Altınözü (Arabic: الْقُصَيْر, el-Kusayr) is a municipality and district of Hatay Province, Turkey.[2] Its area is 392 km2,[3] and its population is 60,344 (2022).[1] It is in the south-east of Hatay Province, on the border between Turkey and Syria. The mayor is Rıfat Sarı (AKP).

Altınözü
Map showing Altınözü District in Hatay Province
Map showing Altınözü District in Hatay Province
Altınözü is located in Turkey
Altınözü
Altınözü
Location in Turkey
Coordinates: 36°06′0″N 36°13′48″E / 36.10000°N 36.23000°E / 36.10000; 36.23000
CountryTurkey
ProvinceHatay
Government
 • MayorRıfat Sarı (AKP)
Area
392 km2 (151 sq mi)
Elevation
400 m (1,300 ft)
Population
 (2022)[1]
60,344
 • Density150/km2 (400/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+3 (TRT)
Postal code
31750
Area code0326
Websitewww.altinozu.bel.tr

History edit

The region which was known as al-Quṣayr,[a] was part of the Principality of Antioch during the Crusader era. In 1180, patriarch Aimery of Limoges fled to the region, after he had excommunicated Bohemond III in Antioch.[4][5] The latter besieged the region, but nobleman Rainald II Masoir supported the patriarch,[4] until King Baldwin IV sent a delegation to settle the dispute.[6]

Altınözü was heavily damaged by powerful earthquakes in February 2023 and subsequent aftershocks.[7]

Geography edit

Altınözü stands on the fertile Kuseyr plateau, and several crops such as olives (the largest olive growing area is in this part of Turkey), tobacco, grains and other crops are grown here. The district gets its water from the Yarseli reservoir.

Composition edit

There are 48 neighbourhoods in Altınözü District:[8]

  • Akamber
  • Akdarı
  • Alakent
  • Altınkaya
  • Atayurdu
  • Avuttepe
  • Babatorun
  • Boynuyoğun
  • Büyükburç
  • Çetenli
  • Dokuzdal
  • Enek
  • Erbaşı
  • Fatikli
  • Gözecik
  • Günvuran
  • Hacıpaşa
  • Hanyolu
  • Kamberli
  • Kansu
  • Karbeyaz
  • Karsu
  • Kazancık
  • Keskincik
  • Kılıçtutan
  • Kıyıgören
  • Kolcular
  • Kozkalesi
  • Kurtmezraası
  • Mayadalı
  • Oymaklı
  • Sarıbük
  • Sarılar
  • Seferli
  • Sivrikavak
  • Sofular
  • Tepehan
  • Tokaçlı
  • Tokdemir
  • Toprakhisar
  • Türkmenmezraası
  • Yanıkpınar
  • Yarseli
  • Yenihisar
  • Yenişehir
  • Yolağzı
  • Yunushanı
  • Ziyaret

Demographics edit

The district has a population of 60,344 (2022).[1] There is also a refugee camp called the Altinozu Camp that houses 1,350 Syrian Sunnis who have fled the Syrian civil war.[9] The population of the district is mostly Muslim with an Antiochian Greek Orthodox (also known as Rûm Orthodox) Christian community encompassing two churches in the capital of the district and the entirely Christian village of Tokaçlı.

Notes edit

  1. ^ The name was a derivation from qasr, the Arabic word for palace.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Address-based population registration system (ADNKS) results dated 31 December 2022, Favorite Reports" (XLS). TÜİK. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  2. ^ Büyükşehir İlçe Belediyesi, Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  3. ^ "İl ve İlçe Yüz ölçümleri". General Directorate of Mapping. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  4. ^ a b Hamilton 2000, p. 165.
  5. ^ Runciman 1989, p. 429.
  6. ^ Buck 2017, p. 51.
  7. ^ "Hatay'da ağır yıkımın bilançosu..." [The result of the heavy destruction in Hatay...] (in Turkish). Iskenderun.org. 2023-04-08.
  8. ^ Mahalle, Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  9. ^ Syrian refugees in Turkey: Will they ever go home?

Sources edit

External links edit