Ankara is a province of Turkey and the country’s capital and second most populous city. Archaeological evidence indicates that Ankara has been inhabited at least since the Old Stone Age. Ankara has hosted a number of civilizations throughout history. The Hittites, Phrygians, Lydians, Persians, Galatians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks, Ottomans, and eventually the Turkish Republic have all ruled over it.

Ankara was established as the capital city of Turkey in 1923. The city has grown fast since then, and it is now the second most populous province in Turkey. During the early years of the Republic of Turkey, agriculture and animal husbandry accounted for half of the country’s economy. Agriculture still takes place on the soil of the province today.

Ankara has a population of 5.6 million people as of today. The total surface area is 25,632 km2.

At the province’s southern tip, Turkey’s second biggest lake covers 1,300 square kilometers and is home to Salt Lake, which has a salt content of 32.4 percent and is the world’s second most saline lake. The basin also includes Turkey’s largest basin.