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Anatolia (Greek for east), also called by the Latin name of Asia Minor, is a region of continental Asia which corresponds today to the Asian portion of Turkey.
Because of its strategic location at the intersection of Asia and Europe, Anatolia has been a cradle for several civilizations since prehistoric ages, with early settlements such as Catalhoyuk.
Major civilizations and peoples that have settled in or conquered Anatolia include the Hittites, Phrygians, Cimmerians, Lydians, Celts, Greeks, Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, Seljuk Turks and Ottoman Empire.
While long being a blend of ethnic influences, historical Anatolia was largely a part of the European ethnic-sphere, whereas the Anatolia of today is primarily Turkic and Middle-Eastern in nature.