Mersin Province
The Mersin Province (Turkish: Mersin ili) is a province in southern Turkey, on the Mediterranean coast between Antalya and Adana. The provincial capital is the city of Mersin and the other major town is Tarsus, birthplace of St Paul. The province is part of Çukurova, a geographical, economical and cultural region, that covers the provinces of Mersin, Adana, Osmaniye and Hatay.
Mersin Province Mersin ili | |
---|---|
Location of Mersin Province in Turkey | |
Country | Turkey |
Region | Mediterranean |
Subregion | Adana |
Government | |
• Electoral district | Mersin |
Area | |
• Total | 15,853 km2 (6,121 sq mi) |
Population (2018)[1] | |
• Total | 1,814,468 |
• Density | 110/km2 (300/sq mi) |
Area code(s) | 0324 |
Vehicle registration | 33 |
İçel and Mersin
As of 1933, there were two separate provinces, namely İçel and Mersin, on the territory of today's Mersin Province when the Mersin Province was abolished and merged with the İçel Province but the seat of the latter was moved from Silifke to Mersin. In 2002, the province's name was changed from İçel to Mersin but the province retained the license plate number of 33, İçel having been the 33rd in the alphabetical order of Turkish province names.
Geography
87% of the land area is mountain, leading up to the rocky heights of the central Taurus Mountains, the highest peak is Medetsiz (3,584 m) in the Bolkar range, and there are a number of important passes over to central Anatolia. There are many high meadows and small plains between 700 and 1500m.
The coastal strip has many large areas of flatland, formed from soil brought down by rivers and streams running off the mountains. This is fertile land, the largest area being the plain of Tarsus. The largest rivers are the Göksu and the Berdan (aka Tarsus, Cydnus of antiquity), but there are many small streams running into lakes, reservoirs or the Mediterranean sea. Mersin has 321 km of coastline, much of it sandy beach. The climate is typical of the Mediterranean; very hot and very humid in summer, warm and wet in winter; the winter rains can be very heavy and flooding is a problem in many areas, but it never snows on the coast, although there is snow in the high mountain areas.
The city of Mersin is one of Turkey's busiest: due to the economic activity in this part of Turkey generated by the GAP Project Mersin is Turkey's biggest Mediterranean port, and now has an oil refinery and a free trade zone too; there are a number of factories along the road between Mersin and Adana, manufacturing glass, detergents, fertilisers and many more. With all this activity a modern city has grown with a university and other major amenities.
About 50% of the population of the province is younger than 24 years of age. 68% were born in Mersin. The literacy rate is 89%. About 43% of the male population and about 27% of the female population graduated from middle school. Infant mortality is 0.48%. Urban population growth rate is 2.42%. Population density is 117.
Tourism
Mersin does not have the huge volume of tourists enjoyed by neighbouring Antalya or the Aegean coast, but Turkish people do come to this coast, especially now that the hotels have air-conditioning, and perhaps more to the mountain country behind where there are healing mineral water springs. In summer the hills are a popular retreat from the high humidity and extreme heat on the coast. West of Mersin includes bays, and little islands. Yacht touring is a tourism income in these areas.
History
In antiquity this coast was part of Cilicia, named for a Phoenician or Assyrian prince that had settled here. Trade from Syria and Mesopotamia over the mountains to central Anatolia passed through here, through the Cilician Gates. The geographer Strabo, described the region as being divided into "Rugged Cilicia" (Cilicia Trachea, Κιλικία Τραχεία in Greek) and "Flat Cilicia" (Cilicia Pedias, Κιλικία Πεδιάς). The capital of both sections of Cilicia was Tarsus and Mersin was its seaport.
Districts
Mersin province is divided into thirteen districts four of which are actually included within the municipality of Mersin city (shown in boldface letters).
Population
(In the table below, the four second-level municipalities are merged within Mersin proper.)
Name of the district | Population (urban area) |
Population (district total, including rural area) |
---|---|---|
Mersin | 842,230 | 888,803 |
Anamur | 34,227 | 62,702 |
Aydıncık | 8,004 | 11,651 |
Bozyazı | 15,615 | 26,295 |
Çamlıyayla | 2,861 | 9,847 |
Erdemli | 45,241 | 125,391 |
Gülnar | 8,357 | 19,141 |
Mut | 28,966 | 63,673 |
Silifke | 51,684 | 113,404 |
Tarsus | 233,436 | 308,681 |
Places of interest
- The city of Tarsus, birthplace of St Paul, whose house and well are sites of Christian pilgrimage.
- Silifke - ancient Seleucia Pieria, buildings include the church of Aya Tekla, the first female saint.
- The ancient Roman town of Soloi-Pompeiopolis, now within the city. About Mersin
- The ancient Roman town of Anemurium, adjacent to the modern town of Anamur.
- Another ancient city of Elaiussa Sebaste, 55 km from the city of Mersin.
- Castles including Mamure, Kızkalesi and Namrun.
Towns and other geographic features
Towns
Archaeological and historical
- Adamkayalar
- Alahan Monastery
- Altından geçme
- Akhayat sinkhole
- Aya Tekla Church
- Baç Bridge
- Bilal Habeşi Masjid
- Canbazlı ruins
- Caracalla's inscription
- Cennet and Cehennem
- Cleopatra's gate
- Corycus
- Çanakçı rock tombs
- Dörtayak
- Gözlükule
- Kanlıdivane
- Karakabaklı
- Kırkkaşık Bedesten
- Laal Pasha Mosque
- Lamas Aqueduct
- Mancınık Castle
- Mamure Castle
- Meydancık Castle
- Mezgitkale
- Mut Castle
- Olba (ancient city)
- Öküzlü ruins
- Paşa Türbesi
- Roman road in Cilicia
- Saint Paul's Church, Tarsus
- Silifke Castle
- Sinekkale
- Soli, Cilicia
- Tapureli ruins
- Tarsus Grand Mosque
- Taşgeçit Bridge
- Tekir ambarı
- Üçayaklı ruins
- Veyselli rock reliefs
- Yanıkhan
- Yumuktepe
Museums
Other
- 2013 Mediterranean Games
- Berdan River
- Cyprus Memorial Cemetery in Silifke
- Çukurova
- Dana Adası
- Gulf of Mersin
- Karabucak Forest
- Karakız Lake
- List of municipalities in Mersin Province
- List of populated places in Mersin Province
- Mersin Congress and Exhibition Center
- Mersin Grand Mosque
- Mersin Harbor
- Mezitli River
- Muğdat Mosque
- Müftü River
- Tourism centers of Mersin Province
- Transport in Mersin Province
- Yenice Conference (Yenice Görüşmesi )
Gallery
- Mersin
Mediterranean sea shore - Mersin
Refah monument - Mersin
Light house - Mersin
Harbor - Mersin
Soli ruins - Anamur
Mamure castle - Aydıncık
Aynalıgöl - Aydıncık
Detail from the mosaic - Aydıncık
Dörtayak - Çamlıyayla
Kadıncık dam - Erdemli
Maiden's castle - Erdemli
Öküzlü basilica - Erdemli
Emirzeli church - Erdemli
Lamos - Erdemli
Lake Karakız - Mut
Mut castle - Mut
Alahan Monastery - Silifke
Silifke historical bridge - Silifke
Cape Tisan - Silifke
Boğsak Islet - Silifke
Karakabaklı ruins - Silifke
Sinekkale - Silifke
Sculpture in Silifke Museum - Silifke
Narlıkuyu - Silifke
Susanoğlu - Silifke
Mezgitkale - Tarsus
Berdan River - Tarsus
Cleopatra's Gate - Tarsus
Grand Mosque - Tarsus, Yenice train station
Location of İnönü-Churcill meeting
Notes
- "Population of provinces by years - 2000-2018". Turkish Statistical Institute. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mersin Province. |
- Mersin City
- Mersin Weather Forecast Information
- About Mersin City
- University of Mersin
- Mersin city council
- People Of Mersin
- Real Estate Agency Mersin Turkey
- some photographs of Mersin
- Mersin technopark
- Mersin Chamber of Commerce and Industry (in English)
- Mersin Chamber of Shipping (in English)
- Mersin Photographic society (in English)
- 2008 Saint Paul Year English)
- Mersin News
- Mersin 2013 Web Site
- Mersin Free Zone