A high plateau ringed by rugged coastal mountains, with the Bosporus–Dardanelles acting as one of the world’s most decisive chokepoints. The coastal rims (Aegean, Marmara, Black Sea) support dense populations, while the interior is a harsher continental heartland suited for pastoralism, cavalry cultures, and large land-based states. This dual nature—maritime edges and steppe-linked interior—produces hybrid civilizations that mediate between Europe and Asia.
