Konya municipalities (Meram, Selçuklu, Karatay) and a Metropolitan Municipality. Konya is the center of the largest province, the largest plain (Konya Plain) and is among the largest cities in the country. It is the seventh most populated city in Turkey. Konya City is in the southern part of the[ Central Anatolia Region]]. The land is broad and flat with a lot of lowlands and plateaus. The plateaus are covered with rich steppes, therefore, affecting the agriculture sector. Additionally, the southernmost part of Konya is largely surrounded by the Taurus Mountains. Lake Tuz, known in Turkish as "Tuz Golu", is the second-largest
2010 European Cross Country Championships record number of 34 nations competed at the event. The race took place on a purpose-built course near the city, which also hosts the annual Almond Blossom Cross Country. Albufeira was chosen as the host at the 120th European Athletics Council Meeting in October 2008, defeating a rival bid from Velenje (which was chosen for the 2011 edition instead). Hayley Yelling entered the race as the defending women's champion while Alemayehu Bezabeh, the reigning men's champion, did not take part in the competition. High-profile investigations into doping in Spain immediately preceded the championships and Bezabeh was among the athletes implicated