How Many Provinces Are There In Turkey?

Turkey is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia, with a smaller portion on the Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. With over 84 million inhabitants, it is one of the largest countries in Europe by population.

Administratively, Turkey is divided into 81 provinces (Turkish: iller). The provinces are organized into 7 regions for geographical and statistical purposes.

Overview of Provinces in Turkey

• There are 81 provinces in Turkey.

• The largest province by population is Istanbul with over 15 million inhabitants The smallest is Bayburt with about 80,000 inhabitants

• The largest province by area is Konya, spanning over 40,000 square km. The smallest is Yalova at just 261 square km.

• Provinces usually bear the same name as their provincial capital district and largest city For example, the province of Ankara has its capital in the city of Ankara

• Some exceptions exist where the provincial capital has a different name than the province, such as Kocaeli, Sakarya, and Hatay.

• Each province is divided into districts, with 973 districts in total across the country. Districts can contain both rural and urban areas.

• The central district (merkez ilçe) of a province is the administrative center. The central district is governed by a governor appointed by the national government.

• Other districts are governed by district governors (kaymakam) appointed by the province governor.

• Municipalities (belediye) provide local government within districts and are led by elected mayors.

History of Provinces in Turkey

Provinces in Turkey originated from administrative divisions in the Ottoman Empire. Back then, the corresponding units were called vilayets.

When the Turkish Republic was founded in 1923 after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, vilayets became provinces. The new Republican administration sought to establish a modern, centralized state.

Over the decades, as population and economic activity shifted, some new provinces were created by splitting existing ones. The number of provinces reached its current 81 in 1989.

Recent proposals have occasionally been made to consolidate some less populous provinces, without much progress to date.

Breakdown of Provinces by Region

Turkey’s 81 provinces are organized into 7 geographical regions:

• Marmara Region – 11 provinces including Istanbul, Bursa, Kocaeli

• Aegean Region – 8 provinces including Izmir, Manisa, Aydın

• Mediterranean Region – 7 provinces including Adana, Antalya, Mersin

• Central Anatolia – 13 provinces including Ankara, Konya, Kayseri

• Black Sea Region – 19 provinces including Samsun, Trabzon, Rize

• Eastern Anatolia – 9 provinces including Malatya, Van, Erzurum

• Southeastern Anatolia – 14 provinces including Şanlıurfa, Gaziantep, Diyarbakır

Below is a breakdown of the number of provinces in each region:

• Marmara Region – 11 provinces
• Aegean Region – 8 provinces
• Mediterranean Region – 7 provinces
• Central Anatolia Region – 13 provinces
• Black Sea Region – 19 provinces
• Eastern Anatolia Region – 9 provinces
• Southeastern Anatolia Region – 14 provinces

Largest and Smallest Provinces

By population:

• Largest: Istanbul province – 15 million
• Smallest: Bayburt province – 80,000

By area:

• Largest: Konya province – 40,000 km2
• Smallest: Yalova province – 261 km2

Responsibilities of Provincial Administrations

Some key responsibilities carried out by provincial governments in Turkey include:

• Implementing national government policies and programs

• Overseeing local government units like municipalities within the province

• Providing public services like healthcare, education, infrastructure

• Promoting economic development and investment

• Maintaining public order and safety through provincial police forces

• Collecting taxes and managing provincial budgets

• Conducting elections for local offices like mayors and municipal councils