İzmir

İzmir is the third most populous city in Turkey, after Istanbul and Ankara. It is the largest city on the Aegean Sea, located on the coast of Anatolia. As of the end of 2025, the city is home to around 3.5 million people, making it a very big and busy place.

The city has a long history, with people living there for up to 8,500 years. In ancient times, it was called Smyrna. İzmir is an important port and a center for trade, with many universities and the annual İzmir International Fair. Its climate is Mediterranean, which means it has warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters.

Names and etymology

The ancient city of Ephesus is in the Province of İzmir.

Long ago, in a place called Anatolia, there was a town known as Ti-smurna. This name was found on old tablets from a very old trading place called Kültepe, dating back to the first half of the second millennium BC.

Today, the city is called İzmir. This name comes from an ancient Greek name, Smyrna. Over time, different people called the city by various names such as Smire, Zmirra, Esmira, and Ismira. Eventually, it became İzmir in Turkish.

Some think the city's name might come from a brave woman named Smyrna from old stories. Others believe it could be named after a special plant called Myrrha commifera, which produced a fragrant resin called myrrh. The Romans later used the name Smyrna, and in English, the city was known as Smyrna until the 20th century. After Turkey started using the Latin alphabet in 1928, the name İzmir became more common in English and many other languages, though some still use the older name Smyrna.

History

The city of İzmir is one of the oldest settlements in the Mediterranean basin. Discoveries like Yeşilova Höyük show that people lived there as far back as the 7th millennium BC. Over the centuries, many empires ruled the city, including the Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman Empires.

Karabel relief of the Luwian local leader "Tarkasnawa, King of Myra" is near Kemalpaşa, a few kilometres to the east of İzmir.

İzmir grew into an important trade center, especially during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Foreign traders from France, England, the Netherlands, and Venice came to the city, and it became a major port in the Ottoman Empire. Despite challenges like plagues, earthquakes, and fires, İzmir kept growing.

After World War I, İzmir faced difficult times. Greek forces landed in the city in 1919, but by 1922, Turkish forces had taken it back. A large fire followed, causing great damage. The city was rebuilt and became part of the new Republic of Turkey in 1923. Today, İzmir is a busy metropolitan area with many districts and continues to grow and develop.

Demographics

In 2024, the city of İzmir had a population of about 2.9 million people in its eleven urban districts, with the whole province having around 4.5 million people. The larger area around the city, called the metro area, was home to about 3.3 million people. This area stretches along the waters of the Gulf of İzmir and goes north across the Gediz River Delta. It also reaches east along a flat area made by small streams and covers some hilly land in the south.

Recently, the İzmir area has been growing, especially to the west, thanks to a major road called the Çeşme motorway. This growth has spread to places like Seferihisar and Urla which are outside the main city. İzmir is also important for its smaller Jewish community, which is the second largest in Turkey after Istanbul, with about 2,500 people. There is also a Catholic group known as the Levantines of İzmir, many of whom have Genoese roots, and some French and Venetian ancestry.

Turkey has many people of black ancestry whose families came from the African slave trade during the Ottoman Empire, dating back to the 1300s. These people are known as Afro-Turks, and İzmir and the nearby Aegean coast are important centers for this community.

Population of İzmir
Year	Population	Year	Population
1595	2,000	1955	286,000
1640	35,000–40,000	1960	371,000
1660	60,000–70,000	1965	442,000
1890	200,000	1970	554,000
1918	300,000	1985	1,489,817
1927	154,000	1990	1,758,780
1935	171,000	2000	2,232,265
1940	184,000	2007	2,606,294
1945	200,000	2009	2,727,968
1950	231,000	2014	2,847,691

Climate

İzmir has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has long, very hot, and dry summers, with cool and rainy winters. The city gets a good amount of rain each year, about 730.5 mm (28.76 in), but most of this rain falls between November and March. From June to September, there is usually very little rain, and sometimes droughts happen in the summer.

Winter temperatures are usually between 10 and 16 °C (50 and 61 °F). Although it is rare, snow can sometimes fall from December to February, and it usually stays for just a few hours. The most snow ever recorded was 32 cm (13 in) on January 31, 1945. Frost can happen at night during winter.

In the summer, temperatures can get as high as 40 °C (104 °F) from June to September, but most of the time they are between 30 and 36 °C (86 and 97 °F). Regular winds called Etesian, known as meltem in Turkish and meltemi in Greek, blow in from the Aegean Sea.

Main sights

Standing on Mount Yamanlar, there is an old tomb that was dug up in 1835. It shows us what life was like before a very old time called the Hellenistic Age. There are more old pieces close by in places called Kemalpaşa and Mount Sipylus.

The Agora of Smyrna has been kept in good shape and is now a place where people can see old things. There are also plans to uncover an old theatre where an important person named St. Polycarp once lived. On a hill nearby stands an old castle, which is one of İzmir’s most famous spots. Other old buildings include water pipes in a place called Buca.

One special part of İzmir’s harbor is the Clock Tower, a tall marble tower in the Konak area. It was built in 1901 to celebrate a special event and has fountains around its base.

The Kemeraltı area has a market that was set up a long time ago, close to the slopes of Kadifekale. İzmir has had three castles that helped keep the city safe for many years. One of them, called Sancakkale, is still in a place called İnciraltı.

There are nine special places for a certain group of people in İzmir, found mostly in an area called Karatas or on a street named Havra Sokak in Kemeraltı.

Asansör (1907) offers panoramic views of the city.

There is a big concrete shape showing the head of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, near the old castle of İzmir.

The İzmir Bird Paradise in Çiğli is a special place for birds where many different kinds of birds live and visit. This area was protected in 1982 to help birds live safely. A big open-air zoo was also started in Çiğli in 2008.

Culture

Museums

Main article: List of museums in İzmir

Many of İzmir's most important museums are in Konak, the city center. The Arkas Art Centre, built in 1906 for the French Consulate-General, is a well-known cultural spot. The İzmir Archeological Museum is one of the city's largest, holding over 200,000 items from Ancient Greek, Roman, and Byzantine times. The Ethnography Museum, once St. Roche Hospital, shows Turkish and Ottoman history.

Other museums in the city include the İzmir Art and Sculpture Museum, the İzmir Women's Museum, the İzmir Mask Museum, the TCDD 3rd Region Museum and Art Gallery near the Alsancak Gar, and the İzmir Atatürk Museum with items from Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and İsmet İnönü. The Agora of Smyrna, a possible World Heritage Site, is one of the world's largest ancient marketplaces in a city area.

On the other side of the Gulf of İzmir, in Karşıyaka, the Bostanlı Open-air Archaeological Museum has old pillars and sculptures. In Balçova, the İnciraltı Sea Museum shows a submarine, a frigate, and a missile boat, along with uniforms and weapons from past times.

İzmir International Fair

İzmir hosts many trade fairs, exhibitions, and conferences. The İzmir International Fair happens each September in Kültürpark, a big park in the city, and is organized by İZFAŞ, a company linked to İzmir's city government.

Festivals

The International İzmir Festival happens every year from mid-June to mid-July. It started in 1987 and brings singers, musicians, dancers, and jazz and rock groups to perform in İzmir and nearby places like Ephesus and Metropolis. The festival is part of the European Festivals Association.

The İzmir European Jazz Festival happens every year and aims to bring together jazz fans and musicians to share love, friendship, and peace.

Music

In 2015, the Barış Youth Symphony Orchestra was created to help children from poorer parts of the city stay busy and out of trouble. The orchestra now has almost 100 members and plays with famous classical music artists.

Cuisine

İzmir's food comes from many places because of its history. Dishes from the Aegean and Mediterranean regions, as well as from Eastern and South East Anatolia, are common. The area grows many vegetables, and people often eat green leaves and wild plants. Popular foods include tarhana soup, "İzmir" köfte, sulu köfte, keşkek, zerde, and mücver. Special pastries like boyoz and lokma are also from İzmir. Kumru, a cheese and tomato sandwich sometimes with sucuk, is famous in the Çeşme area.

Economy

Skyscrapers in the Bayraklı district of İzmir

The port of İzmir is very important for Turkey. It handles a lot of goods and is the biggest port for exports in the country. The area around İzmir, including places like Manisa and Turgutlu, has many workers and businesses that are growing and becoming known around the world.

İzmir's economy has many parts. About one-third comes from making things, and another part comes from selling goods and services. Transport and communication also play a big role. The port helps a lot with trade, and it is one of the busiest in Turkey.

Sports

İzmir has hosted many important international sports events. Some of these events include the Final Four of the FIBA EuroChallenge in 2013, the European Team Championships in 2011, and the FIBA World Championship basketball group games in 2010.

İzmir has several famous football clubs, such as Altay, Göztepe, and Karşıyaka. Göztepe made history by reaching the semi-finals of a European competition in 1969. Karşıyaka's basketball team has won many awards, including the Turkish Basketball League twice. The city also has a successful volleyball club called Arkas Spor.

İzmir has produced many famous athletes over the years. Metin Oktay, known as "The Uncrowned King," was a famous football player from İzmir who played in Italy. Other notable athletes from İzmir include Alpay Özalan, who played for Aston Villa in England, and Mustafa Denizli, a successful coach who has won championships with top Turkish clubs.

The İzmir Atatürk Stadium, which can hold 51,295 people, is used for many football matches. The Halkapınar Sport Hall, with space for 10,000 spectators, is the city's largest indoor sports venue and hosted games during the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

Government

The İzmir Metropolitan Municipality is the main local government body for the area. It is run by a mayor and a group of 184 councillors who are elected every five years.

İzmir is split into 30 districts, each with its own local government. These help manage services in their areas but do not control important things like public transportation or water. They often work together with the main city government.

The local government in İzmir helps create groups to support the city’s culture. Examples include the İzmir Mediterranean Academy, which focuses on studying nearby cultures, and the İzmir Planning Agency, which works on plans for the city’s future.

Media

İzmir has its own local media companies. There are 9 TV channels based in İzmir and broadcasting in the Aegean Region, 26 local radio stations, and 15 local newspapers. TRT Belgesel (TRT Documentary) is a Turkish national TV channel that broadcasts from the TRT building in İzmir.

TV channels broadcasting

Local radio stations

▪Radyo İzmir ▪Romantik Radyo ▪Romantik Türk ▪Radyo 35 ▪Kordon FM ▪İmbat FM ▪Radyo Kordelya ▪Radyo Efe ▪Oynak FM ▪Duygusal FM ▪Sky Radyo ▪Radyo Pause ▪Radyo Ege ▪Ege FM ▪Ege'nin Sesi Radyosu ▪Herkül FM ▪Can Radyo ▪Batı Radyo ▪Radyo Gökkuşağı ▪Yıldız FM ▪Buca FM ▪Radyo Ege Kampüs 100.8 ▪Rock City FM ▪öRT FM ▪Y.Tire FM ▪DEÜ FM

Newspapers and magazines

▪Ege Telgraf Ege Telgraf▪Ekonomik Çözüm ▪Gözlem ▪Haber Ekspres ▪Ticaret ▪ Gazete Yenigün Yenigün Gazetesi - İzmir Haberleri - Son Dakika İzmir Haberleri ▪Yeni Asır ▪Yeni Ekonomi ▪Yenigün Gazetesi ▪9 Eylül Gazetesi İzmir Haberleri | İzmir Haber - Dokuz Eylül ▪Küçük Menderes Gazetesi ▪Büyük Tire ▪Ege Gazetesi Tüm adresleri tek adreste

İzmir in notable literary and artistic works

The play L'impresario delle Smirne by Carlo Goldoni (1759).
The poem "The Turkish Captive" in the poetry volume Les Orientales by Victor Hugo (1828).
The solo piano piece "In Smyrna" by Edward Elgar (1905).
The novel Mask of Dimitrios, Eric Ambler (1939)
The film You Can't Win 'Em All, directed by Leo Gordon and starring Tony Curtis and Charles Bronson (1970).
The travel book Scotch and Holy Water, John D. Tumpane (1981)
The novel Farewell Anatolia, Dido Sotiriou (1962)
The novel İzmir, E. Howard Hunt (2006)
The novel Middlesex, Jeffrey Eugenides (2002)
The novel/TV series The Witches of Smyrna by Mara Meimaridi (2004).
The novel Birds Without Wings, Louis de Bernières (2005)

Health

İzmir has air pollution problems, partly because of cars. There are 21 public hospitals in the city. Turkey has both public and private hospitals, and everyone with a special card can get free medical care in public hospitals.

One of the biggest hospitals in the Aegean area is Izmir City Hospital, located in the Bayraklı district. It cost 780 million Euros to build. Eşrefpaşa Hospital is the only municipal hospital in Turkey, run by Izmir City.

Education

İzmir has many places to learn and study. The first university opened in 1944, and since then, more schools and universities have been built. Today, İzmir has big schools like Ege University and Dokuz Eylül University. There are also special schools where students can learn in English, like İzmir Institute of Technology.

The city has both public and private universities. Some older schools, such as the İzmir Anatolian Vocational High School of Commerce, have been teaching students since the 1800s. İzmir also has international schools, where children from different countries can study, like the Deutsche Schule Izmir (German school) and Scuola Primaria e dell'Infanzia Italiana di Smirne (Italian school).

Transport

Inter-city transport

Air

The Adnan Menderes International Airport (ADB) has many flights to places in Turkey and other countries. It is located in the Gaziemir area of İzmir.

Bus

There is a big bus station called Otogar in the Pınarbaşı neighborhood. From here, you can take buses to many places in Turkey. Some bus companies also have offices in different parts of the city where you can get picked up for free. There has been talk about building a Halkapınar—Otogar metro line, but it hasn’t started yet.

Rail

İzmir has two old train stations in the city centre: Alsancak Terminal, built in 1858, and Basmane Terminal, built in 1866. These stations are used for trains going to places like Ödemiş, Tire, Selçuk, Aydın, Söke, Nazilli, Denizli, and Uşak, as well as longer trips to Ankara, Afyon, and Bandırma.

Inner-city transport

Public transportation in İzmir was organized in 1999. There is a special card called the İzmirim Kart (‘My İzmir’ Card) that you can use for many types of transport, like trains, buses, ferries, and trams.

Bus

Most parts of İzmir have buses that are part of a big system called ESHOT. ESHOT runs 322 bus lines with about 1,500 buses. There are also some private buses and smaller buses called dolmuş that help people get around.

Urban ferries

Since 2000, İzmir’s ferries have been run by the city’s government. There are 24 ferries that go between 9 places in the city, and in the summer, there are special trips to places further away. Ferries are a cheap and fun way to travel around İzmir.

Metro

The metro in İzmir is run by the city government. It has one line, M1, that goes from Kaymakamlık to Evka 3 in Bornova. This line is 27 kilometres long and carries over 293 thousand people every day.

There are plans to add more lines, like M2, which is being built and should be ready by 2027. Other lines like M3, M4, and M5 are also planned.

Regional rail

Main article: İZBAN

İZBAN is a train system that connects different parts of İzmir. It is the busiest commuter train system in Turkey, with about 150,000 people using it every day. İZBAN started in 2010 and now has a 136 km long track with 41 stations.

İZBAN A.Ş. runs the trains and is owned partly by the Turkish government and partly by İzmir’s city government.

Tram

Main article: Tram İzmir

İzmir has a new tram system with three lines: one in Karşıyaka, one in Konak, and one in Çiğli.

Public transportation statistics

People in İzmir spend about 62 minutes each day using public transport to get to work. On average, they wait about 15 minutes for a bus, train, or ferry. Most trips are about 10.4 km long, but some people travel more than 12 km.