There are approximately 40 000 cave

Cave

A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...

s in Turkey

Turkey

Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

which provide an important tourist attraction for the country. There are such a high number due to karstification

Karst topography

Karst topography is a geologic formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but has also been documented for weathering resistant rocks like quartzite given the right conditions.Due to subterranean drainage, there...

 in the west and central Taurus Mountains

Taurus Mountains

Taurus Mountains are a mountain complex in southern Turkey, dividing the Mediterranean coastal region of southern Turkey from the central Anatolian Plateau. The system extends along a curve from Lake Eğirdir in the west to the upper reaches of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in the east...

. The Cavern Research Society (MAD) established in 1964 initially monitored and investigates these caves, a role which has been taken up by BÜMAK (Boğaziçi University Speleological Society) and Karst and Cavern Exploration Unit (under the MTA Geology Studies Department). 800 caves and caverns have been investigated thus far.

List

The following is an incomplete list of caves in Turkey, from http://www.turkiyeninrehberi.com/eng/t_turizm/magara.asp.

Antalya

Antalya Province

Antalya Province is located on the Mediterranean coast of south-west Turkey, between the Taurus Mountains and the Mediterranean sea.Antalya Province is the centre of Turkey's tourism industry, attracting 30% of foreign tourists visiting Turkey. The province of Antalya corresponds to the lands of...

• Geyikbayiri Cavern
• Karain Cave
  Karain Cave
  Karain Cave is a cave and a Paleolithic archaeological site located at Yağca village 27 km northwest of Antalya city in the Mediterranean region of Turkey....
  
  
• Kocain Cave
• Küçükdipsiz Cave
• Papazkayasi Cave
• Yerköprü Cavern
• Gürleyik Cave
• Kocadüden Cave
• Oruçdüdeni Cave
• Gavurini Cave (also called Dim Cave)
• Beldibi Cave
• Damlatas Cave
• Derya Cave
• Çimeniçi Cave
• Mahrumçali Cave
• Peynirdeligi Cave
• Tilkiler Cave
• Altinbesik Cave
• Büyükdipsiz Cave

Eskişehir

Eskisehir Province

Eskişehir Province is a province in northwestern Turkey. Its adjacent provinces are Bilecik to the northwest, Kütahya to the west, Afyon to the southwest, Konya to the south, Ankara to the east, and Bolu to the north. The provincial capital is Eskişehir. Most of the province is laid down in...

• Manasır Pit
• Sarikaya Cave
• Yelinüstü Cave
• Yelini Cave
• Cindi Cave
• Kara Cave
• Karamıkini Cave
• Köçekkıran Cave
• İnönü Cave
• Tozman Cave
• Karakaya Cave
• Mayıslar Cave
• Beyyayla Cave

Isparta

Isparta Province

Isparta Province is a province in southwestern Turkey. Its adjacent provinces are Afyon to the northwest, Burdur to the southwest, Antalya to the south, and Konya to the east. It has an area of 8,993 km² and a population of 448,298 up from 434,771...

• Zindan Cave
• Inönü Cave
• Kuz Cave
• Ayiini Cave
• Pinargözü Cave

Konya

Konya Province

Konya Province is a province of Turkey located in central Anatolia. The provincial capital is the city of Konya. It is the largest province by area of Turkey.-Districts:...

• Balatini Cave
• Körükini Cave
• Büyükdüden Cave
• Tinaztepe Cave System

Mersin

Mersin Province

The Mersin Province is a province in southern Turkey, on the Mediterranean coast between Antalya and Adana. The provincial capital is the city of Mersin and the other major town is Tarsus, birthplace of St Paul...

• EGMA
  Egma
  EGMA is the deepest cave of Turkey. It is in the southern region of Anatolia, on the Taşeli Plateau and is deep. EGMA stands for Evren Günay - Mehmet Ali Özel Sinkhole....
  
  , aka "Peynirlikönü Sinkhole"
• Çukurpınar
• Yalan Dünya Cave
• Cennet Cave (Paradise Pit)
• Cehennem Cave (Hell Pit)
• Narlikuyu Cave

Zonguldak

Zonguldak Province

Zonguldak Province is a province along the western Black Sea coast region of Turkey. The province is 3.481 km² in size and has a population of 619,703 Its adjacent provinces are Düzce to the southwest, Bolu to the south, Karabük to the southeast, and Bartın to the east...

• Gökgöl Cave
  Gökgöl Cave
  - Geography :The cave is close to the city of Zonguldak where the bird's flight distance to the city is about . The mouth of the cave is at the roadside of Turkish state road , at about with an altitude of .- History :...
  
  
• Kizilelma Cave
• Inagzi Cave
• Cumayani Cave

External links

• Website featuring articles on caves