Türkiye's rise to the top of the list of the world's cleanest beaches continues with the ever-increasing number of its Blue Flag beaches hitting 519 by 2021, placing the country the third globally in terms beach cleanliness and safety parameters.
As of 2021, Türkiye boasts a total of 519 Blue Flag beaches, as well as 22 marinas, six yachts and ten sustainable tourism boats that have been awarded with the Blue Flag label.
In the global list of 49 countries, Spain takes the lead position with 615 beaches, followed by Greece with 545 beaches.
The Danish nonprofit organization awarded the Blue Flag to 33 more Turkish beaches this year. The majority of the newly designated beaches are located on the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts.
Türkiye's Minister of Environment and Urbanization Murat Kurum stated Türkiye is working nonstop to provide a clean habitat for all creatures living around the beaches.
"Today, we are honored to be recognized for all our efforts once again. Our country ranked third in the world in 2021 with 519 Blue Flag beaches," said Kurum, adding that Türkiye aims to ascend the center stage in 2023.
The Blue Flag is a certificate awarded to environmentally safe beaches by the International Environmental Education Foundation (FEE) based in Copenhagen, Denmark.