Anatolia (from
Greek Ἀνατολή,
Anatolḗ — "east" or "(sun)rise"), geographically known as
Asia Minor (from
Mīkrá Asía "small Asia"; in modern),
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,
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.