Bolu Province
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Bolu Province Bolu ili |
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|---|---|
| Province of Turkey | |
 Location of Bolu Province in Turkey |
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| Country | Turkey |
| Region | East Marmara |
| Subregion | Kocaeli |
| Government | |
| • Electoral district | Bolu |
| Area | |
| • Total | 7,410 km2 (2,860 sq mi) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 271,208 |
| • Density | 37/km2 (95/sq mi) |
| Area code(s) | 0374 |
| Vehicle registration | 14 |
Bolu Province (Turkish: Bolu ili) is a province in northwestern Turkey. It's an important midpoint between the capital, Ankara and the largest city in the country, Istanbul. It covers an area of 7,410 km², and the population is 271,208.
This is an attractive forested mountain district centered on the city of Bolu, which has a long history.
There is plenty of forest but little agricultural land. There is some garden produce and dairy production including good cheeses and cream, most of this is consumed or sold locally, especially as Bolu has a large passing trade: Bolu Mountain is the major topographical obstacle on the Istanbul-Ankara highway, and until 2007, when the Bolu Mountain Tunnel is being opened, most travelers stopped here for food and refreshment. Bolu has a long tradition of high quality cuisine. Annual cookery competitions are held in Mengen.
The province is drained by the Bolu River (Boli Su) and the Koca River.
The forests, lakes and mountains are rich in wildlife including three deer species and very popular weekend and holiday retreats for walkers and climbers.
Parts of the province are vulnerable to earthquakes.
It is not definitely known when Bolu was first founded. There are some archaeological findings dating back about 100,000 years that suggest the region was inhabited then.
The area now in Bolu Province was in eastern Bithynia and southwestern Paphlagonia. The town of Bithynium from which the area takes its name is the modern Bolu. By about 375 BCE, Bithynia had gained its independence from Persia, and King Bas subsequently defeated Alexander's attempt to take it. The Bithynian region with parts of Paphlagonia remained its own kingdom until 88 BCE when it briefly came under Mithridates VI and the Kingdom of Pontus. With Roman help the last Bithynian king, Nicomedes IV regained his throne, but on his death bequeathed the kingdom to Rome. This led to the Third Mithridatic War and the fall of Pontus, the area was incorporated into the Roman Empire as a single province joining Paphlagonia with Bithynia. Under the folling Byzantine Empire the Bolu area was divided from western Bithynia at the Sakarya River, with western Bithynia keeping the name. The Sakarya is still the southern and western boundary of the province.
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Wikipedia