Turkey enjoys a most unique location, at a point bordered by the three continents of Asia, Europe and Africa, with the enchanting city of Istanbul straddling the first two. Owing to this most favorable positioning, the mainland of Anatolia has always thrived throughout history, as the birthplace of many great civilizations. It has also been a prominent center of commerce thanks to its convenient land and sea borders. Turkey is roughly rectangular in shape and is 1,660 kilometers wide.