The Marmara Region

The region, named after the Marmara Sea, is located in the northwestern corner of Turkey and its surface area is 67,000 km². It is next to the Black, Marmara and Aegean seas. The Istanbul and Dardanelles straits are in this region and it has lands both on the Asian and European Continents. The Bozcaada and Gökçeada (Imroz) islands in the Aegean are also parts of this region. The population of the region has risen to 17,365,027 according to the 2000 census. 13,730,962 of this population reside in urban areas while 3,634,065 in rural areas. This region, with the highest population growth rate of 26.69‰, is subject to constant migration from other areas.

Anadolu Fortress - ISTANBUL


In the Marmara Region, which is regarded the industrial center of the country especially on the Istanbul-Bursa-Izmit axis, tourism is also an important means of livelihood along with industry and trade.

Processed food, textiles, ready-to-wear clothing, cement, paper, petrochemical products, automobiles and spare parts, durable household items, railway cars and ships are the leading industrial goods produced in the region.

The region has a distinct privilege by the fact that the shortest land and maritime routes connecting Europe to Asia and the Black Sea countries to the Mediterranean pass through there, and this has led to development, increasing of the population and enrichment of the area. As a region which has hosted many civilizations throughout the centuries, it has become one of the most important culture, arts and tourism centers of the world with its antiquities and scenic wonders.

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