Not interested in reading? Watch the video about the center of the world instead. In 1973, Andrew J. A physicist named Woods from Gulf Energy and Environmental Systems in San Diego, California, used a digital world map and a mainframe computer to figure out the coordinates.
There isn’t a single agreed upon definition of the “center of the world” because the idea is subjective and depends on how “world” is understood. According to different people, the geographical center of the Earth is not the center of the world. Instead, the center of their own country or city is.
When we look at geography, the Earth’s center is the point where the mass of the Earth is well spread out around it. This point is not the same as the Earth’s geometric center. However, it is the point at the exact center of the Earth’s shape. The Earth’s center of mass is not far below the surface, about 1,700 kilometers (1,060 miles) down. It is close to the mantle. This spot isn’t stable because the Earth’s mass isn’t smooth and its shape isn’t a perfect sphere.
Also, it’s important to remember that the idea of a “center” of the world is largely human, and throughout history, different cultures and societies have had different ideas about what the center of the world is. Some people think that religious or cultural centers are the most important places in the world, while others think that political or economic centers are the most important. In the end, the idea of the “center of the world” is mostly a matter of opinion and interpretation in the modern world.
Many people have asked, “Where is the center of the world?” over the course of history, and the answers have been different for each generation based on their views and beliefs. Some people think that the answer lies in a certain country or region, while others have focused on finding the Earth’s geographic center. People looking to find the center of the world are now interested in Turkey, especially the city of Kırşehir in that country. We’ll look at the reasoning behind these claims and the idea of the geographic center in this blog post.
Throughout history, many cultures and civilizations have tried to identify the center of the world – a mythical point that symbolizes the navel or heart of the Earth. In ancient times, sites like Delphi in Greece and Cusco in Peru were considered centers of the world. More recently, calculations have tried to pinpoint the geographic center of all landmasses on Earth mathematically. One of the most accepted locations happens to sit in modern-day Turkey.
Early Calculations Point to Egypt
In 1864, Charles Piazzi Smyth, the Astronomer Royal for Scotland, published coordinates that he claimed marked the center of the world’s landmasses. He placed this point at the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, at 30°N 31°E. Smyth argued that this was a culturally significant spot, being home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. He also noted its proximity to Jerusalem as an important religious site.
At the time Smyth was advocating for the Prime Meridian to be moved to Giza. This was eventually rejected in favor of Greenwich, England for its naval significance. However Smyth’s coordinates endured as an estimate for the geographic center for decades to come.
Revised Calculation Finds Location in Turkey
In 1973 over a century after Smyth’s calculation, an American physicist named Andrew J. Woods revisited the question of finding the true center point. Using more advanced computational methods and digital mapping technology Woods arrived at a new location 39°N 34°E, near the town of Kırşehir in central Turkey.
Woods calculated this point by digitally plotting all global landmasses and finding the centroid, or geometric center. His methods accounted for the irregular shapes of continents and islands in a way previous estimates had not. The Turkish location was confirmed again in 2003 using modern satellite data, validating Woods’ finding.
Why This Spot is Considered Earth’s Navel
The Turkish site is viewed as the geographic center because it minimizes the total distance to all points on land. Conceptually, if you constructed equally-spaced spokes extending from any location on Earth to all dry land, the shortest set of spokes would intersect at this spot in Turkey’s Anatolian heartland.
In effect, it is the Mediterranean hub of the world, equally distant from Western Europe, the Middle East, Russia, and North Africa. Situated on the Central Anatolia plateau, it resonates with Turkey’s sense of itself as a bridge between continents and civilizations.
While the calculations are modern, this geographic centrality echoes ancient Turkish and Ottoman perceptions of Anatolia and Cappadocia as a cosmic axis and heartland. As such, it takes on a symbolic meaning lacking in other mathematical centers.
Other Contenders for the Center of the World
Despite the geometric precision of Woods’ calculation, some other spots stake a claim as the world’s central place:
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Mesopotamia – Known as the “Cradle of Civilization”, the Fertile Crescent hosted some of the earliest human empires and urbanization.
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Jerusalem – As a holy city in three major religions, it has long been considered a theological omphalos. Control of the city was seen as a mark of imperial power.
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Constantinople – Modern Istanbul was the capital of empires from the Byzantines to the Ottomans, reflecting its advantageous position linking Europe and Asia.
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Delphi, Greece – Known as the “Navel of the World” in ancient Greek religion, Delphi was seen as the center where heaven and earth met.
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Mecca – The most holy city in Islam, it attracts millions of pilgrims annually. The Kaaba shrine is oriented cardinal directions.
While the geometric center of Earth’s landmasses can be mathematically calculated, the idea of a symbolic world center remains open to interpretation. For Turkey, the Anatolian site resonates with the country’s deep history and sense of global crossroads. Though the math may be modern, this spot reinforces an ancient identity as the beating heart of empires and civilizations.
Is Türkiye the Center of the World?
Turkey has been thought of as a cultural and geographical link between Europe and Asia for a long time. This is because it is in a unique place, on both continents. Its long history, which includes the Hittite, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires, has helped it become known as a place where different cultures meet.
This strategic location has led some to argue that Turkey could be considered the center of the world. It has trade routes that connect the East and West and has been a center for many cultures, languages, and religions over the years. However, this notion of centrality is based on historical and cultural significance rather than geographic accuracy.
Kırşehir: The Geographic Center of the World?
The city of Kırşehir, located in central Turkey, has been proposed as the geographic center of the world. This claim comes from research that shows Kırşehir is where the 39th parallel north and the 34th meridian east meet. While it’s interesting to think of Kırşehir as the world’s center, the idea of a geographic center is not as clear-cut as one might think.
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