Adana Province
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| Adana Province | |
|---|---|
 see above · CC BY-SA 2.5 · source | |
| Name | Adana Province |
| Native name | Adana ili |
| Settlement type | Province |
| Coordinates | 37°00′N 35°20′E |
| Subdivision type | Country |
| Subdivision name | Republic of Turkey |
| Seat type | Capital |
| Seat | Adana |
| Leader title | Governor |
| Leader name | Governor of Adana |
| Area total km2 | 14,030 |
| Population total | 2,237,940 |
| Population as of | 2022 |
| Timezone1 | TRT |
| Utc offset1 | +03:00 |
Adana Province is a province in southern Republic of Turkey centered on the city of Adana. It occupies a broad section of the Çukurova plain and serves as a regional hub linking the Mediterranean Sea ports of Mersin and İskenderun with inland Anatolia and the Levant. The province has long been shaped by major waterways such as the Seyhan River and Ceyhan River, ancient trade routes, and successive empires including the Hittite Empire, Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, Seljuk Empire, and Ottoman Empire.
Geography
The province lies within the fertile alluvial plain of Çukurova bordered to the south by the Mediterranean Sea littoral and to the north by the Taurus Mountains. Major waterways include the Seyhan River and Ceyhan River which drain into the Gulf of İskenderun and support extensive irrigation systems established during the Republic of Turkey era and earlier under Ottoman Empire initiatives. The climate is Mediterranean with hot dry summers and mild wet winters, influenced by proximity to Antalya, Mersin, and the Aegean Sea. Important natural sites and protected areas overlap with migratory bird routes linking Eurasia and Africa, and the geology contains Pleistocene alluvium and Miocene formations studied alongside work by researchers from Istanbul University and Çukurova University.
History
Human settlement dates to prehistoric periods documented by archaeological work at Tarsus and other Çukurova sites investigated by teams from British Museum and Türk Arkeoloji Enstitüsü. The region featured in the records of the Hittite Empire and later entered the orbit of the Assyrian Empire and Achaemenid Empire. During the classical era it formed part of Cilicia under Persian satrapy systems, subsequently becoming a province of the Roman Empire and a contested frontier in the Arab–Byzantine wars. Medieval control passed among the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, Seljuk Empire, and various Anatolian beyliks before incorporation into the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. The province experienced agricultural modernization and railway construction in the late Ottoman and early Republic of Turkey periods, including projects associated with engineers from Henderson & Co. and studies by Leopold von Ranke-era historiography. During the 20th century it was affected by events linked to the Turkish War of Independence and population exchanges following the Treaty of Lausanne.
Demographics
Population centers include Adana, Tarsus, Ceyhan, İmamoğlu, and Yüreğir districts, with diverse communities shaped by historical migrations from Balkans, Caucasus, and the Middle East. Ethnic and linguistic groups documented in censuses and studies by Turkish Statistical Institute include speakers and cultural heritage linked to Turkic peoples, Kurds, Armenians (historical), Arabic-speaking communities, and migrant labor from Balkan and Anatolian regions. Religious architecture and institutions reflect traditions from Sunni Islam, historical Christianity communities evidenced in Armenian Apostolic Church sites, and synagogues recorded in Ottoman registers preserved in archives at Başbakanlık Osmanlı Arşivi.
Economy
Agriculture on the Çukurova plain produces cotton, citrus, grains, and corn, with irrigation schemes associated with the Seyhan Dam and Çatalan Dam projects promoted during the Republic of Turkey development plans. Industrial activity clusters around Adana including textile manufacturing, food processing, and petrochemical installations connected to pipelines serving the Mediterranean and İskenderun refineries. Commercial links extend via Port of Mersin, the Adana Şakirpaşa Airport (now Adana Airport), and rail corridors forming part of the Ankara–Adana railway and freight routes to Istanbul. Investment and research collaborations involve institutions like Çukurova University and development banks active under policies of the Ministry of Industry and Technology.
Administration
The province is divided into multiple districts such as Seyhan District, Yüreğir District, Çukurova District, Sarıçam District, Ceyhan District, Tufanbeyli District, and Kozan District, each with municipal administrations integrated into national structures established by Law on Provincial Administration (İl İdaresi Kanunu). Provincial governance is coordinated by the office of the Governor and the Adana Metropolitan Municipality council which oversees urban planning, environmental management, and municipal services. Electoral politics involve parties including Justice and Development Party (AKP), Republican People's Party (CHP), and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) competing in parliamentary and municipal elections administered by the Supreme Election Council (YSK).
Culture and Heritage
Cultural life centers on festivals, cuisine, music, and historic architecture. The province hosts events tied to the Altın Koza Film Festival and traditional folk music forms related to the Türkü tradition studied by ethnomusicologists from Istanbul University and Çukurova University. Culinary specialties include dishes using local cottonseed oil, kebabs celebrated alongside Adana kebabı restaurants and culinary competitions documented by food guides collaborating with UNESCO-related cultural heritage programs. Architectural heritage ranges from Roman bridges and Byzantine church remains in Tarsus to Ottoman-era mosques and mansions conserved by teams from Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and international preservation organizations such as ICCROM.
Transportation and Infrastructure
Major transport arteries include the E90 transcontinental route, the Ankara–Adana railway, and regional highways connecting to Mersin, İskenderun, and Gaziantep. The Adana Airport links the province to domestic hubs like Istanbul Airport and Ankara Esenboğa Airport and international destinations. Inland waterways and irrigation infrastructure are anchored by Seyhan Dam and Aslantaş Dam, while public transit within Adana comprises metro lines, bus networks, and commuter rail projects developed with engineering input from firms involved in projects across Turkey and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).