ASIA MINOR AND ARMENIA. 
Asia Minor is a plateau flanked by the Pontic Range on the 
north, the Anti-Taurus on the east, and the Taurus on the south. The 
western coast is fringed with islands, and much indented, the sequence 
of inlet and promontory reflecting the east to west direction of range 
and valley behind. Armenia is a higher plateau to the east, 
which culminates in Mount Ararat. This is an extinct volcano, and 
volcanic rocks predominate in the east and centre of Asia Minor; but 
3lsewhere the prevailing rock is limestone. 
The Euphrates, Tigris, and Kur, with its tributary the Aras, which 
lorms the boundary between Persia and Trans-Caucasia, rise on the 
Armenian Plateau. The Aras drains a large lake in Russian territory ; 
and two other large lakes, without outlets, stand, one on the Persian, 
and the other on the Turkish, portion of the plateau. "There are also 
several lakes in Asia Minor, some containing saline and some fresh water. 
The porous nature of the limestone in Asia Minor has caused some rivers 
to disappear underground ; while the ranges which bound the plateau 
have forced others to cut deep gorges through them in order to reach 
the sea. These ranges also cut off rain from the interior of the plateau ; 
and thus the rivers, being shallow in their upper courses and rapid in 
their lower, are useless for navigation. 
Cultivation is possible on the plateau where irrigation can be 
amployed ; but most of Asia Minor consists of poor grassland, 
on which herds of sheep and goats are reared. The wool of the 
former furnishes the material for Turkish rugs and carpets, while the 
Angora breed of goats supplies mohair. Wheat and barley are culti- 
vated in places, but the raisins, cotton, opium, figs, tobacco, and olives, 
which are exported, come chiefly from the western valleys. Other 
axports are valonia—a species of acorn-cup used in tanning—and silk, 
which is produced near the Sea of Marmora and manufactured at 
Brusa. 
The seaward slopes of the Pontic Range are densely covered with 
deciduous trees, such as oak. beech »ch, an® walnut, besides being 
planted with groves of peach. ‘omegranate, 
etc. The southern slopes of thı _.urus alSO u13 Weıl Wooded ; but here 
the trees are mainly conifers, from which turpentine is obtained.