TURKEY IN ASIA.—This portion of the Turkish empire is more hilly than the other, the two almost parallel ranges, Taurus and anti-Taurus, which are the basis of its mountain-system, cover almost the whole of the peninsula of Asia or Anatolia (q.v.), with their ramifications and offshoots, funning the surface into elevated plateaux, deep valleys• and inclosed plains. From the Taurus chain, the Lebanon range proceeds southward parallel to the coast of Syria, and diminishing in elevation in Palestine, ter minates on the Red sea coast at Sinai. Besides the Euphrates (q.v.), Tigris ( and Orontes (q.v.), the only lot poriunt rivers of Turkey in Asia are the Kizil-Ennak, which rises on the borders of CUR.:hi, and after a devious course across the peninsula, falls into the Black sea, near Stinsoun; tile :launder and Sarah:it, whielt flow to the YEgean; and the which empties itself into the Euxine. On the whole, Turkey in Asia is ill supplied frith water; and though the mountain slopes afford abundance of excellent pusiu•e, the plains, and many of the valleys, especially those of the Euphrates, Tigris, and Jordan, arc reduced by Inc parching draughts of summer to the condition of sandy deserts. In ancient dines, these now desert districts were preserved in a state of fer tility artificial irrigation; but during the six centuries of almost constant war which convulsed this once fair region, the canals were neglected, and have, ever since the rise of the Osmanli power, remained in an unserviceable condition. Nevertheless, the fer tile portions produce abundance of wheat, barley, rice, maize, tobacco, hemp, flax, and Cotton; the cedar, cypress, and evergreen oak flourish on the mountain slopes; the syca more and mulberry on the lower lulls; and the olive, fig, citron, orange. pomegranate, ishil vine on the low lands. The mineral products are iron, copper, lead, alum, silver, rock-salt, coal (in Syria). and limestone. The fauna includes the lion (c. of the Euphrates), the hyena, lynx, panther, leopard, buffalo, wild boar, wild ass, bear, jackal, jerboa, and many others; and the camel and dromedary increase the ordinary list of domestic animals.
/ilda.,h7. krankfacfurcs, and Trade.—Notwithstanding the primitive state of agri cultu•e in Turkey, the extreme fertility of the soil, which returns from 25 to 100 fold, makes ample amends for this defect. and supplies materia's for the comparatively unim portant manufactures and industries of the country. The products arc wax, raisins, dried figs, olive oil, silks, red cloth, dressed goat-skins, excellent morocco, saddlery, swords of superior quality, shawls, carpets, dye-stuffs, embroidery, essential oils, attar of roses. opium, corn, plum brandy, etc. The exports include also wool, goats' hair,
meerschaum clay, honey, sponges, drugs, madder. gall-nuts, various gums and resins, and excellent wines; the imports arc manufactured goods of all kinds, glass, pottery, arms, paper, cutlery, steel, amber, etc. Previous to the recent Russian war, the average annual value of the imports of Turkey in Europe was estimated at £18,500,000, and the exports at £10,000,000. Trade has dwindled to about one-third of its former dimensions, since the war. The exports from the whole of the Turkish empire to Great Britain amounted, in 1877, to £6,851.108; and the imports thence to £5.624,910. The coun tries which trade with Turkey are, in order of importance, Persia, Great Britain, France, Ansilla, Russia, Egypt, etc; and the principal ports of the empire are Constantinople, Trollizond, and. Smyrna. The mercantile marine of Turkey is small. In 1877 it corn prised only some 230 sea-going ships (a dozen of them steamers). of a total tonnage of 34.800 tons. In 1878 there were over 780 m. of railway open for traffic in European Turkey; in the Asiatic part of the empire about 175 miles.
pcludation.—A more heterogeneous aggregation of races than that which constitutes the population of the Turkish empire can hardly be conceived. Turks, Greeks, Slays, Romanians, Albanians, are larg.ely represented. besides Armenians, Jews, Circassians, etc., and Frank residents, lit European Turkey, the Turks are estimated at 2.200,000; the Slays, including the Bulgarians of the principality, at near 2.000,000; the Greeks at 1.030,000; the Albanians at 1,250.000; and the Romanians at 1,000,000. Then in Asia there limy he 4,450,000 Turks, not to speak of those in Africa; of Turkomans, 100,000; of Kurds, 1,000,000; of Syrians, 190.000—all in Asia: 1,000,000 Greeks; 2,400,000 Armenians (partly in Europe); as well as Jews, Arabs (in Asia and Africa), Druses, Franks or western Christians, gypsies, Tartars, Cireassians and other kindred races, Copts, Nubians, Berbers, etc. Of these, the Greeks and Armenians are traders; the Slavic people and the Albanians are the chief agriculturists in Europe, and the Osman lis, Armenians, Syrians, and Drnses in Asia. Of the whole population about 25,000,000 are Mohammedans, and 15,300,000 Greek and Armenian Christians.