The objectives of this study was to measure ambient air levels of 43 PCBs and 22 OCPs in 16 cities at urban and background sites by using polyurethane foam discs (PUF) as passive air samplers (PAS), to investigate spatial variations, and to generate a baseline database which is the first large-scale nationwide database for POP residues in air of Turkey. Air sampling was conducted from May 2014 to April 2015 with three-month sampling periods. Samples were analyzed by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry after extraction, clean-up, and volume reduction. The one-year overall average Σ43PCBs concentration was 108±132 pg/m3. The one-year average of Σ43PCBs ranged from 14.5±14.3 pg/m3 (Kayseri) to 403±428 pg/m3 (İzmir) at urban sites with a mean of 116±141 pg/m3, and from 19.0±22.7 pg/m3 (Aksaray) to 217±353 pg/m3 (Kastamonu) at rural sites with a mean of 101±122 pg/m3. PCB 118 had the highest mean concentration (26.3±44.6 pg/m3) among the 43 PCB congeners. The PCB homologue group with the highest contribution was penta-CBs with 54.3%. Overall one-year average Σ22OCPs concentration was 341±870 pg/m3 with a range of 55.3±36.5 pg/m3 (Çankırı) and 1294±2153 pg/m3 (Kırklareli). ΣDDT had the highest overall mean level with 134±296 pg/m3 among the OCP groups. The highest concentration OCPs were p’p-DDE (97.6±236 pg/m3), HCB (45.3±197 pg/m3), α-HCH (22.0±92.8 pg/m3), β-HCH (21.8±96.1 pg/m3), and p’p-DDT (21.3±77.4 pg/m3). Principle Components Analysis showed that, in addition to the OCP with the highest concentration (p’p-DDE), parent OCP compounds such as α-endosulfan, α-HCH, HCB, and p’p-DDT differed from the others, and some of the remaining decay products were grouped together indicating similar behavior. Highly chlorinated PCBs were clustered together. Mann-Whitney U test indicated that the difference in the median concentrations of urban and rural sites was not significant. It was also used to test the significance of temperature effect on the median concentrations at a high and a low temperature range. The medians were significantly different for HCB, dieldrin, p’p-DDT, and β-endosulfan at urban sites but not significant for the remaining OCPs and ΣPCBs. The difference in the medians was significant for HCB, heptachlor, dieldrin, endrin, p’p-DDE, Mirex, and ΣPCBs at rural sites