Türkiye updates active fault map after 13 years

ANKARA

Türkiye has updated its national active fault map for the first time in 13 years, incorporating extensive field surveys and academic research that significantly expand the country’s earthquake-related geological database.

Speaking at the launch of the Türkiye Active Fault Map 2026, General Director of Türkiye’s state geological research agency, the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA), Vedat Yanık, said the revised map reflects more than a decade of new scientific findings and detailed geological investigations.

According to Yanık, the update project, initiated in 2022, revealed a substantial increase in the number of identified active faults across the country. While the 2013 edition documented 485 active faults, the new map records 700, based on newly collected data.

Situated within the seismically active Alp-Himalayan orogenic belt, Türkiye requires accurate and up-to-date tectonic information not only for scientific purposes but also for disaster risk reduction, infrastructure planning and sustainable development, Yanık said.

The new map and its accompanying digital database are expected to serve as key reference tools for earthquake hazard assessments, major infrastructure investments and national disaster mitigation policies.

Founded in 1935, MTA has played a central role in Türkiye’s geological exploration efforts, contributing to discoveries ranging from oil reserves in Batman to rare earth element deposits in Eskişehir and major copper resources in several provinces.