Crimea is a peninsula located on the northern coast of the Black Sea in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by the Sea of Azov to the northeast and is connected to the mainland of Ukraine by the narrow Perekop Isthmus. The region has a diverse history, influenced by various cultures and empires, including the Greek, Roman, and Ottoman empires. In 1954, Crimea was transferred from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Crimea became part of independent Ukraine. In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea, a move that has led to ongoing international disputes and tensions.