AN'ATO'LIA (Gk. 'AnaroXii, Anatole, a rising, east, i.e., from Constantinople: from aim, ana, up + riRlecr, talein, 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 iEgean 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, hav ing an average elevation of about 3000 fe-et, with hare .teppes, salt plains, marshes, and lakes; the structure is volcanic, and there are several con ical mountains, one of which, the Argislt (or Ergish) Thigh (Arg:rus), 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 clown 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, open ing upon the Archipelago, through the highlands of the ancient Carta, 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 west ern 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 I rma k ( Halys ) and the Sakariah ( Sa ngari ) , flowing into the Black Sea: and the Ghediz-Tehai (llernms), and Menderes (M:rander), into the iEgean. The largest of the salt lakes are Tuz
Tchrillti. Bei-Shehr, and Egerdir.
The climate hears on the whole a south Euro pean character; but a distinction must he 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 iEgean there is the mildest of climates and a magnificent vegeta tion. 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 he 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 ming,led 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 agricul ture; the southern and western coasts. on the contrary, are characterized by a luxuriant veg etation, 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, emptier, meerschaum, and a few others. Salt and petro leum 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. Trans portation facilities are still inadequate, and the railroads have a total length of about 1300 miles.