# The New International Encyclopædia/Anatolia

Edition of 1905. See also Anatolia on Wikipedia; and the disclaimer.
​AN′ATO′LIA (Gk. Ἀνατολή, Anatolē, a rising, east, i.e., from Constantinople; from ἀνἀ, ana, up + τέλλειν, tellein, to make to arise, to rise). The modern name for Asia Minor; Turkish, Anadoli. It embraces the western peninsula of Asia, bounded by the Armenian highlands on the east, the Mediterranean on the south, the Ægean Sea on the west, and the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmora on the north. Its area is about 195,000 square miles (Map: Turkey in Asia, D 3). ​It constitutes the western prolongation of the high table-land of Armenia, with its border mountain ranges. The interior consists of a great plateau, or rather series of plateaus, having an average elevation of about 3000 feet, with bare steppes, salt plains, marshes, and lakes; the structure is volcanic, and there are several conical mountains, one of which, the Argish (or Ergish) Dagh (Argæus), with two craters, rises about 10,000 feet above the plain of Kaisariyeh, which has itself an elevation of between 2000 and 3000 feet. The plateau is bordered on the north by a long train of parallel mountains, which skirt the coast of the Black Sea, and extend all the way to the Mediterranean, and which are cut up into groups by cross valleys. These ranges vary greatly in height, the greatest elevation in the extreme east being about 12,000 feet. They sink abruptly down on the north side to a narrow strip of coast; their slopes toward the interior are gentler and bare of wood. Similar is the character of the border ranges on the south, the ancient Taurus, only that they are more uniform and on the average much higher, although their loftiest summits do not rise above the highest peak of the northern mountains. The western border is intersected by numerous valleys, opening upon the Archipelago, through the highlands of the ancient Caria, Lydia, and Mysia, to the northern part of which mounts Ida and Olympus belong. Between the highlands and the sea lie the fertile coast lands of the Levant. The western coast of Anatolia is remarkably indented and fringed with the islands of the Archipelago. The rivers of Anatolia are not navigable: the largest are the Yeshil-Irmak (Iris), the Kizil-Irmak (Halys), and the Sakariah (Sangarius), flowing into the Black Sea; and the Ghediz-Tchai (Hermus), and Menderes (Mæander), into the Ægean. The largest of the salt lakes are Tuz-Tchölü, Bei-Shehr, and Egerdir.
The climate bears on the whole a south European character; but a distinction must be made of four regions. The central plateau, nearly destitute of wood and water, has a hot climate in summer and a cold one in winter; the southern coast has mild winters and scorching summers; while on the coast of the Ægean there is the mildest of climates and a magnificent vegetation. On the northern side the climate is not so mild as on the western; yet the vegetation is most luxuriant, and a more delightful or richer tract than the coast from the Sea of Marmora to Trebizond is hardly to be found. The whole peninsula is subject to earthquakes.
In its flora and fauna, Anatolia forms the transition from the continental character of the East to the maritime character of the West. The forest trees and cultivated plants of Europe are seen mingled with the forms peculiar to the East. The central plateau, which is barren, except when assisted by irrigation, has the character of an Asiatic steppe, more adapted for the flocks and herds of nomadic tribes than for agriculture; the southern and western coasts, on the contrary, are characterized by a luxuriant vegetation, which includes the southern fruits of Europe with a slight admixture of the tropical plants of Africa.
The minerals of Anatolia are of considerable variety, including coal, lead, manganese, copper, meerschaum, and a few others. Salt and petroleum also exist, but are not exported to any extent. The agricultural products include the common grains, fruits in great variety and abundance, tobacco, cotton, and poppy-seed. Much silk is produced. Among the exports are prunes, figs, olives, poultry, eggs, skins, cattle, carpets, silk, gums, wax, and minerals. Transportation facilities are still inadequate, and the railroads have a total length of about 1300 miles.
The population of Anatolia, according to recent estimates, is over 9,000,000, composed of a number of different races. The Turks are found all over the country, in which they occupy the foremost position, both in commercial and in political life. The Turkomans, who are akin to the Turks, are mostly nomadic. The Greeks and Armenians constitute a considerable fraction of the population, and commerce is to a great extent in their hands. Among other elements in the population are Kurds, Yuruks, Lazes, Jews, Circassians, and Bulgarians. It is estimated that about four-fifths of the inhabitants are agriculturists or herdsmen. Among the cities of Anatolia are Smyrna, Scutari, Brussa, Kaisariyeh, Adana, Konieh, Sivas, Manissa (Magnesia), Aidin, Trebizond, Amasia, Tokat, Angora, Adalia, Ismid, and Kutaieh.
This region was an early seat of civilization. The country has passed under the supremacy of one race after another, and it has been the scene of numerous wars, both in ancient and in modern times. The west coast was early lined with opulent Greek cities, the seats of poetry, learning, and the arts, and great centres of colonization. In the first half of the sixth century B.C. the kingdom of Lydia, under Crœsus, attained the height of its splendor. Crœsus was conquered by the Persians, who extended their sway over the whole peninsula. The rule of Macedon succeeded that of Persia. After the disruption of Alexander’s empire the Seleucid kings of Syria were dominant in Asia Minor. By the side of the Seleucid realm, various states arose in the peninsula, Pergamon, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and Pontus. The Romans first carried their arms into Asia Minor at the beginning of the second century B.C., when they vanquished Antiochus the Great of Syria. In the following century Pontus was a mighty realm under Mithridates the Great, who succumbed to the arms of Pompey. After 395 A.D. Asia Minor formed part of the Greek, or Byzantine, Empire. Under the Byzantines, it received the name of Anatolia. In the eleventh century the Seljuks made themselves masters of the region, where they established the sultanate of Rum. The close of the thirteenth century witnessed the beginnings of the power of the Ottoman Turks, who in the course of the following century established their sway over Asia Minor, which now became a great base whence Mohammedan conquests were carried on in Europe. Since 1453 the Ottoman Turks have ruled Anatolia from Constantinople. The ancient divisions of this region were Pontus, Paphlagonia, Bithynia, Galatia, Lycaonia, Phrygia, Cilicia, Caria, Pisidia, Pamphylia, Cappadocia, Mysia, and Lydia.
Consult: Percy, The Highlands of Asiatic Turkey (London, 1901); Oberhummer and Zimmerer, Durch Syrien und Kleinasien (Leipzig, 1898); K. Kaunenberg, Kleinasiens Naturschätze (Berlin, 1897); J. Bryce, Trans-Caucasia and Ararat (London, 1896); H. C. Barkley, A Ride Through Asia Minor and Armenia (London, 1891).