What is the setting of Snow by Orhan Pamuk?

The setting for this novel is a small city in northern Turkey that is backward and poor for many reasons - the various conquerors that have come through there, the remoteness of the region, and the military and religious factions, who have ruled for much of its history. A blinding snowstorm cuts the city off virtually from the world, giving the impetus to a string of events that unfold with little interference from the residents, who are used to coups of one kind or another.