Anatolia

{{otheruses4|two nested areas of Turkey, a plateau region within a peninsula|the former Turkish airline|Air Anatolia}}
:''For the saint, see [[Saint Anatolia]].''
{{redirectstohere|Anatolian Plateau|Asia Minor}}

{{Copyedit|date=September 2007}}
[[Image:Anatolia and Europe NASA modified.PNG|thumb|Anatolia and [[Europe]]]]
'''Anatolia''' ({{Lang-gr|Ανατολία}}, "{{Unicode|Anatolía}}") is a geographic region whose name comes from the [[Greek language|Greek]] {{Unicode|Aνατολή}} (''{{Unicode|Αnatolí}}''), "[[sunrise|(sun)Rise]]", or {{Unicode|Ανατολία}} (''{{Unicode|Anatolía}}''), "(land) of the sunrise" or, more simply, the "East,"<ref name="etym">http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3D%237638</ref> and likely dates back at least three thousand years, from the [[Ionia]]n settlement period circa the [[1st millennium BC]]. ''(See also [[Ionian League]])''. The [[Byzantine Greek]] term ''Anatolikon'' (the "Eastern One") signified the lands to the east of Europe and of the [[Byzantine Empire]]'s capital city of [[Constantinople]] (now [[Istanbul]]).<ref>"On the First [[Thema]], Called Anatolikon. This theme is called Anatolikon, not because it is above and in the direction of the east whence the sun rises, but because it lies east of us who are the inhabitants of Byzantium and Europe." Constantine VII Porphyogenitus, ''De Thematibus'', ed. A. Pertusi. [[Vatican Publishing House|Vatican]]: [[Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana]], 1952, pp. 59-61.{{Clarifyme|date=September 2007}}</ref> The etymology of the word supports the idea that Anatolia was a peninsula bordered by the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Eastern [[Taurus_Mountains|Taurus Range]].

The [[Turkish language|Turkish]] form ''Anadolu'' derives from the Greek version – both of which predated the growth of Constantinople across the [[Bosporus]] [[strait]] to both continental shores. Turkish [[folk etymology]] further breaks down the geographical term into two words: ''Ana'' ("mother") and ''Dolu'' ("full"). Thus the name means "Full of Mothers" or "Full of Motherliness" and is used to advance a pedagogical ideal: Women's contribution of mother's milk to national masculine bravery.<ref>Sam Kaplan, "''Din-u Devlet'' All Over Again?", ''International Journal of Middle East Studies'', 34:117 (2002)</ref> Less literally, it is sometimes interpreted as ''Mother of Cities'', perhaps dating to the pre-[[Islam]]ic era when the Byzantine Empire was the biggest [[international power]] known in that part of Asia, and occupied the entire region.

== History ==
{{main|History of Anatolia}}
Because of its strategic location at the intersection of Asia and Europe, Anatolia has been the center of several civilizations since prehistoric times. Neolithic settlements such as [[Çatalhöyük]], [[Çayönü]], [[Nevali Cori]], [[Hacilar]], [[Göbekli Tepe]], and [[Mersin]] are being explored by [[archaeologists]]. Through recorded history, Anatolians have spoken both [[Indo-European]] and [[Semitic]] languages, as well as many languages of uncertain affiliations. In fact, given the antiquity of the Indo-European [[Hittite]] and [[Luwian]] languages, some scholars have proposed Anatolia as the hypothetical center from which the Indo-European languages have originated.

The earliest definitive record of rule in Anatolia is from the [[Akkadian Empire]] under [[Sargon]] in the [[24th century BCE]]. The region was famous for exporting various raw materials .<ref name="Freeman">{{cite book|last=Freeman|first=Charles|title=Egypt, Greece and Rome: Civilizations of the Ancient Mediterranean|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1999|isbn=0198721943}}</ref> [[Akkad]] suffered problematic climate changes in [[Mesopotamia]], as well as a reduction in available manpower that affected trade. This led to the fall of the [[Akkadian Empire|Akkadians]] around [[2150s BCE|2150 BCE]] at the hands of the [[Gutians]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Saggs|first=H.W.F.|title=Babylonians|publisher=University of California Press|year=2000|isbn=0520202228}}</ref> The [[Assyrian Empire]] claimed the resources for themselves after the [[Gutians]] were vanquished, notably silver. One of the numerous [[Assyrian]] [[cuneiform]] records found in Anatolia at [[Kanesh]] uses an advanced system of trading computations and credit lines.<ref name="Freeman">{{cite book|last=Freeman|first=Charles|title=Egypt, Greece and Rome: Civilizations of the Ancient Mediterranean|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1999|isbn=0198721943}}</ref>
More than 2500 years ago, the area was home for Armenians. In the first century B.C., it was one small part of [[Tigran]], the King of Armenia, whose kingdom was spread among Caspian, Black and Mediterranean seas.

Today, the inhabitants of Anatolia are mostly native speakers of the [[Turkish language]], which was introduced with the gradual conquest of Anatolia by [[Turkic peoples]] from the 11th century. However, Anatolia remained multi-ethnic until the early 20th century ''(see [[Rise of Nationalism under the Ottoman Empire]])''. The last [[population exchange between Greece and Turkey]], occurred as result of the [[Treaty of Lausanne]], moved most of the Turks in Greece to Turkey and vice versa. A significant [[Kurdish people|Kurdish]] [[Minority group|ethnic]] and [[Minority language|linguistic minority]] exists in the southeastern regions, while [[Armenians]] and [[Georgians]] ''(see [[Chveneburi]])'' have a presence in the northeast.

==Geography==
[[Image:Anatolia composite NASA.png|thumb|''Anatolia'' lies east of the [[Bosporus]], between the [[Black Sea]] and the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]]]]
The Anatolian peninsula is bounded by the [[Black Sea]] to the north, the [[Mediterranean Sea]] to the south, the [[Aegean Sea]] (itself an arm of the Mediterranean) to the west, and the bulk of the Asian mainland to the east.

Anatolia's terrain is structurally complex. A central [[massif]] composed of uplifted blocks and downfolded [[Trough (geology)|troughs]], covered by recent [[Deposit (geology)|deposit]]s and giving the appearance of a plateau with rough terrain, is wedged between two folded mountain ranges that converge in the east. True lowland is confined to a few narrow coastal strips along the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea coasts. Flat or gently sloping land is rare and largely confined to the deltas of the [[Kızıl River]], the coastal plains of [[Çukurova]], and the valley floors of the [[Gediz|Gediz River]] and the [[Büyük Menderes River]], and some interior high plains in Anatolia, mainly around ''[[Lake Tuz|Tuz Gölü]]'' (Salt Lake) and ''[[Konya]] Ovası'' (Konya Basin).

===Background===

The Black Sea region has a steep, rocky coast with rivers that cascade through the gorges of the coastal ranges. The North Anatolian mountains are an interrupted chain of folded highlands that generally parallel the Black Sea coast. A few larger rivers, those cutting back through the [[Pontic Mountains]] ({{Lang-tr|Kaçkar Dağları}}), have tributaries that flow in broad, elevated basins. Rivers flow from the mountains toward the Black Sea trough in lengthy valleys.

Access inland from the coast is limited to a few narrow valleys because mountain ridges, with elevations of 1,525 to 1,800 [[metre]]s (5,000 to 5,900 ft) in the west and 3,000 to 4,000 metres (10000 to 13000 ft) in the east in [[Kaçkar Mountains]], form an almost unbroken wall separating the coast from the interior. The higher slopes facing southwest tend to be densely wet. Because of these natural conditions, the Black Sea coast historically has been isolated from Anatolia. The southern slopes—facing the Anatolian Plateau—are mostly unwooded, but the northern slopes contain dense growths of both deciduous and evergreen trees.
[[Image:Turkey topo.jpg|thumb|right|400px|[[Terrain|Relief]] [[map]] of Turkey]]
The narrow coastal plains of the Mediterranean region, separated from the Anatolian plateau by the [[Taurus Mountains]], which reach elevations of 2,000 to 2,750 metres (6600 to 9000 ft), are cultivated intensively. [[Fertile soil]]s and a warm climate make the Mediterranean coast ideal for growing citrus fruits, grapes, figs, bananas, various vegetables, barley, wheat, and, in irrigated areas, rice and cotton. The Çukurova in the east is a plain that is the most developed agricultural area of the Mediterranean region.

Stretching inland from the Aegean coastal plain, Central Anatolia occupies the area between the two zones of the folded mountains, extending east to the point where the two ranges converge. The plateau-like, semiarid highlands of Anatolia are considered the heartland of the country. The region varies in elevation from 600 to 1,200 metres (2000 to 4000 ft) from west to east. The two largest basins on the plateau are the ''Konya Ovası'' and the basin occupied by the large salt lake, ''Tuz Gölü''. Both basins are characterized by inland drainage. Wooded areas are confined to the northwest and northeast of the plateau.

===Eastern Anatolia===

Eastern Anatolia (otherwise called [[Armenian Highland]]), where the Pontus and Taurus mountain ranges converge, is rugged country with higher elevations, a more severe climate, and greater precipitation than are found on the Anatolian Plateau. The region is known as the Anti-Taurus, and the average elevation of its peaks exceeds 3,000 m. [[Mount Ararat]], at 5,137 metres (16854 ft) the highest point in Turkey, is located in the Anti-Taurus. [[Lake Van]] is situated in the mountains at an elevation of 1,546 metres (5072 ft). The headwaters of three major rivers arise in the Anti-Taurus: the east-flowing [[Aras River]], which empties into the [[Caspian Sea]]; the south-flowing [[Euphrates]] and [[Tigris]] join in [[Iraq]] before emptying into the [[Persian Gulf]]. Several small streams that empty into the Black Sea or landlocked Lake Van also originate in these mountains.

Southeast Anatolia lies south of the Anti-Taurus Mountains. It is a region of rolling hills and a broad plateau surface that extends into Syria. Elevations decrease gradually, from about 800 metres (2600 ft) in the north to about 500 metres (1600 ft) in the south. Traditionally, [[wheat]] and [[barley]] were the main crops of the region, but the [[Southeastern Anatolia Project|inauguration of major new irrigation projects]] in the 1980s has led to greater agricultural diversity and development.

===Anatolian Plateau===

[[Image:Gelidonya lighthouse.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Scene from southern Anatolia]]


Mountains close to the coast prevent Mediterranean influences from extending inland, giving the interior of Turkey a [[continental climate]] with distinct seasons. The Anatolian Plateau is much more subject to extremes than are the coastal areas. Winters on the plateau are especially severe. Temperatures of -30 °C to -40 °C (-22 °F to -40 °F) can occur in the mountainous areas in the east, and snow may lie on the ground 120 days of the year. In the west, winter temperatures average below 1 °C (34 °F). Summers are hot and dry, with temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F). Annual precipitation averages about 400 mm (15.7 inches), with actual amounts determined by elevation. The driest regions are the ''Konya Ovası'' and the ''[[Malatya]] Ovası'', where annual rainfall frequently is less than 300 mm (11.8 inches). May is generally the wettest month and July and August are the driest.

==Ecoregions of Anatolia==
[[Image:Cimakli Village in Espiye, Giresun Turkey.jpg|thumb|240px|right|Mountain pastures of northern Anatolia]]
Anatolia's diverse topography and climate has encouraged a similar diversity of plant and animal communities. The mountains and coastal plain of northern Anatolia, with its humid and mild climate, is home to [[temperate broadleaf and mixed forests|temperate broadleaf, mixed]], and [[temperate coniferous forest|coniferous]] forests. The central and eastern plateau, with its drier [[continental climate]], is home to deciduous forests and forest steppes. Western and southern Anatolia, which have a [[Mediterranean climate]], are home to [[Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and shrub]] ecoregions.

<gallery caption="Temperatures of Anatolia">
image:Klima_ankara.png|[[Ankara]] (central Anatolia)
image:Klima_antalya.png|[[Antalya]] (southern Anatolia)
image:Klima_van.png|Van (eastern Anatolia)
</gallery>

==The given names Anatoly and Anatole==
The masculine [[given name]] '''Anatoly''', common in [[Russia]] and [[Ukraine]], and the [[Western Europe]]an variant '''Anatole''', common in France and other French-speaking countries, derive from "Anatolia".{{Fact|date=September 2007}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}


==See also==

*[[1268 Cilicia earthquake]]
*[[Anatolian Bulgarians]]
*[[Ancient Greece]]
*[[Armenia]]
*[[Byzantine Empire]]
*[[Caria]]
*[[Cilicia]]
*[[Etruscans]]
*[[Hittites]]
*[[Lazistan]]
*[[Lycia]]
*[[Lydia]]
*[[Ottoman Empire]]
*[[Pamphylia]]
*[[Phrygia]]
*[[Pontus]]
*[[Saint Anatolia]], [[Roman Catholic]] Saint
*[[Turkey]]

{|style="font-size:90%;" align="center" class="toccolours"
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="text-align: center; background-color: rgb(204, 153, 51);" | States that ruled over Anatolia
|-
|[[History of Hattians and Hittites|Old Kingdom]]
|[[Ionia]]
|[[Byzantine Empire]]
|-
|[[History of the New Kingdom|New Kingdom]]
|[[Hellenistic Greece]]
|[[Nicaean Empire]]
|-
|[[History of the Neo-Hittite Kingdoms|Neo-Hittite]]
|[[Pergamon]]
|[[Ottoman Empire]]
|-
|[[Urartu]]
|[[Achaemenid Empire|Persian Empire]]
|[[Roman Greece]]
|-
| colspan="2"|[[Turkey|Republic of Turkey]]
|[[Armenia]]
|}

{{History of Anatolia}}
{{Turkey-related topics}}
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{{Physical Geography Sub-disciplines}}

[[Category:Anatolia| ]]
[[Category:Geography of Turkey]]
[[Category:Geography of Armenia]]
[[Category:Ancient Greek geography]]
[[Category:Peninsulas of Asia]]
[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Physiographic provinces]]

[[ar:أناضول]]
[[ast:Anatolia]]
[[bs:Anadolija]]
[[bg:Мала Азия]]
[[ca:Anatòlia]]
[[cs:Malá Asie]]
[[cy:Asia Leiaf]]
[[da:Anatolien]]
[[de:Kleinasien]]
[[et:Anatoolia]]
[[el:Μικρά Ασία]]
[[es:Anatolia]]
[[eo:Malgrand-Azio]]
[[fa:آناتولی]]
[[fo:Anatolia]]
[[fr:Anatolie]]
[[gl:Anatolia]]
[[ko:소아시아]]
[[hr:Anatolija]]
[[id:Anatolia]]
[[is:Anatólía]]
[[it:Anatolia]]
[[he:אסיה הקטנה]]
[[ka:ანატოლია]]
[[ku:Anatoliya]]
[[la:Asia Minor]]
[[lb:Anatolien]]
[[lt:Mažoji Azija]]
[[hu:Anatólia]]
[[mk:Мала Азија]]
[[nl:Anatolië]]
[[ja:アナトリア半島]]
[[no:Anatolia]]
[[nrm:P'tite Âsie]]
[[nds:Anatolien]]
[[pl:Anatolia (Turcja)]]
[[pt:Anatólia]]
[[ro:Anatolia]]
[[ru:Малая Азия]]
[[simple:Asia Minor]]
[[sk:Malá Ázia]]
[[sl:Anatolija]]
[[sr:Мала Азија]]
[[fi:Anatolia]]
[[sv:Anatolien]]
[[th:อนาโตเลีย]]
[[tr:Anadolu]]
[[uk:Мала Азія]]
[[ur:اناطولیہ]]
[[zh:安那托利亚]]