Map of AnatoliaAnatolia, also calledAsia Minor (fromAncient Greek: 'Άνατολή,Turkish:Anadolu), is apeninsula at the west end ofAsia. It forms the majority of modernTurkey.
It has anarea of 750,000 km2 (290,000 sq mi). Most of it is aplateau. that averages 1,000 m (3,300 ft) abovesea level. Itsclimate iscontinental andsemi-arid in the interior,temperate along the northerncoast, andsubtropical along the southern and the western coasts. Most of its people speakTurkish.
Anatolia is surrounded by theBlack Sea, theAegean Sea and theMediterranean Sea. It is betweenEurope andAsia. This has led to people of many differentcultures living there.
Many greathistorical peoples have lived in or occupied Anatolia; They include theHittites,Lydians,Greeks,Persians,Armenians,Celts,Romans,Goths,Byzantines,Seljuk Turks andOttoman Turks. TheRoman Empire had aprovince called Asia that was also calledPhrygia. People later started to call the entirecontinentAsia. Because of this, the peninsula became called Asia Minor (Little Asia).
Troy is the most famous of the many cities that existed long ago in Anatolia.
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