Names of Anatolia

Names Of Anatolia

Coordinates: 39°N 32°E / 39°N 32°E / 39; 32

Anatolia (from Greek Ἀνατολή, Anatolḗ — "east" or "(sun)rise"), also known as Asia Minor (from Greek: Μικρὰ Ἀσία Mīkrá Asía "small Asia"; in modern Turkish: Anadolu), Asian Turkey, Anatolian peninsula, Anatolian plateau, and Turkey, denotes the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey. The region is bounded by the Black Sea to the north, the Mediterranean Sea to the south and the Aegean Sea to the west. The Sea of Marmara forms a connection between the Black and Aegean Seas through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits, and separates Anatolia from Thrace on the European mainland. Traditionally, Anatolia is considered to extend in the east to a line between the Gulf of İskenderun and the Black Sea, approximately corresponding to the western two-thirds of the Asian part of Turkey. However, since Anatolia is now often considered to be synonymous with Asian Turkey, its eastern and southeastern borders are widely taken to be the Turkish borders with the neighboring countries, which are Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq and Syria, in clockwise direction.

Anatolia has been inhabited by many peoples throughout history, such as the Hattians, Hurrians, Hittites, Luwians, Phrygians, Lydians, Persians, Greeks, Assyrians, Mitanni, Scythians, Cimmerians, Urartians, Carians, Commagene, Cilicians, Arameans, Kaskians, Mushki, Palaic, Corduene, Armenians, Romans, Colchians, Iberians, Georgians, Kurds, Laz, Zazas, Hamshenis, Sephardi Jews, Crimean Tatars, Karachays, Roma people, Circassians, Azerbaijanis, Seljuk Turks, Ottoman Turks and today predominantly modern Turkish people. Each culture left behind unique artifacts, still being uncovered by archaeologists.