Black Sea

An inland sea between southeastern Europe and Asia Minor. It is connected to the Mediterranean Sea by the Bosporus and the Sea of Marmara.

The Black Sea region is thought to have been the original homeland of "Proto-Indo-European", the progenitor of the Indo-European language, family by some scholars. Others move the heartland further east towards the Caspian Sea.

Countries bordering on the Black Sea are Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia and Georgia.

The most important cities along the coast are: Istanbul (formerly Constantinople and Byzantium) -- Burgas? -- Varna? -- Odessa? -- Sevastopol?