Transportation and port infrastructure of the Black Sea according to the British Naval Intelligence office reports (1915-1943)

In 1915, the British Naval Intelligence Service established a special unit, the Geography Department, to examine geographical details all around the world. The main purpose of this department was to meticulously compile and present geographical information that was vital for military, political, maritime and war strategies. The Geographical Handbooks, prepared by experts, had become a collection of more than fifty volumes by 1918. These publications, supported by short-term geographical reports, continuously expanded the knowledge base. The works, whose most distinctive feature was their strict adherence to the principles of accuracy and impartiality, gained great respect in the international arena, especially by service organizations and embassies. They even became a frequently used reference source by important institutions such as the League of Nations. However, although they were approached with a scientific approach, the most important aim and concern of those who prepared these works was undoubtedly to provide the British Empire with an inventory of strategic structures in line with British interests and to be able to benefit from this in the event of a possible war. In this context, this thesis study focuses on the analysis of the transportation infrastructure on the Black Sea coast of Turkey in the 20th century by translating the rich data provided by the work titled ''Geographical Handbook Series – Turkey Volume Ⅱ'' prepared by the British Naval Intelligence Service from English to Turkish and by making use of this valuable work as well as other sources. The aim is to conduct an in-depth examination of the historical evolution of ports, highways and bridges that constituted the transportation infrastructure that played a critical role in terms of economic, military and strategic development on the Black Sea coast of Türkiye throughout the 20th century.