Like us on Facebook

MENU
Europe
Turkey
Eastern Anatolia
Agin
Agri
Ahlat
Ani
Aralik
Arapgir
Bahçesaray
Baskale
Bingöl
Çavustepe
Darende
Dogubeyazit
Edremit
Elazig
Eleskirt
Ercis
Erzincan
Erzurum
Genç
Gevaş
Gürpinar
Hakkari
Igdir
Kars
Kemah
Kemaliye
Kigi
Malatya
Muradiye
Patnos
Pertek
Semdinli
Taslicay
Tatvan
Tunceli
Tutak
Tuzluca
Van
Yayladere
Yüksekova
Things to do in Eastern Anatolia
Things to do in Turkey


PLACE NAMES




Eastern Anatolia


The Eastern Anatolia Region (Turkish: Dogu Anadolu Bölgesi) is a geographical region of Turkey.

It is bordered by the Black Sea Region and Georgia in the north, the Central Anatolia Region in the west, the Mediterranean Region in the southeast, the Southeastern Anatolia Region and Iraq in the south, and Iran, Azerbaijan and Armenia in the east.

The region and the name "Dogu Anadolu Bölgesi" were defined at the First Geography Congress in 1941 at the capital Ankara. It has the highest average altitude, largest geographical area, and lowest population density of the seven Turkish regions.

Kurdish people are the predominant ethnic group. Until the 1915 Armenian Genocide, the region also had a large population of Armenians, and was known as Western Armenia.

Beginning in 1880, the name Armenia was forbidden to be used in official documents of the Ottoman Empire, in an attempt to play down the history of Armenians in their own homeland. The government of Sultan Abdul Hamid II replaced the name Armenia with such terms as "Kurdistan" or "Anatolia". The Sublime Porte believed there would be no Armenian Question if there was no Armenia. The process of “nationalization” of toponyms was continued and gained momentum under the Kemalists after the foundation of the Republic of Turkey. In 1923, the entire territory of Western Armenia was officially renamed "Eastern Anatolia" (literally The Eastern East).

The word Anatolia means "sunrise" or "east" in Greek. This name was given to the Asia Minor peninsula approximately in the 5th or 4th centuries B.C. During the Ottoman era, the term Anadolou included the north-eastern vilayets of Asia Minor, with Kutahya as its center. Numerous European, Ottoman, Armenian, Russian, Persian, Arabic and other primary sources made clear distinctions between Anatolia and Armenia. The Armenian Highlands have historically been considered to be east of Anatolia, with the border between them located near Sivas (Sebastia) and Kayseri (Caesarea).

In the 17th century the terms "Anatolia" or "Eastern Anatolia" were never used to indicate Armenia. The Islamic World Map of the 16th century and other Ottoman maps of the 18th and 19th centuries also indicate Armenia (Ermenistan) in a specific territory, as well as its cities.

Armenia, together with its boundaries, was mentioned in the works of Ottoman historians and chroniclers until the ban at the end of the 19th century. Kâtip Çelebi, a famous Ottoman chronicler of the 17th century, had a special chapter titled "About the Country Called Armenia" in his book Jihan Numa. However, when this book was republished in 1957, its modern Turkish editor H. Selen changed this title into "Eastern Anatolia". Osman Nuri, a historian of the second half of the 19th century, mentions Armenia repeatedly in his three-volume Abdul Hamid and the Period of His Reign.

Since most of the region is far from the sea, and has high altitude, it has a harsh continental climate with long winters and short summers. During the winter, it is very cold and snowy, during summer the weather is cool in the highlands and warm in the lowlands. The region has the lowest average temperature of all Turkish regions, with -25 °C. Although it can get below -40 °C. The summer average is about 20 °C.

The region's annual temperature difference is the highest in Turkey. Some areas in the region have different microclimates. As an example, Igdir (near Mount Ararat) has a milder climate.

The region contains 11% percent of the total forested area of Turkey, and it is rich in native plants and animals. Oak and yellow pine trees form the majority of the forests.

The region has high potential for hydroelectric power.



leonedgaroldbury@yahoo.co.ukFeel free to Email me any additions or corrections


LINKS AVAILABLE TO YOUR SITE