Hakkari

Hakkari, formerly Colemerik, city, capital of Hakkari il (province), southeastern Turkey. It lies at an elevation of about 5,500 feet (1,700 metres), surrounded by mountains and overlooked by a medieval fortress, the former residence of its Kurdish rulers. A market for local livestock and livestock products, Hakkari has road links to Van to the north and Siirt to the west.

Hakkari province is drained by the Great Zab River. Iran borders it on the east and Iraq on the south. Mostly mountainous, it is one of the most sparsely populated and isolated provinces in Turkey. East of Hakkari city rise the high ranges of the Cilo (13,700 feet [4,175 metres]) and Sat (12,500 feet [3,810 metres]) mountains. Cropland is scarce, and the proportion of land under cultivation is among the country’s lowest. Livestock raising is the main activity. The largely Kurdish population is seminomadic, moving to higher summer pastures in season.