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City in southeastern
Turkey with 390,000 inhabitants (2004 estimate),
lying on a fertile
plain with mountains on three sides.
It is the capital of
Sanliurfa province with 1.5 million inhabitants (2004 estimate).
The economy is based
on trade of agricultural and livestock products of the surrounding
region.
The main products for
exports are butter and wool. The city is linked by main roads with
Gaziantep 150 km west,
Mardin 250 km east,
Diyarbakir 250 km northeast and Syria 75 km south.
The main landmark of
Sanliurfa is the ancient citadel situated on one of the hills
overlooking the town.
Parts of the old city
walls still stand, as well as parts of the flood-prevention works built
in the 6th century.
Muslim sights include
the 17th century madrasa and the mosque of Abd ar-Rahman.
Sanliurfa's millennia
old importance comes from its position of controlling a strategic pass
for trade routes
between Anatolia and northern Mesopotamia. |