Çiğli (''Silleon'' in Greek) is a metropolitan district of
İzmir
İzmir ( , ; ), also spelled Izmir, is a metropolitan city in the western extremity of Anatolia, capital of the province of the same name. It is the third most populous city in Turkey, after Istanbul and Ankara and the second largest urban aggl ...
in western
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula ...
. It covers the northern end of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality around the mouth of the
River Gediz, across the
Gulf of İzmir
The Gulf of İzmir ( tr, İzmir Körfezi), formerly known as the Gulf of Smyrna, is a gulf on the Aegean Sea, with its inlet between the Karaburun Peninsula and the mainland area of Foça. It is in length by in breadth, with an excellent ancho ...
from the main city. The Gediz
delta is an
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations.
IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife Inte ...
but is under threat from urbanization.
IAOIZ {{unreferenced, date=December 2017
Izmir Atatürk organized industrial zone (IAOIZ) ( tr, İzmir Atatürk Organize Sanayi Bölgesi) is one of the largest and most modern organized industrial zones in Turkey. It started operating in 1990. The Zone i ...
, the Izmir Atatürk
Organized Industrial Zone, is a significant economic hub and there is a
major air force base.
History
''Çiğ'' means ''dew'' in
Turkish, a reference to the
delta marshes of the
River Gediz which used to cover the entire area. It is a relatively recent settlement created largely by migration from other parts of Turkey, starting with
Turkish refugees of the
Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878)
The Russo-Turkish wars (or Ottoman–Russian wars) were a series of twelve wars fought between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire between the 16th and 20th centuries. It was one of the longest series of military conflicts in European his ...
. Turks from the surrounding region took refuge in the marshes during the
Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922), and were joined by
ethnic Turks from the Greek province of Western Thrace after the war. The population was further increased by survivors of two earthquakes in eastern
Anatolia
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
in
1946
Events January
* January 6 - The first general election ever in Vietnam is held.
* January 7 – The Allies recognize the Austrian republic with its 1937 borders, and divide the country into four occupation zones.
* January 10
** The ...
and
1966. Economic migration from eastern Anatolia has continued at a steady pace since then and even the mayor was born in
Diyarbakır
Diyarbakır (; ; ; ) is the largest Kurdish-majority city in Turkey. It is the administrative center of Diyarbakır Province.
Situated around a high plateau by the banks of the Tigris river on which stands the historic Diyarbakır Fortres ...
.
Government
Çiğli gained village status after the fall of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University ...
and became a municipality in 1956. It was attached to İzmir's metropolitan area in 1981, first as a dependency of the district of
Karşıyaka
Karşıyaka () is a district of İzmir Province in Turkey. The district extends for twelve kilometres along the northern and eastern coastline of the tip of the Gulf of İzmir. Its centre is at a distance of to the north from the traditional ...
, and in 1992 it became a distinct entity with its own administrative structures. The district is divided into 23 subdistricts, and also has one separate dependent municipality (Sasalı) and a dependent village (Kaklıç).
Geography
Çiğli was built on the
delta marshes where the
River Gediz flows into the
Gulf of İzmir
The Gulf of İzmir ( tr, İzmir Körfezi), formerly known as the Gulf of Smyrna, is a gulf on the Aegean Sea, with its inlet between the Karaburun Peninsula and the mainland area of Foça. It is in length by in breadth, with an excellent ancho ...
. It lies between
Karşıyaka
Karşıyaka () is a district of İzmir Province in Turkey. The district extends for twelve kilometres along the northern and eastern coastline of the tip of the Gulf of İzmir. Its centre is at a distance of to the north from the traditional ...
, another metropolitan district, to the south and the west, and İzmir's external dependent district of
Menemen
Menemen is a district of İzmir Province in Turkey and its central town. The district extends on a fertile plain formed by the alluvial soil carried by the Gediz River. Adjacent districts are, from east to west; Aliağa and Foça to the north and ...
to the north. The western boundary is formed by the current
delta of the River Gediz where the land is under the constant pressure of further urbanization. The future of the delta is among priority issues in Turkey's agenda of the protection of the environment. Many citizens would like to see full protection for the delta assured to preserve its unique fauna and flora along
bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway, between breeding and wintering grounds. Many species of bird migrate. Migration carries high costs in predation and mortality, including from hunting b ...
routes. The delta is an IBA (
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations.
IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife Inte ...
) registered with
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding ...
.
Demography
The district had a population of 168,599 in 2012. The populations of Sasalı and Kaklıç are roughly the same at around 3000 people.
Economy
IAOIZ {{unreferenced, date=December 2017
Izmir Atatürk organized industrial zone (IAOIZ) ( tr, İzmir Atatürk Organize Sanayi Bölgesi) is one of the largest and most modern organized industrial zones in Turkey. It started operating in 1990. The Zone i ...
, the Izmir Atatürk
Organized Industrial Zone has 485 factories employing 30,000 people.
Culture and community
Ekol Sanat Galerisi is a small privately owned art gallery with regular exhibitions.
Landmarks
The İzmir Bird Paradise (''Kuş Cenneti'') has recorded 205 species of birds, including 63 species that are resident year-round, 54 species of summer migratory birds, 43 species of winter migratory birds, and 30 transient species. 56 species of birds have bred in the park. The sanctuary, which covers 80 square kilometres, was registered as "the
protected area
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
for water birds and for their breeding" by the Turkish Ministry of Forestry in 1982. The Sasalı Park of Natural Life (''Doğal Yaşam Parkı'') is a large open-air zoo established in 2008.
Transport
Çiğli Air Base
Çiğli Air Base ( tr, Çiğli Hava Üssü) is a military airport near Çiğli, a metropolitan district of the city of İzmir in İzmir Province, Turkey.
It served as İzmir's airport until the opening of the Adnan Menderes Airport, situated s ...
is now used only by the military but served as İzmir's airport until the new
Adnan Menderes Airport
Adnan ( ar, عدنان, 'adnān) is the traditional ancestor of the Adnanite Arabs of Northern, Western, Eastern and Central Arabia, as opposed to the Qahtanite Arabs of Southern Arabia who descend from Qahtan. His ancestry can be traced back t ...
opened.
Çiğli railway station is served by
Turkish State Railways and by the new commuter rail line
İZBAN
İZBAN, previously known as Egeray, is a commuter rail system serving İzmir and its metropolitan area, mainly on a north–south axis, via two lines: The Northern Line and the Southern Line. Averaging a daily ridership of 185,000 passengers, ...
.
Education
İzmir Kâtip Çelebi University was established in 2010. There was a medical campus of
Gediz University, which closed during the
2016 Turkish purges.
Religious sites
There are 20 mosques including the Küçük Çiğli Cami, Egekent Cami, Esentepe Cami and İzzet Erişen Cami.
Sport
Karşıyaka S.K. run teams in several sports at the nearby
Karşıyaka Arena.
Notable people
See
List of people from Izmir
References
External links
Metropolitan Municipality of Greater İzmirÇiğli by İzmir Chamber of Commerce
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cigli
Populated places in İzmir Province