Asia Minor is a peninsula washed by four seas at once - Marmara, Mediterranean, Black, Aegean, as well as two famous straits - the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus, which separate Europe and Asia. It is quite far, compared to other parts of Asia, pushed towards the west, and off its coast are Rhodes, Cyprus and other islands.
Asia Minor is up to a thousand kilometers long and up to six hundred wide. Its territory is more than 500 thousand square meters of mainly mountainous relief, the main part of which is occupied by the Armenian and Asia Minor highlands, bordered from the north by the Pontic Mountains, and in the south by the Taurus.
The peninsula of Asia Minor is covered with Mediterranean vegetation along its shores. Forests on it occupy only small areas, which, in addition to natural conditions, is also a consequence of their long-term extermination.
In the western regions of the peninsula of Asia Minor, there are many mountain ranges perpendicular to the Aegean Sea, which is why this part of the coastline is intricately dissected andforms deep and comfortable bays. Here (on the western side) is the most important Turkish port - Izmir.
If you look at the map, this peninsula will look like a rectangle on it.
In antiquity - before the 4th century BC. – it was called Anatolia.
In general, at different periods of its history, Asia Minor was partially or completely part of such states as the Hittite, Lydian, Great and Lesser Armenia, Cilicia, ancient Rome, the Power of Macedonian, Byzantium and others.
However, the most influential peoples inhabiting Asia Minor were the Hittites, and in the east, the Armenians, who lived here until the 1905 genocide.
An important role in the economic and, therefore, in the cultural development of Anatolia was played by the natural resources of this peninsula, the need for which gradually increased with the development of civilization. Huge deposits of metals, including copper, were hidden in the depths of ancient Anatolia. All these riches brought merchants from different countries, including the Middle East, to the peninsula.
In exchange for raw copper and other materials, foreign merchants imported to Anatolia magnificent Mesopotamian woolen and linen fabrics, as well as a huge amount of tin, so necessary for making bronze.
There were many famous ancient cities on the territory of Anatolia, but perhaps the most famous of them was the capital of a powerful state - Lydia - an ancient city in Asia Minor on the banks of the gold-bearingthe river Paktol, known as the place where the first silver and gold coins in the history of mankind began to be minted. Sardis also became famous in history as the place where the adios and richest king Croesus reigned.
No less famous is another ancient city in Asia Minor - Ankara. It is first mentioned in chronicles in the 7th century BC. It is located at the junction of two major trade routes connecting Asia with Europe.
Citizens of our country are also well aware of Asia Minor, and all thanks to the fact that it is on its territory that such popular resorts as Alanya, Antalya, Kemer, Belek, Side and so on are located, and in the south - picturesque Cyprus.
