Also called: Asia Minor
The two definitions of Anatolia is 1) all of Asian Turkey, and 2) the Asian Turkey until the point where it meets the mountains of Ermenistan and Kurdistan (north of Syria and Iraq). The first definition sets the area to 755,688 m², the second to about 550,000 to 600,000 m². The number of inhabitants with the first geographical definition is about 66 million (2005 estimate).
Anatolia is a very mountainous region with much of the population living at heights between a few hundred metres to about a thousand metres above sea level. The height of the region secures both mild summers and good precipitation, but winters can be hard with heavy snowfall.
The largest river is Kizilirmak, 1,150 km long, emptying into the Black Sea. None of Anatolia's rivers are navigable.
The capital Ankara rests at 850 metres. It is also the largest city on Anatolia with 4 million inhabitants (2004 estimate).
Anatolia has been the home of several outstanding civilizations, of which the Hittites (ca. 1680-1200 BCE), Lydia (685-546 BCE), Byzantine Empire (395-ca. 1300 for the Anatolian part) and the Ottoman Empire (ca. 1300-1922) needs special mentioning.
For further information on its history and culture, refer to one of the country links or visit the Introduction to Turkey.
The oldest known name to Anatolia was "Land of the Hatti", as recorded on Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets from the 3rd millennia BCE.