Göle

Göle (Georgian: Kola (კოლა - k'ola)) is a small city and surrounding district in Ardahan Province of Turkey. The city was formerly known as Merdenik, Merdinik or Ardahan-ı Küçük (Little Ardahan in Ottoman Turkish). Göle is a rural district, 80% of the area is mountain and forest with the remainder grazing land and meadow; the local economy depends on this grazing. Göle is famous for its yellow kaşar cheese. Some crops are grown, including grains and potatoes. With the high Allahuekber mountains to the south Göle is exposed to the north; winters are eight months long and extremely cold (minus 30 Celsius is quite normal), summer is one month of dry weather. Part of the Ottoman Empire from 1561, Göle was briefly occupied by Russia in the...