Batman, Oil industry center in Southeastern Anatolia Region, Turkey
Batman sits on a plateau in southeastern Turkey where its namesake river flows toward the Tigris. The city spreads across terrain at roughly 540 meters (1770 feet) elevation, linking the Anatolian landscape with the river lowlands of the region.
A small settlement with just a few thousand inhabitants changed rapidly from the forties onward when petroleum was found beneath the surrounding fields. Extraction transformed the place within a few decades into a regional center with new neighborhoods and industrial facilities.
The city takes its name from the river flowing through the region, a waterway that has nourished the area for centuries. Kurdish traditions appear in daily life, particularly in the markets where both languages coexist naturally.
An airport and rail links make reaching the city and its surroundings easier. The local university attracts students from different regions and encourages cultural exchange.
The petroleum fields nearby rank among the most productive in the country and supply Mediterranean ports through a long pipeline. These underground resources continue to shape the economic landscape of the region.
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