Keşan
| Keşan | |
|---|---|
  Keşan | |
| Coordinates: 40°51′00″N 26°38′00″E / 40.85000°N 26.63333°ECoordinates: 40°51′00″N 26°38′00″E / 40.85000°N 26.63333°E | |
| Country | Turkey |
| Province | Edirne |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Mehmet Özcan (CHP) |
| • Kaymakam | Metin Borazan |
| Area[1] | |
| • District | 1,187.36 km2 (458.44 sq mi) |
| Population (2012)[2] | |
| • Urban | 57,478 |
| • District | 79,716 |
| • District density | 67/km2 (170/sq mi) |
| Website |
www |
Keşan (Κεσάνη in Greek) is the name of a district of Edirne Province, Turkey, and also the name of the largest town in the district. In 2010 Keşan had a permanent population of 54,314; in the summer this increases to 70,000 because of an influx of tourists. The mayor is Mehmet Özcan (CHP).
Keşan district has borders with İpsala and Uzunköprü from north, Malkara from east, Şarköy from southeast, Gelibolu and Aegean Sea from south and Enez from west.
Agriculture and commerce are the two most important sources of income in Keşan. Because of its proximity to Greece, there is a daily flow of tourists in and out of the district.
History
Humans have lived in Keşan continuously since the 30th century BC. The first inhabitants were Luvians and Thracians. It was ruled by the Kingdom of Thrace, the Persian Empire, the Kingdom of Macedonia, the Roman Empire, and the Byzantine Empire before Ottoman domination in the second half of the 14th century. Under Ottoman rule, it belonged to the Gelibolu Sanjak, and as such part of the Rumelia Eyalet and then the Province of the Kapudan Pasha. It was a nahiya center in Enez kaza at first, later was bounded to İpsala kaza. It was transfereed to the Eyalet of Edirne in 1830.
It was occupied by the Russians in 1829 and in 1878, by the Bulgarians between 1912 and 1913 and by the Greeks between 1920 and 1922. It was recovered by the Republic of Turkey on 19 November 1922. Keşan district reached its present borders after the separation of nahiya of Enez in 1953.
Notable people
- Selim Sesler (1957–2014), clarinet virtuoso of Romani heritage
See also
References
- ↑ "Area of regions (including lakes), km²". Regional Statistics Database. Turkish Statistical Institute. 2002. Retrieved 2013-03-05.
- ↑ "Population of province/district centers and towns/villages by districts - 2012". Address Based Population Registration System (ABPRS) Database. Turkish Statistical Institute. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
