İzmir Province, Coastal administrative division in western Turkey.
Description
İzmir Province is a first-level administrative unit on the Turkish Aegean coast that covers around 11891 square kilometers and includes 30 districts. The area runs from the shoreline into the mountainous interior, connecting flat plains with valleys, hills, and narrow bays along the sea.
History
The region once housed ancient Smyrna, which became a major trading center in the Mediterranean after the 4th century BC. Ottoman rule began in the 15th century and shaped the administrative structure until the Republic of Turkey created the current provincial form.
Culture
The name comes from the Ottoman period and evolved from ancient Smyrna through Byzantine and Turkish forms to its current spelling. Many place names across the province reflect different eras, from Greek designations to Turkish villages named after geographic features or historical events.
Practical
The province is accessible through several highways, rail lines, and an international airport, with ports along the coast offering maritime connections. Travelers find different landscapes and distances across the districts, so planning around personal priorities helps.
Did you know?
The province generates roughly one fifth of Turkish wind power through over 1300 megawatts of installed capacity, spread across wind farms inland and along the coast. These installations use steady winds from the sea and valleys to supply electricity for millions of households.
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Ephesus
56.1 km
Pergamon
77.8 km
Pergamon Altar
79.4 km
House of the Virgin Mary
59.2 km
Library of Celsus
56.5 km
İzmir Clock Tower
92 m
Basilica of St. John
55.9 km
Asansör
1.5 km
Alaçatı
67.7 km
Folkart Towers
5.6 km
Mount Sipylus
32.8 km
İzmir Atatürk Stadium
4.6 km
Atatürk Mask
2 km
Şeytan Sofrası
105.7 km
Colophon
34.5 km
Teos
40.3 km
Archaeological site of Ephesus
56.3 km
Aliağa ship-breaking yard
48.8 km
Ephesus Archaeological Museum
56.3 km
Mausoleum of Zübeyde Hanım
4.8 km
Ilıca Plajı
66.8 km
Kadifekale
1.5 km
USS Tang
8.3 km
Kemeraltı
227 m
Alsancak
2.4 km
Güvercinada
62.7 km
Kordon
2 km
Church of Mary
55.9 km
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