İzmir
Metropolitan municipality
Clockwise from top: Alsancak quarter in the Konak district, Asansör, Kültürpark, skyscrapers in Bayraklı, Konak Pier, and İzmir Clock Tower.
Nickname(s): Pearl of the Aegean
İzmir Location in Turkey
Coordinates: 38.42°N 27.14°ECoordinates: 38.42°N 27.14°E
Country	Turkey
Region	Aegean
Province	İzmir
Established	c. 6500 BC (Yeşilova Mound in Bornova district) c. 11th century BC (as ancient Smyrna)
Capital town	Konak (de facto; Turkish metropolises have no official capital towns)
Government
• Mayor	Tunç Soyer (CHP)
Area
• Metropolitan municipality	12,012 km2 (4,638 sq mi)
• Urban	919 km2 (355 sq mi)
• Metro	2,259 km2 (872 sq mi)
Elevation	2 m (7 ft)
Population  (31/12/2019 estimation[1])[2][3][4]
• Metropolitan municipality	4,367,251
• Urban	2,965,900
• Urban density	4,761/km2 (12,330/sq mi)
• Metro	3,209,179
• Metro density	1,400/km2 (3,700/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	English: Izmirian Turkish: İzmirli
Time zone	UTC+3 (TRT)
Postal code	35xxx
Area code(s)	(+90) 232
Licence plate	35
Website	www.izmir.bel.tr www.izmir.gov.tr

Izmir (UK: /ˈɪzmɪər/ IZ-meer, US: /ɪzˈmɪər/ iz-MEER; Turkish: İzmir, Turkish pronunciation: [ˈizmiɾ], originally Σμύρνη in Greek) 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 agglomeration on the Aegean Sea after Athens.

As of the last estimation, on 31 December 2019, the city of İzmir had a population of 2,965,900, while İzmir Province had a total population of 4,367,251.^[2][3] Its built-up (or metro) area was home to 3,209,179 inhabitants extending on 9 out of 11 urban districts (all but Urla and

Guzelbahce not yet agglomerated) plus Menemen and Menderes largely conurbated. It extends along the outlying waters of the Gulf of İzmir and inland to the north across the Gediz River Delta; to the east along an alluvial plain created by several small streams; and to slightly more rugged terrain in the south.^[5]

İzmir has more than 3,000 years of recorded urban history, and up to 8,500 years of history as a human settlement since the Neolithic period. In classical antiquity the city was known as Smyrna (/ˈsmɜːrnə/ SMUR-nə; Greek: Σμύρνη, romanized: Smýrni/Smýrnē) – a name which remained in use in English and various other languages until around 1930, when government efforts led the original Greek name to be gradually phased out internationally in favor of its Turkish counterpart İzmir.

  ^[6] Lying on an advantageous location at the head of a gulf running down in a deep indentation, midway along the western Anatolian coast, İzmir has been one of the principal mercantile cities of the Mediterranean Sea for much of its history. It hosted the Mediterranean Games in 1971 and the World University Games (Universiade) in 2005. The city participated in Climathon in 2019.^[7]

Main features

İzmir has over 3000 years of recorded urban history and up to 8500 years of history as a human settlement since the Neolithic period.^{[citation needed]} Set in an advantageous location at the head of a gulf in a deep indentation midway along the western Anatolian coast, the city has been one of the principal mercantile ports of the Mediterranean Sea for much of its history.

Modern İzmir also incorporates the nearby ancient cities of Ephesus, Pergamon, Sardis and Klazomenai, and centers of international tourism such as Kuşadası, Çeşme, Mordoğan and Foça. When the Ottomans took over İzmir in the 15th century, they did not inherit compelling historical memories, unlike the other key points of the Ottoman trade network, namely Constantinople (Istanbul), Damascus, Baghdad and Cairo.^{[citation needed]}

The emergence of İzmir as a major international port by the 17th century was largely a result of the attraction it exercised over foreigners and the city’s European orientation.^[8] Politically, İzmir is considered a stronghold of Kemalism and the Republican People’s Party (CHP).

Izmir’s port is Turkey’s primary port for exports in terms of the freight handled and its free zone, a Turkish-U.S. joint-venture established in 1990, is the leader among the twenty in Turkey. The workforce, and particularly its rising class of young professionals, is concentrated either in the city or in its immediate vicinity (such as in Manisa and Turgutlu), and as either larger companies or SMEs, affirm their names with an increasingly wider global scale and intensity.^[9]

İzmir hosted the Mediterranean Games in 1971 and the World University Games (Universiade) in 2005. In March 2008, İzmir submitted its bid to the BIE for hosting the Universal Expo 2015, but it was won by Milan, Italy.