Karaman

Karaman is a town in south central Turkey, located north of the Taurus Mountains, about 100 km (62 mi) south of Konya. It is the capital district of the Karaman Province. According to 2000 census, the population of the province is 231,872 of which 132,064 live in the town of Karaman. The district covers an area of 3,686 km (1,423 sq mi), and the town lies at an average elevation of 1,039 m (3,409 ft). The Karaman Museum is one of the major sights. The town owes its name to Karaman Bey who was one of the rulers of the Karamanid dynasty. The former name comes from the Greek Laranda which in turn comes from the Luwian language Larawanda, literally "sandy, a sandy place". In ancient times Karaman was known as Laranda. It was destroyed by...