VäikeAasia

VäikeAasia, commonly known in English as Anatolia or Asia Minor, is the westernmost peninsula of Asia and comprises much of present-day Turkey. It is bounded by the Black Sea to the north, the Aegean and Mediterranean seas to the west and south, and the Armenian Highlands to the east, with the central Anatolian plateau forming its inland core. The region includes major mountain chains such as the Pontic Mountains along the north and the Taurus Mountains to the south.

The name Anatolia derives from the Greek Anatolía, meaning the east or sunrise. In Turkish the region is called Anadolu; in Estonian sources the historical term is rendered VäikeAasia.

VäikeAasia has a long, continuous history. It was the heartland of the Hittite Empire (c. 1600–1180 BCE) with its capital at Hattusa. It experienced Greek colonization along the western coast, Persian rule, and later Hellenistic and Roman-Byzantine governance. The medieval period saw Seljuk Turkic states and eventually Ottoman administration, with the modern Republic of Turkey established in 1923 after independence movements.

Today VäikeAasia covers most of Turkey’s land area and population, serving as a cultural and economic crossroads between Europe and the Middle East. Its landscape ranges from coastal plains to interior plateaus, supporting agriculture, industry, and tourism. The region holds numerous historic sites—from Troy and Ephesus to Cappadocia—reflecting its long role as a bridge between civilizations.