Which city is most likely to be a major population center?

-Yazard, in the desert of central Iran
-Kars, located in mountainous eastern Turkey
-Mashad, in a valley in northeastern Iran
-Galata, in the cool mountain highlands of Cyprus

Have you googled each one in http://maps.google.com yet?

What do you think?

I'd look first at the population of each one right now.

http://www.google.com/#q=yazd+iran

http://www.google.com/#q=kars+turkey

http://www.google.com/search?q=mashad+iran&oq=mashad+iran&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.2254j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=119&ie=UTF-8

http://www.google.com/search?q=galata+cyprus&oq=galata+cyprus&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.5502j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=119&ie=UTF-8

Deserts and mountains are not usually heavily populated.

To determine which city is most likely to be a major population center, we need to consider a few factors such as geographical location, access to resources, historical significance, and economic opportunities. Let's analyze the characteristics of each city:

1. Yazard, in the desert of central Iran:
Being located in the desert might make it difficult for Yazard to sustain a large population due to limited access to water, fertile land, and other essential resources. Desert areas typically have sparse populations unless there are substantial economic incentives or specific historical significance.

2. Kars, located in mountainous eastern Turkey:
Mountainous regions can provide natural barriers and limited arable land, which can hinder population growth. Unless Kars has substantial economic opportunities or historical significance, it may not be a major population center.

3. Mashad, in a valley in northeastern Iran:
Being situated in a valley provides a more favorable environment for farming, access to water, and transportation routes. Additionally, Mashad is a historically and culturally significant city in Iran, attracting pilgrims to the holy site of the Imam Reza Shrine. These factors contribute to the likelihood of Mashad being a major population center.

4. Galata, in the cool mountain highlands of Cyprus:
Though the cool mountain highlands of Cyprus might be appealing in terms of climate, they might not offer the same economic opportunities or historical significance as other cities. Moreover, the limited arable land and geographical constraints of a mountainous region could limit major population growth.

Based on these considerations, Mashad, in a valley in northeastern Iran, is most likely to be a major population center due to its favorable geographical location, historical significance, and potential economic opportunities.