Ankara

Ankara (previously Angora) is the capital of Turkey and the country’s second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of 938 metres (3,077 ft),[2] and as of 2008 the city had a population of 4,500,000. Ankara also serves as the capital of Ankara Province.



As with many ancient cities, Ankara has gone by several names over the ages. It has been identified with the Hittite cult centre Ankuwaš,[3][4] although this remains a matter of debate.[5] In classical antiquity and during the medieval period, the city was known as Ánkyra (Ἄγκυρα, “anchor”) in Greek and Ancyra in Latin; the Galatian Celtic name was probably a similar variant. Following its annexation by the Seljuk Turks in 1073, the city became known in many European languages as Angora, a usage which continued until its official renaming to Ankara under the Turkish Postal Service Law of 1930.[6]



Centrally located in Anatolia, Ankara is an important commercial and industrial city. It is the centre of the Turkish Government, and houses all foreign embassies. It is an important crossroads of trade, strategically located at the centre of Turkey’s highway and railway networks, and serves as the marketing centre for the surrounding agricultural area. The city was famous for its long-haired Angora goat and its prized wool (mohair), a unique breed of cat (Angora cat), white rabbits and their prized wool (Angora wool), pears, honey, and the region’s muscat grapes.



Ankara

Ankara

Ankara

Ankara

Ankara

Ankara

Ankara