The Turkish Republic was established on October 29,1923 from the remnants of theOttoman Empires. It is a bicontenental country Turkey straddles the Bosphorus traits that separate Southwest Asia from Southeast Europe. Anatolia is situated between theBlack Sea on the north and the Mediterranean Sea to south, with the Aegean Sea and Marmara Sea (both branches of the Mediterranean) to the west. Because of its geographical position between Europe and Asia and three seas, Turkey has been a historical crossroads, the homeland of and battleground between several great civilizations, and a center of commerce.
