ASIA MINOR

or ANATOLIA, west42°.), forming part of Turk. Empire; bounded N. by Black Sea, E. by Armenia and Persia, 8. by Mediterranean and Syria, W. by Bosporus, Sea of Marmora, broken in W. Central tableland, 2,000— 3,000 ft., bounded by mountain ranges N. and S.; has salt lakes. Elsewhere are fertile river valleys and waste strips; in S. is Plain of Adana. Climate extreme on plateau, temperate on Mediterranean. Chief rivers, Kizil Irmak, Sakaria. Roads are practically unknown; traffic dependent on horses, camels, mules. Railway mileage is c. 1,500. Hill slopes of N. are covered with trees—walnut, box, oak, beech, plane, ash, There are many sheep, goats, horses. Useful and precious metals are plentiful. Ruling power in Asia Minor was heid by Lydian kings in 7th cent. B.C.; came under control of Persia a cent. later, and was afterwards subdued in 334 B.C. OF Alexander the Great, after whose deat: it was subdivided, greater part coming eventually to Seleucids, and kings of Pergamum; Rhodes became republic, and Bithynian kingdom was established; flourished under Romans from 1st cent. B.C.; le prosperous under Byzantine Empire; gradual annexation by Turks began 11th cent.; whole has belonged to Turkey since 1481. During World War main Turk. lines of communication were in Asia Minor; fighting between Turks and Ru ians in Armenia, 1916 and 1918. Smyrna occupied by British and Greeks, Oct. 1919. For territorial readjustments following World War, see Manufactures include silks, cottons, carpets, mohair, wine, soap, licorice, paste, copper utensils. Among imports are textiles, iron, coal, petroleum, sugar; among exports, grain, cotton, dried fruits, wine, oil, hides, mohair, tobacco, meerschaum, valonia, various ores, etc. Area, c.. 200,000 sq. m.; pop. (recent estimate) 10,200,000, including ‘Turks, Circa ians, Jews, Arabs, and Greeks in W. See Map Asta,