The Part of Turkey situated in Asia is called Anatolia,and European region to the south of the Balkan peninsula is called Thrace.Also known as Asia Minor ,Anatolia makes up about 97% of Turkey\'s land mass,and nearly 90% of the population live in this part.This rectangular-shaped land extends from Asia to the West,and is a natural passage between the continents of Asia and Europe.Furthermore,because it stands at a point where those two continents and Africa are closest to each other,it is a connecting point between the three continents.This strategic location,in this role of intercontinental bridgehead,has,throughout history,ensured that Anatolia has remained of geo-poitical and socio-economic importance.It is due to that fact that this land,starting from the Palaeolithic Age (nearly 2 million to 10 thousand years ago),has seen many different settlements.
Details of A General Introduction to Turkey
Cities In Turkey
Ankara : Turkey's capital,is situated in the north of the central Anatolian plateau.After Istanbul,it is the country'second largest city. Istanbul :Served as a capital city to the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires.Today,while being Turkey's biggest city,with its population of over six million,it also takes its place among the world's largest cities.
Edirne :Edirne was the target of a number of attacks and experienced much hardship until the formation of the Republic of Turkey.Now it is the second largest centre in the European part of Turkey.
Bursa: Bursa is quiet rich in historical buildings from the Ottoman period,and the most important of these are the following; the Ulu Mosque was built by Bayeziid I between 1398-1440.
Antalya : The modern tourist city of Antalya where blue and green are intertwined,is also famous for its beaches.
Izmir : Izmir is situated on the coast of the Aegean,at the end of a gulf to which it gave its name.Izmir is the third largest city of Turkey.
Adana :Adana Turkey's fourth largest city ,is the centre of Cukurova region,which steadily progresses in the agricultural and industrial sectors.
Nevsehir : Nevsehir,which was once the ruling centre of important historic settlements including Goreme,Urgup,Avanos and Hacibektas of Cappadocia,used to be known as Hittite,and during later periods as Nissa.
Kayseri:Kayseri situated on the south-eastern tip of the central Anatolian plateau,Kayseri can be considered the last point of Cappadocia.It was established near the Erciyes Mountain,which is a 3917 m. high volcano now extinct.
Konya :Konya is situated on Central Anatolia 's immense plateau.The settlements in this region,known as Turkey's granary,go back into the distant past. Amasya :Situated on the banks of Yesilirmak,Amasya is a city built against two steep mountains.
Trabzon : Trabzon is a city on the Black Sea coast of north-eastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. Trabzon, located on the historical Silk Road, became a melting pot of religions, languages and culture for centuries and a trade gateway to Iran in the southeast and the Caucasus to the northeast.
Erzurum : Erzurum is quite a rich city in terms of Islamic buildings of Eastern Anatolia.Remains that have been found here show that settlements have existed in this region since the Palaeolithic Age.
Agri :The city of Agri ,situated on the eastern border of Turkey,has in history acted as a passage,as well as a stopping point for migrations from Asia to Anatolia.Today as well,the road passing through Dogubeyazit continues on through the border post at Gurbulak and into Iran.This region ,which has come respectively under the Hurri,Urartu,Armenian,Persian,Arabian,Byzantine,Seljukian and Ottoman sovereignties,is the highest place in Turkey.its name comes from the world famous Mount Ararat,called Agri Dagi in Turkish.
Van: Van is situated in the south of Turkey,and on Lake Van,from which the city has taken its name.
Diyarbakir : Diyarbakir is one of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey. Situated on the banks of the River Tigris, it is the administrative capital of the Diyarbakır Province and with a population of about 843,460 it is the second largest city in Turkey's South-eastern Anatolia region, after Gaziantep.
Sanliurfa :The ciity of Sanliurfa has been the site of many settlements since the Neolithic Age.
