Ankara; is
the capital of Turkey and the country’s second-largest city. It was
formerly called Angora. The city is situated on the Ankara River, a
tributary of the Sakarya, in the heart of the central Anatolian plateau,
220 miles southeast of Istanbul. It is spread out at the foot and along
the slope of a mountain that rises to 3,208 feet (978 meters) above sea
level.
Ankara
is a cosmopolitan city with impressive public buildings, wide avenues,
parks, an opera, and an international airport. The city is the site of
the University of Ankara, founded in 1946, and of the British Institute
of Archaeology, opened in 1948. Today, there are several universities in
Ankara.
Because
of its location in central Turkey, Ankara is an important commercial
city. It is the processing and marketing center for the surrounding
agricultural area, which has long been celebrated for the breeding of
long-haired goats and for the production of Angora wool (mohair).
Textiles, vaccines, cement, tiles, leather goods, and beer are
manufactured there.
