Ali or the Blue Mosque . Some people believe that the tomb of Ali ibn Abi Talib , the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad , is at this mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif , after Ali 's remains were transferred to Mazar-i-Sharif as per request of Ja'far as-Sadiq . [ citation needed ] This is however rejected by other Muslims , as the majority believe he is buried in Najaf , Iraq . The region around Mazar-i-Sharif has been historically part of Greater Khorasan and was controlled by the Tahirids followed by the Saffarids , Samanids , Ghaznavids , Ghurids , Ilkhanates , Timurids , and Khanate of Bukhara until the mid-18th century when it became part of the Durrani Empire after a friendship treaty was signed between emirs Murad Beg and Ahmad Shah Durrani . Mazar-i-Sharif is also known for the famous Afghan song Bia ke berem ba Mazar ( Come let 's go to Mazar ) by Sarban . Mazar-i-Sharif is the regional hub of northern Afghanistan , located in close proximity to both Uzbekistan and Tajikistan . It is also home to an international airport .
Sakhi Shah-e Mardan Shrine or Ziyarat-e Sakhi ( Dari : زیارت سخی ) , is a shrine and mosque located in the Karte Sakhi area of Kabul , Afghanistan . It is associated with the place to which the cloak of the Prophet Muhammad was brought and with a visit from Ali , the son-in-law and cousin of Prophet Muhammad , who would become the fourth Caliph and first of the Twelve Imams . The shrine is located at the foot of the Asmayi Hill , now better known as Television Hill . To its north and west is the Sakhi Cemetery . It is believed that the shrine marks the spot where the cloak of Prophet Muhammad was kept on its way to its present location in the Shrine of the Cloak in Kandahar . The cloak is said to have been woven by Muhammad himself with the help of his daughter Fatima , her husband , and Muhammad 's cousin , Ali , and their sons , Hasan and Husayn . Before Muhammad died , he bequeathed his cloak to Uwais al-Qarani , telling Ali and Umar that Uwais should be given the cloak on his death . After the Prophet 's death , Uwais took the cloak to the Cave of Hira on Jabal al-Nour , where Muhammad received his first revelation . It is believed to have remained in the cave until it was taken to Baghdad by Shaykh al-Uliya Qutba al-Atqiya . Timur would later seize it and take to his capital of Samarqand , where is would stay until 1076/1665-66 . The cloak was then taken to India , from where it was taken to Balkh , in the west of today 's Afghanistan , by the then governor of the city , Mir Yar Beg . He built a fort in Juzgun , Badakhshan , to house the garment securely .
Nangarhār ( Pashto : ننګر هار , Dari : ننگرهار , Urdu : ننگرهار ) also called Nangrahar or Ningrahar , is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan , located in the eastern part of the country . It is divided into twenty-two districts and has a population of about 1,436,000 . The city of Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar province .
Jalālābād /dʒəˈlæləˌbæd/ , or Dzalalabad , ( Urdu : جلال آباد ) is a city in eastern Afghanistan . It is the capital of Nangarhar Province . Jalalabad is located at the junction of the Kabul River and the Kunar River . It is linked by an approximately 150-kilometre ( 95 mi ) highway with Kabul to the west , and a 130-kilometre ( 80 mi ) highway with the Pakistani city of Peshawar to the east . Jalalabad has a population of 356,274 ( 2015 estimate ) , making it one of the five largest cities of Afghanistan . Jalalabad is a leading center of social and trade activity because of its proximity with the Torkham border crossing , 65 km ( 40 mi ) away . Major industries include papermaking , as well as agricultural products including oranges , lemon , rice , and sugarcane due to its warm climate . It has six districts and a total land area of 12,796 hectares ( 31,620 acres ) . The total number of dwellings in this city is 39,586 .
Lashkargah Mosque ( Pashto : د لښکرګاه جومات ) is a mosque in the city of Lashkargah , in Helmand province of south-western Afghanistan .
Helmand ( /ˈhɛlmənd/ HEL-mənd ; Pashto/Dari : اهلاً ايها القارئ ) , also known as Hillmand or Helman and , in ancient times , as Hermand and Hethumand , is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan , in the south of the country . It is the largest province by area , covering 58,584 square kilometres ( 20,000 sq mi ) area . The province contains 13 districts , encompassing over 1,000 villages , and roughly 1,442,500 settled people . Lashkar Gah serves as the provincial capital . Helmand was part of the Greater Kandahar region until made into a separate province by the Afghan government in the 20th century . The province has a domestic airport ( Bost Airport ) , in the city of Lashkar Gah and heavily used by NATO-led forces . The British Camp Bastion and U.S. Camp Leatherneck is a short distance southwest of Lashkar Gah . The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region of the province , providing water used for irrigation . The Kajaki Dam , which is one of Afghanistan 's major reservoirs , is located in the Kajaki district . Helmand is believed to be one of the world 's largest opium-producing regions , responsible for around 42% of the world 's total production . This is believed to be more than the whole of Burma , which is the second largest producing nation after Afghanistan . The region also produces tobacco , sugar beets , cotton , sesame , wheat , mung beans , maize , nuts , sunflowers , onions , potato , tomato , cauliflower , peanut , apricot , grape , and melon .
Lashkargāh ( Pashto : لښکرګاه ; Persian : لشکرگاه ) , historically called Bost or Boost ( بست، بوست ) , is a city in southwestern Afghanistan and the capital of Helmand Province . It is located in Lashkargah District , where the Arghandab River merges into the Helmand River . The city has a population of 201,546 as of 2006 . Lashkargah is linked by major roads with Kandahar to the east , Zaranj on the border with Iran to the west , and Farah and Herat to the north-west . It is mostly very arid and desolate . However , farming does exist around the Helmand and Arghandab rivers . Bost Airport is located on the east bank of the Helmand River , five miles north of the junction of the Helmand and Argahandab rivers .
The Great Mosque of Khost or simply the Khost Mosque is the largest mosque in the city of Khost , in eastern Afghanistan . It can hold up to 2,000 worshipers during any prayer . It is important to note that the city of Khost has a number of other smaller mosques , which are also reported in the news as Khost mosques .
Khost ( Pashto : خوست , Persian : خوست ) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan , located in the eastern part of the country . To the east , Khost Province is bordered by Waziristan and Kurram in Pakistan . Khost Province used to be part of Paktia Province in the past , and the larger region surrounding Khost is still called Loya Paktia ( Greater Paktia ) . The city of Khost serves as the capital of Khost province . The population of the province is around 546,800 , which is mostly a tribal society . Khost Airport serves the province for domestic flights to Afghanistan 's capital , Kabul .
Khōst ( Pashto : خوست , or Khēst خېست ) is the capital city of Khost Province , Afghanistan . It is the largest city in the southeastern part of the country , and also the largest in the region of Loya Paktia . To the south and east of Khost lie Waziristan and Kurram in Pakistan . Khost is the home of Shaikh Zayed University . Khost Airport serves the city as well as the larger region surrounding the city .
Jowzjan , sometimes spelled as Jawzjan or Jozjan ( Persian : ولایت جوزجان , Pashto : جوزجان ولايت ) , is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan , located in the north of the country bordering neighboring Turkmenistan . The province is divided into 11 districts and contains hundreds of villages . It has a population of about 512,100 , which is multi-ethnic and mostly agriculturalists . Sheberghan is the capital of Jozjan province .
Sheberghān or Shaburghān ( Uzbek , Pashto , Persian : شبرغان ) , also spelled Shebirghan and Shibarghan , is the capital city of the Jowzjan Province in northern Afghanistan . The city of Sheberghan has a population of 175,599 . It has four districts and a total land area of 7,335 hectares . The total number of dwellings in Sheberghān is 19,511 .
Turkey ( Turkish : Türkiye [ ˈtyɾcije ] ) , officially the Republic of Turkey ( Turkish : Türkiye Cumhuriyeti [ ˈtyɾcije dʒumˈhuːɾijeti ] ( listen ) ) , is a transcontinental country located mostly on the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia , with a smaller portion on the Balkan peninsula in Southeastern Europe . East Thrace , the part of Turkey in Europe , is separated from Anatolia by the Sea of Marmara , the Bosporus and the Dardanelles ( collectively called the Turkish Straits ) . Istanbul , mostly located on the European side , is the largest city in the country while Ankara is the capital . Turkey is bordered by Greece and Bulgaria to its northwest , the Black Sea to its north , Georgia to its northeast , Armenia , the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan and Iran to its east , Iraq and Syria to its southeast , the Mediterranean Sea to its south , and the Aegean Sea to its west . Approximately 70 to 80 percent of the country 's citizens identify as Turkish , while Kurds are the largest minority at anywhere from 15 to 20 percent of the population . At various points in its history , the region has been inhabited by diverse civilisations including the Assyrians , Greeks , Thracians , Phrygians , Urartians , and Armenians . Hellenization started during the era of Alexander the Great and continued into the Byzantine era . The Seljuk Turks began migrating into the area in the 11th century , and their victory over the Byzantines at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 symbolises the start and foundation of Turkey . The Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm ruled Anatolia until the Mongol invasion in 1243 , when it disintegrated into small principalities called beyliks . Beginning in the late 13th century , the Ottomans started uniting beyliks and conquering the Balkans . After Mehmed II conquered Constantinople in 1453 , Ottoman expansion continued under Selim I . During the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent the Ottoman Empire encompassed much of Southeast Europe , West Asia and North Africa and became a world power .