Occupying most of modern-day Turkey, the Anatolian Plateau is a semi-arid, highland region nestled between the Pontic and Taurus mountains. It is geologically young and volcanically active, dotted with extinct volcanoes (like Mount Ararat) and unusual "fairy chimney" rock formations (Cappadocia). Historically, it served as the heartland of the Hittite Empire, the Byzantine frontier, and the Ottoman heartland. Today, its capital, Ankara, anchors a region of wheat fields and salt lakes (Lake Tuz).

Once upon a time, the Earth was a restless giant, its surface shifting like the pieces of a great puzzle. Millions of years ago, a massive piece of land—the —began a slow, relentless journey across the ocean. 1. The Great Collision: The Roof of the World

Asia Plateaus [upd] -

Occupying most of modern-day Turkey, the Anatolian Plateau is a semi-arid, highland region nestled between the Pontic and Taurus mountains. It is geologically young and volcanically active, dotted with extinct volcanoes (like Mount Ararat) and unusual "fairy chimney" rock formations (Cappadocia). Historically, it served as the heartland of the Hittite Empire, the Byzantine frontier, and the Ottoman heartland. Today, its capital, Ankara, anchors a region of wheat fields and salt lakes (Lake Tuz).

Once upon a time, the Earth was a restless giant, its surface shifting like the pieces of a great puzzle. Millions of years ago, a massive piece of land—the —began a slow, relentless journey across the ocean. 1. The Great Collision: The Roof of the World