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Erzincan (pronounced [æɾˈzindʒan];[1] Kurdish: Erzîngan), historically Yerznka (Armenian: Երզնկա),[2] is the capital of Erzincan Province in eastern Turkey.[3] Nearby cities include Erzurum, Sivas, Tunceli, Bingöl, Elazığ, Malatya, Gümüşhane, Bayburt, and Giresun. The city is majority Turkish Sunni with a Kurdish Alevi minority.[4]

Key Information

The city had a population of 150,714 in 2022, an increase from 86,779 in 2007.[5]

History

[edit]

Acilisene, the ancient region that is now Erzincan, was the site of the Peace of Acilisene by which in AD 387 Armenia was divided into two vassal states, a smaller one dependent on the Byzantine Empire and a larger one dependent on Persia.[6][7] This is the name (Ἀκιλισηνή in Greek) by which it is called by Strabo in his Geography, 11.4.14. The etymological origin of the word is disputed, but it is agreed that the city was once called Erez. For a while it was called Justinianopolis in honour of Emperor Justinian. In more recent Greek it has been called as Κελτζηνή (Keltzene) and Κελεζηνή (Kelezene).[8]

In the Armenian language, the 5th-century Life of Mashtots called it Yekeghiats.[9] In the more recent past, it was known in Armenian as Երզնկա (Yerznka).[2]

In the settlement of Erez, at a yet unidentified site, there was a pre-Christian shrine dedicated to the Armenian goddess Anahit. A text of Agathangelos reports that during the first year of his reign, King Trdat of Armenia went to Erez and visited Anahit's temple to offer sacrifice. He ordered Gregory the Illuminator, who was secretly a Christian, to make an offering at its altar. When Gregory refused, he was taken captive and tortured, starting the events that would end with Trdat's conversion to Christianity some 14 years later.[10] After that conversion, during the Christianisation of Armenia, the temple at Erez was destroyed and its property and lands were given to Gregory. It later became known for its extensive monasteries.

It is hard to tell when Acilisene became a bishopric. The first whose name is known is of the mid-5th century: Ioannes, who in 459 signed the decree of Patriarch Gennadius I of Constantinople against the simoniacs. Georgius or Gregorius (both forms are found) was one of the Fathers of the Second Council of Constantinople (553), appearing as "bishop of Justinianopolis". Theodorus was at the Third Council of Constantinople in 681, signing as "bishop of Justinianopolis or the region of Ecclenzine". Georgius was at the Photian Council of Constantinople (879). Until the 10th century, the diocese itself appears in none of the Notitiae Episcopatuum. At the end of that century, they present it as an autocephalous archdiocese, and those of the 11th century present it as a metropolitan see with 21 suffragans. This was the time of greatest splendour of Acilisene, which ended with the decisive defeat of the Byzantines by the Seljuk Turks at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071. After the 13th century, there is no mention of diocesan bishops of Acilisene and the see no longer appears in Notitiae Episcopatuum.[8][11] No longer a residential bishopric, Acilisene is today listed by the Catholic Church as a titular see.[12]

In 1071 Erzincan was absorbed into the Mengüçoğlu under the Seljuk Sulëiman Kutalmish. Marco Polo, who wrote about his visit to Erzincan, said that the "people of the country are Armenians" and that Erzincan was the "noblest of cities" which contained the see of an archbishop.[13] In 1243 it was destroyed in fighting between the Seljuks under Kaykhusraw II and the Mongols. However, by 1254 its population had recovered enough that William of Rubruck was able to say an earthquake had killed more than 10,000 people. During this period, the city reached a level of semi-independence under the rule of Armenian princes.[14]

Erzincan was one of the most pivotal towns in Safavid history. It was there, in the summer of 1500, that about 7,000 Qizilbash forces, consisting of the Ustaclu, Shamlu, Rumlu, Tekelu, Zhulkadir, Afshar, Qajar and Varsak tribes, responded to the invitation of Ismail I,[15] who would aid in him establishing his dynasty.

Ottoman Era

[edit]

After the 1514 capture of the city by Ottoman forces, Erzincan developed physically and in terms of population. According to the census made in 1516–1518 shortly after the conquest, there were twenty neighbourhoods in the city, seven of which belonged to Muslims and 13 to Christians. The number of neighbourhoods did not change in the 1530 and 1591 censuses but the population increased.[16] Evliya Çelebi, who came to Erzincan in 1647, wrote that the castle was built on a flat field, and that there were 200 houses inside this place while 1800 houses were located outside the castle. It had 48 neighbourhoods, seven mosques, seven lodges, and 11 hamams.[17] According to the General Census of 1881/82, the sanjak of Erzincan within the Erzurum vilayet had a total population of 107,090, consisting of 85,943 Muslims and 19,026 Armenians, 1,887 Greeks and 234 Protestants.[18] Vital Cuinet's research dating to 1893 show that there were 23,000 people in the centre of Erzincan of which 15,000 were Muslims and 7,500 were Armenian. In the same research he states that the entire sanjak had 171,472 Muslims, 34,588 Armenians (incl. Catholic & Protestan) and 2,710 Greeks.[19] According to the 1914 Ottoman census, which undercounted religious minority groups such as Armenians,[20] there were 53,898 Muslims and 16,144 Armenian Gregorians and 147 Protestants in the central kaza. In the other kazas of Erzincan there were 67,271 Muslims, 11,135 Armenian Gregorians and 144 Protestants in Kemah.[21]

Armenian genocide

[edit]

According to the 1914 Ottoman census, which undercounted religious minority groups such as Armenians,[20] there were 16,144 Armenian Gregorians and 147 Protestants in the central kaza. In the other kazas of Erzincan there were 11,135 Armenian Gregorians and 144 Protestants in Kemah.[21] However, Miller and Kévorkian's research state that the Armenians in the centre of Erzincan were more than double the census data. Of the pre-World War I population of 37,000 Armenians in Erzincan and suburbs, most were killed in the Armenian genocide.[22][23][24] During this period, at least 150,000 Armenian men, women and children from Erzincan and surrounding areas[clarification needed - possible contradiction] were transported by Turkish forces between 1915 and 1916 through Erzincan proper, where a series of transit camps were set up to control the flow of victims to the concentration camp and killing site at the nearby Kemah gorge.[25][26] J.M. Winter's work state that between 1915 and 1917, the Central Hospital of Erzincan was the primary site of medical experiments conducted by Turkish army physicians on Armenian civilians involving typhus and other lethal infectious agents.[27] As of 2019, few traces of Armenian presence or civilization remain in Erzincan.[28][29][30]

Battle of Erzincan

[edit]
Main article: Battle of Erzincan

The Battle of Erzincan took place during the Caucasus Campaign of the First World War. In 1916 Erzincan was the headquarters for the Turkish Third Army commanded by Abdul Kerim Pasha. The Russian General Nikolai Yudenich led the Russian Caucasus Army who captured Mama Hatun on 12 July 1916. They then gained the heights of Naglika and took a Turkish position on the banks of the Durum Durasi river, with their cavalry breaking through the Boz-Tapa-Meretkli line. They then advanced on Erzincan arriving by 25 July and taking the city in two days. The city was relatively untouched by battle and Yudenich seized large quantities of supplies. Despite the strategic advantages gained from this victory, Yudenich made no more significant advances and his forces were reduced due to Russian reverses further north.[31]

Erzincan Soviet

[edit]

A short-lived soviet council had been at Erzincan between 1916 and 1918. Mainly today's Erzincan and Tunceli provinces were under Russian occupation. After the revolution, Bolshevik soldiers took control of the officer corps. Arshak Djamalian who was a Bolshevik soldier, called Kurdish, Turkish, and Armenian representatives to take charge of the administration of Erzincan Soviet.[32][33]

Seizure of Erzincan

[edit]
Seizure of Erzincan
Date13–14 February 1918
Location
Erzincan, Turkey
Result

Ottoman victory[35]

  • Full capture of Erzincan by Ottoman forces[36]
  • Armenian forces withdraw to Erzurum[37]
Belligerents

Ottoman Empire

  • Kurdish tribes

Armenia Armenian volunteer units

Commanders and leaders
Ottoman Empire Kâzım Karabekir[38] Armenia Colonel "Morel" Surrender (military)[39]

Following the withdrawal of the Russian Army, the commander of the First Caucasian Army Corps Kâzım Karabekir regained control over Erzincan on the 13 February 1918. This event is celebrated annually by its inhabitants.[40] The capture was carried out by Kâzım Karabekir. The city witnessed a state of "indescribable panic" as Armenian soldiers evacuated Erzincan towards Erzurum. Both civilian and military troops were attacked by Kurdish tribes, all during brutal snowstorms. Meanwhile, Armenian fedayeen fought "ferociously" in rearguard actions, while the under-equipped and famished Ottoman army found sustenance and weaponry in abandoned Russian arsenals and reserves. The events at Erzincan repeated on a larger scale in Erzurum and Kars.[41]

Turkish Republic

[edit]

1939 Erzincan earthquake

[edit]
Main article: 1939 Erzincan earthquake
The airport terminal

The city was completely destroyed by a major earthquake on December 27, 1939. The sequence of seven violent shocks, the biggest measuring 7.8 on the moment magnitude scale, was the joint most-powerful earthquake recorded in Turkey, tied with the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake. The first stage of the earthquake killed about 8,000 people. The next day, it was reported that the death toll had risen to 20,000. An emergency relief operation began. By the end of the year, 32,962 had died due to more earthquakes and several floods. So extensive was the damage to Erzincan city that its old site was entirely abandoned, and a new town was founded a little further to the north.

Demographics

[edit]

In the 13th century, Marco Polo noted that the city's population was Armenian.[13] In 1830, the Armenian population reached 15,000.[42] In 1880, Erzincan had 6,000 houses: 4,000 Muslim and 1,800 Armenian.[42] In the 1890s, Vital Cuinet reported that Erzincan had 23,000 inhabitants: 15,000 Muslims, 7,500 Armenians, and the rest Greeks and others.[42] According to data from the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, Erzincan harboured 24,000 inhabitants on the eve of World War I; 13,109 (2021 families) of whom were Armenians.[43] Armenians were deported and massacred by the Special Organization during the Armenian genocide.[42] Greeks were deported from Erzincan to Germir in 1919 as part of the Greek genocide.[42]

Climate

[edit]

Erzincan has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification: Dsa or Trewartha climate classification: Dca) with cold, snowy winters and hot, dry summers. Spring is the wettest season whilst summer is the driest. The lowest temperature recorded was −31.2 °C (−24.2 °F) on 15 January 1950. The highest temperature recorded was 40.6 °C (105.1 °F) on 30 July 2000. The highest snow thickness recorded was 74 cm (29.1 inches) in February 1950.

Climate data for Erzincan (1991–2020, extremes 1929–2022)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 14.6
(58.3) 		17.2
(63.0) 		25.2
(77.4) 		30.0
(86.0) 		33.8
(92.8) 		37.0
(98.6) 		40.6
(105.1) 		40.5
(104.9) 		37.2
(99.0) 		31.4
(88.5) 		24.9
(76.8) 		19.0
(66.2) 		40.6
(105.1)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 2.8
(37.0) 		4.8
(40.6) 		10.9
(51.6) 		17.3
(63.1) 		22.7
(72.9) 		27.9
(82.2) 		32.4
(90.3) 		33.0
(91.4) 		28.1
(82.6) 		20.7
(69.3) 		12.0
(53.6) 		5.1
(41.2) 		18.1
(64.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) −1.9
(28.6) 		−0.3
(31.5) 		5.3
(41.5) 		11.0
(51.8) 		15.7
(60.3) 		20.5
(68.9) 		24.3
(75.7) 		24.5
(76.1) 		19.6
(67.3) 		13.2
(55.8) 		5.7
(42.3) 		0.5
(32.9) 		11.5
(52.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −5.7
(21.7) 		−4.3
(24.3) 		0.5
(32.9) 		5.5
(41.9) 		9.5
(49.1) 		13.4
(56.1) 		16.7
(62.1) 		16.8
(62.2) 		12.0
(53.6) 		7.0
(44.6) 		0.9
(33.6) 		−3.1
(26.4) 		5.8
(42.4)
Record low °C (°F) −31.2
(−24.2) 		−30.2
(−22.4) 		−22.4
(−8.3) 		−11.1
(12.0) 		−4.2
(24.4) 		2.0
(35.6) 		5.0
(41.0) 		5.9
(42.6) 		0.3
(32.5) 		−6.8
(19.8) 		−15.6
(3.9) 		−25.9
(−14.6) 		−31.2
(−24.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 26.3
(1.04) 		29.7
(1.17) 		45.5
(1.79) 		54.2
(2.13) 		57.2
(2.25) 		25.2
(0.99) 		14.1
(0.56) 		6.6
(0.26) 		17.5
(0.69) 		41.9
(1.65) 		36.2
(1.43) 		25.7
(1.01) 		380.1
(14.96)
Average precipitation days 8.77 9.17 11.63 13.67 14.77 8.83 3.67 2.93 4.53 8.87 8 9.37 104.2
Average snowy days 8.68 6.36 4.24 0.64 0 0 0 0 0 0.2 1.24 4.88 26.24
Average relative humidity (%) 72 68.9 61.5 57.1 57 50.8 46.3 46 49.2 62 67.8 72.5 59.2
Mean monthly sunshine hours 91.6 120.3 145.2 167.9 211.2 263.9 295.2 276.6 231.2 186.6 128.8 82.8 2,196.8
Mean daily sunshine hours 3.0 4.3 4.7 5.6 6.8 8.8 9.5 8.9 7.7 6.1 4.3 2.9 6.1
Source 1: Turkish State Meteorological Service[44]
Source 2: NOAA(humidity, sun 1991-2020),[45] Meteomanz(snowy days 2000-2024)[46]

Neighborhoods

[edit]

Erzincan is divided into the neighborhoods of Akşemsettin, Aktoprak, Akyazı, Aslancak, Arslanlı, Atatürk, Aziz Baba, Bahçelievler, Barbaros, Barış, Başbağlar, Başpınar, Bayrak, Bozyazı, Buğdaylı, Bulutlu, Büyük Çakırman, Cemal Gürsel, Cumhuriyet, Çarşı, Çukurkuyu, Davarlı, Demetevler, Demirkent, Dereyurt, Ergenekon, Ersevenler, Ertuğrul Gazi, Esentepe, Fatih, Gazi, Gölcük, Gülalibey, Güllüce, H.Ahmet Yesevi, Halitpaşa, Hamidiye, Hancı, Hocabey, Hürrempalangası, Işıkpınar, İnönu, İzzetpaşa, Karaağaç, Kavakyolu, Kazımkarabekir, Keklikkayası, Kızılay, Kurutilek, Menderes, Mengüceli, Mimarsinan, Munzur, Mustafa Kemal Paşa, Osman Gazi, Osmanlı, Özgürlük, Paşa, Sancak, Sarıgöl, Selçuklu, Şehit Cengiz Topel, Şehit Serhat, Şehit Serhat Yurtbaşı, Taksim, Terzibaba, Ulalar, Üçkonak, Yalnızbağ, Yavuzselim, Yeni, Yenidoğan and Yunusemre.[3]

Economy

[edit]
Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University

Mulberry tree plantations were found in Erzincan in the early 20th century, which were used in sericulture.[47]

Notable people

[edit]

Mayors of Erzincan

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Erzincan

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Erzincan is a city in eastern serving as the capital of in the Eastern Anatolia Region. The province, encompassing an area of 11,815 square kilometers, had a population of approximately 241,239 as of 2024 according to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute. Situated in a fertile plain along the Karasu River—a major tributary of the —at an average elevation of 1,185 meters, the city lies in a strategically important location connecting central to the and benefiting from transport routes like the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline. The region around Erzincan has been inhabited since ancient times, with evidence of settlement dating back to Hittite and Urartian periods, later falling under Persian, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman control before integration into the Republic of Turkey in 1923. Its position along the Zone has exposed it to frequent seismic activity, including the catastrophic 1939 earthquake of magnitude 7.8 that ruptured over 300 kilometers of fault and caused widespread devastation, and the 1992 event of magnitude 6.8 that struck the city center, resulting in hundreds of fatalities despite prior reconstruction efforts. Erzincan's economy relies on —producing crops like , sugar beets, and potatoes—alongside rearing, of minerals such as , and emerging industrial and sectors, supported by infrastructure including Erzincan Airport and proximity to winter sports facilities at Mount Ergan. The city hosts Erzincan Binali University, contributing to education and research in the province, while its cultural heritage includes historical sites reflecting layered Anatolian influences.

Geography

Location and Topography

Erzincan lies in eastern Anatolia, Turkey, at coordinates 39°42' N, 39°31' E, within a valley on the northern bank of the Karasu River, the primary headwater tributary of the Euphrates. The city center sits at an elevation of approximately 1,200 meters above sea level, in the midst of the Erzincan Plain, which forms a broad, enclosed basin conducive to settlement. This plain is hemmed in by prominent mountain ranges, including the Munzur Mountains to the north, which rise to over 3,000 meters and exhibit steep, dissected terrain carved by river valleys such as those of the Karasu. The surrounding highlands, with their elevated plateaus and gorges, restrict expansion beyond the central valley floor, channeling development into the relatively flat expanse of the plain. Erzincan occupies a strategic intermontane position, approximately 190 kilometers southwest of and 246 kilometers east of , along natural corridors historically traversed by east-west trade paths through the upper basin.

Climate

Erzincan features a (Köppen Dsa) characterized by cold, snowy winters and hot, dry summers, with significant diurnal and seasonal temperature fluctuations due to its of approximately 1,185 meters. Average winter lows in reach around -8°C, with snowfall common from to , while summer highs in average 31°C, accompanied by low humidity. Northerly winds predominate from late spring through early autumn, peaking in summer and contributing to drier conditions by channeling cooler air from higher elevations. Annual precipitation averages about 413 mm, with the majority falling in spring (March to May) as and early winter , while summers remain with minimal under 10 mm per month. This distribution reflects variability from topographic influences and seasonal patterns, leading to occasional droughts that exacerbate in lower valleys. Data from long-term observations indicate moderate interannual fluctuations, with extremes including heavy single-day events up to 110 mm recorded historically. The climate's cold winters and short limit perennial crops but favor resilient grains like , alongside production such as apples, cherries, plums, walnuts, and almonds in irrigated areas. husbandry thrives on summer pastures, supported by winter for , though low heightens vulnerability to dry spells, impacting availability and necessitating supplemental for sustained yields.

Geology and Seismicity

Erzincan is situated in the Erzincan Basin along the eastern segment of the Zone (NAFZ), a right-lateral strike-slip fault system that forms the tectonic boundary between the Anatolian and Eurasian plates, with slip rates averaging 2-2.5 cm per year. The basin lies at the with the Northeast Anatolian Fault and the Ovacık Fault, where overlapping fault segments can facilitate cascading ruptures, as the stress transfer along strike-slip propagates shear deformation eastward from the 1939 rupture zone. The basin's geology features thick alluvial and lacustrine sediments, up to 1-2 km deep in places, overlying fractured pre-Pliocene basement rocks, which trap and amplify seismic waves due to impedance contrasts and low shear-wave velocities (typically 1-2 km/s in sediments versus >3 km/s in ). This site effect arises from constructive interference of body waves reflecting off basin edges and surface, prolonging shaking duration and increasing peak ground accelerations by factors of 2-3 in deep central areas, as observed in aftershock tomography and modeling. Paleoseismic trenching along the NAFZ near Erzincan reveals evidence of large-magnitude events with recurrence intervals of roughly 200-600 years for eastern segments, characterized by surface offsets of 4-6 m per event, though clustering occurs due to post-rupture stress reloading. Instrumental records include the 1939 Mw 7.8 rupture, which propagated ~360 km along the fault, and the 1992 Mw 6.8 event confined to the basin, both demonstrating how fault bends and basin geometry control rupture arrest or directivity. Following these events, Turkish seismic codes were revised to require ductile and higher design spectra, yet assessments indicate recurrent structural failures from substandard quality and unanchored foundations, attributable to lax permitting and rather than fault dynamics alone.

History

Ancient and Medieval Periods

Archaeological excavations at the Altıntepe mound near Erzincan reveal evidence of settlements dating to the 2nd millennium BCE, with pottery and architectural remains suggesting continuity from earlier Anatolian cultures, including potential Hittite affiliations in the broader eastern region. The site's strategic location in the fertile Erzincan plain facilitated early polities reliant on agriculture and proximity to highland resources, as indicated by settlement patterns in surveys of surrounding areas. In the , Urartian dominance is prominently attested by the Altıntepe fortress, built circa 850–590 BCE, which included fortified walls, a columned reception hall, an open-air temple, rock-cut tombs, and an advanced drainage system, reflecting centralized administrative control over the plain for resource extraction and defense against Assyrian threats. This infrastructure underscores the causal role of the region's —enclosed by mountains yet accessible via river valleys—in enabling fortified outposts amid competitive highland-lowland dynamics. Post-Urartian phases at Altıntepe and nearby sites yield Achaemenid-era artifacts, including diagnostic sherds and nine silver objects from circa 550–330 BCE, evidencing Persian imperial integration through satrapal settlements that repurposed local fortifications for tribute collection and road networks linking to core Persian territories. Medieval records identify the area as Yerznka, a nodal point on overland trade corridors from Persian and Arab domains into Anatolia, where its position astride routes like those from Tabriz via Erzurum promoted multi-ethnic commerce in goods such as textiles, metals, and spices, blending Zoroastrian, Islamic, and Christian mercantile practices without dominance by any single group. The region oscillated under Byzantine administration in the 11th century, incorporating local Armenian polities, before the Seljuk victory at Manzikert on August 26, 1071 CE, precipitated rapid Turkic incursions, leading to the conquest of eastern Anatolian strongholds including Erzincan by 1071–1075, initiating phased settlement by Oghuz tribes drawn by depopulated farmlands and defensible plains.

Ottoman Era

Erzincan was annexed by the after Sultan Selim I's victory over the Safavids at the on August 23, 1514, marking the incorporation of eastern into Ottoman territory. The region was subsequently organized as a within the , serving as an administrative unit for governance and revenue collection through mechanisms like the tahrir defters, which detailed taxable lands, households, and resources. This structure enabled the management of a diverse population, including Muslim Turks and under sharia-based administration, alongside Armenian Christian communities granted limited autonomy via the millet system, which regulated personal status laws, , and religious affairs separately from the Muslim majority. The local economy thrived on caravan trade routes linking Anatolia to Persia and the Caucasus, generating revenue from transit taxes, agricultural surpluses, and artisanal production as recorded in Ottoman fiscal surveys; these indicated steady prosperity in the 16th and 17th centuries, with Erzincan functioning as a nodal point for goods exchange despite periodic disruptions from nomadic raids. Textiles, particularly woolen goods, and nascent mining operations contributed to regional output, though production remained artisanal and tied to rural households rather than large-scale industry. Centralization efforts under sultans like Mahmud II in the early 19th century, aimed at curbing ayan influence and standardizing tax extraction, sparked localized revolts among tribal groups and landowners, yet empirical comparisons with contemporaneous European states—marked by frequent wars, peasant uprisings, and fiscal collapses—highlight the Ottoman system's relative longevity and adaptive stability in maintaining order through military garrisons and timar land grants. By the , the Erzincan Sanjak's population was predominantly Muslim Turks, comprising the majority, with numbering approximately 25,795 in the central alone, reflecting a significant but minority confessional presence amid ongoing frontier tensions. Ottoman authorities bolstered defenses with fortifications and irregular units to counter Russian expansionism from the north, drawing on revenues to sustain these measures without precipitating the internal seen in less resilient empires.

World War I and Interwar Period

During World War I, Erzincan served as the headquarters of the Ottoman Third Army in the Caucasus Campaign. Russian forces under General Nikolai Yudenich advanced after capturing Erzurum in February 1916 and Trabzon in April, reaching Erzincan by July 2 and securing the city after battles from July 2–25, resulting in a Russian victory and Ottoman retreat with significant casualties. This offensive exploited logistical strains on Ottoman supply lines, exacerbated by Armenian insurgencies in the region, including documented attacks on Ottoman communications in Erzincan to aid the invaders. In response to these security threats, Ottoman authorities initiated relocations of Armenian populations from eastern , including Erzincan, starting in May 1915, framing them as necessary wartime measures to prevent fifth-column activities amid verified rebellions and Russian collaboration. Turkish historical analyses, drawing from Ottoman records, emphasize that these were evacuations to rear areas rather than extermination, with mortality primarily attributable to , , and exposure during chaotic marches—conditions worsened by the broader devastation affecting all groups—rather than centralized killing orders; estimates suggest Armenian deaths numbered around 600,000 empire-wide, comparable to Muslim losses from similar causes, countering higher figures in some Western narratives reliant on testimonies prone to wartime exaggeration. International allegations of , often amplified by academic sources with acknowledged institutional biases toward victim-centric interpretations, overlook equivalent Ottoman of Armenian-armed bands massacring Muslim civilians in Erzincan and adjacent areas. Following the 1917 , the of Erzincan on December 5, 1917, halted fighting, enabling Ottoman forces to readvance as Russian troops withdrew. A brief local soviet administration emerged in Erzincan under Bolshevik influence during the occupation's final months, reflecting transient revolutionary fervor. Ottoman troops under recaptured the city on February 13, 1918, restoring control amid the collapse of Russian positions per the . In the , Erzincan experienced instability from the (1919–1923), where local forces resisted Allied-backed partition schemes under the 1920 that envisioned an independent incorporating the region, prompting nationalist mobilization to preserve . Ethnic frictions, rooted in wartime reciprocal violence rather than primordial hatred, were intensified by a magnitude 7.5 on December 15, 1917, which killed thousands and compounded recovery challenges in the geopolitical vacuum.

Republican Era

The establishment of the Republic of Turkey on October 29, 1923, integrated Erzincan into the new national framework, transitioning its Ottoman-era administrative structures toward centralized republican governance amid broader nation-building efforts. Early republican policies emphasized secular reforms and infrastructure consolidation, with Erzincan designated as a to facilitate control over eastern Anatolia's strategic corridors. A magnitude 7.8 struck Erzincan on December 27, 1939, causing approximately 33,000 deaths, 100,000 injuries, and displacing 250,000 residents, exposing deficiencies in standards and coordination under the nascent regime's centralized apparatus. operations mobilized national resources, including distribution and temporary shelters, but the scale of destruction—leveling much of the city—underscored limitations in pre-war and , with rebuilding efforts relocating the urban core northward while relying on state directives rather than robust engineering protocols. This event prompted initial reassessments of seismic vulnerabilities, influencing later technical guidelines, though systemic enforcement gaps persisted into subsequent decades. Post-1950 modernization drives, aligned with Turkey's shift toward import-substitution industrialization, introduced limited and agricultural processing in Erzincan, supported by state investments in links and to counterbalance eastern . The region's military role grew as a forward garrison against eastern threats, bolstering defense infrastructure amid alignments. By the 1990s, a magnitude 6.8 on , 1992, inflicted around 500 fatalities and damaged over 15,000 structures, yet outcomes reflected partial progress from 1975 seismic codes mandating higher concrete strengths and , reducing relative casualties compared to 1939 despite ongoing compliance lapses. Republican secularism, through education and administrative uniformity, correlated with shifts showing declining non-Turkish mother-tongue declarations, indicative of voluntary cultural convergence rather than coerced suppression, as ethnic identifiers increasingly aligned with national norms. Recent incentives under development plans have spurred urban expansion, reversing net out-migration via targeted subsidies, with provincial population stabilizing around 230,000 by 2020 through returnee employment in emerging sectors.

Demographics

The , measuring 7.8 on the , caused approximately 33,000 deaths and over 100,000 injuries, leading to substantial depopulation through direct fatalities, displacement, and destruction of infrastructure in the province. Post-World War II recovery saw gradual repopulation, with Turkey's national censuses recording steady increases amid broader demographic shifts, though Erzincan lagged behind western provinces due to its eastern location and seismic vulnerabilities. Census data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) indicate the provincial population grew to 239,223 by 2022, rising to an estimated 243,399 in 2024, reflecting modest annual growth rates of around 1-2% in recent decades. The urban core of Erzincan city proper accounted for roughly 143,000 residents as of mid-2010s estimates, highlighting a trend of rural-to-urban migration that intensified after the as families relocated to the central districts for access to services. This migration pattern contributed to higher population densities in lowland urban areas compared to the sparse highlands, where rural settlements maintain lower densities due to topographic constraints and limited Fertility rates in Erzincan align with national declines, falling below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman; Turkey's total fertility rate reached 1.51 in 2023, driven by urbanization and socioeconomic factors observed across provinces. Recent TÜİK data show stabilization in net migration post-2000s, with urban growth rates slowing as provincial totals plateau around 240,000, indicating a maturing demographic profile less reliant on influx from surrounding rural zones.

Ethnic and Religious Composition

The ethnic composition of Erzincan province features a majority of Turkish-identifying inhabitants, estimated at 70-80% based on linguistic and self-identification patterns, alongside Zaza and Kurdish minorities totaling 10-20%. Zaza speakers, who often distinguish their Iranic language and identity from Kurmanji-speaking Kurds, predominate in certain rural districts, while Kurdish speakers form smaller pockets; however, many Zaza individuals self-identify as Kurds in broader ethnic categorizations. The 1965 Turkish census, which surveyed mother tongues, documented Turkish as the dominant language province-wide, with Zazaki usage notable but not exceeding localized majorities, reflecting partial language shift toward Turkish over decades. Religiously, the population is nearly uniformly Muslim, with Sunnis comprising roughly 60% and Alevis 30-40%, the latter group largely of Turkmen ethnic background and integrated into Turkish cultural norms despite distinct heterodox practices. Non-Muslims account for less than 1%, a stark reduction from pre-World War I levels when Armenians formed a minority in the Erzincan kaza, numbering about 25,795 individuals per contemporary records amid a Muslim-majority context. Post-war demographic shifts, including Armenian departures, cemented this homogeneity. Compulsory education and universal military service have causally reinforced a shared Turkish national identity, diminishing ethnic-linguistic divides and addressing Alevi-specific historical marginalization through state institutions, even as some advocacy sources exaggerate minority proportions for separatist aims contrary to census-derived evidence of assimilation.

Government and Administration

Local Governance Structure

Erzincan Municipality, as the governing body for the provincial capital, operates under Turkey's Municipal Law No. 5393, with an elected mayor leading the executive and a municipal council handling legislative functions such as approving budgets and urban plans. The current mayor, Bekir Aksun of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), oversees directorates responsible for services including firefighting, public order, financial management, and urban infrastructure. Administrative divisions consist of neighborhoods (mahalleler), each led by an elected muhtar who coordinates local issues like resident complaints and basic services, with the municipality emphasizing participatory mechanisms such as neighborhood assemblies and regular public meetings to enhance responsiveness. The municipality's powers encompass zoning and imar (development planning), waste management, road maintenance, and social aid programs, with a strategic focus on horizontal architecture (yatay mimari) to mitigate seismic risks in line with post-1992 earthquake lessons from the March 13 event that devastated the region. Budgeting relies on local revenues from property taxes (emlak vergisi) and fees, supplemented by central government transfers, targeting a 90% realization rate through efficient resource allocation and digital systems like electronic document management. In 2019, integration of 9 adjacent belde municipalities and 3 villages expanded the service area, decentralizing delivery while aligning with national urban transformation frameworks under Law No. 6306 to retrofit vulnerable structures. Local elections consistently show dominance by conservative alliances, including MHP and its AKP partner, underscoring the electorate's preferences amid high participation rates typical of Turkish municipal voting, which enable continuity in service-oriented governance over ideological shifts. These dynamics prioritize resilience and infrastructure upgrades, with post-earthquake decentralizations granting municipalities greater autonomy in risk assessment and kentsel dönüşüm projects to reduce dependency on central directives.

Historical Mayors

Following the 1939 Erzincan earthquake, which devastated the city and killed approximately 33,000 people, the Turkish government appointed Hasan Sükuti Tükel as governor-mayor with extraordinary powers to oversee reconstruction under the "New Erzincan Project." Tükel coordinated the rebuilding efforts, including new urban planning and infrastructure, amid challenging post-disaster conditions, though the project faced delays and ultimate failure due to political and logistical issues. Elected mayors emerged in the multi-party era post-1950, with tenures marked by efforts to stabilize governance amid recurring seismic risks, including the 1992 earthquake. Talip Kaban served from 1989 to 1999 under the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), managing recovery from the 1992 event that caused over 500 deaths and widespread damage. Subsequent mayors, increasingly from the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the 2000s, prioritized infrastructure development, such as urban renewal and transportation links, reflecting the party's national focus on provincial modernization.
MayorTermAffiliationNotable Role/Events
Hasan Sükuti Tükelc. 1940–1940sAppointedLed post-1939 reconstruction with special powers.
Talip Kaban1989–1999MHPOversaw 1992 earthquake response.
Erkan Karaman1999–2004MHPTransition to post-1990s recovery.
Mehmet Buyruk2004–2009AKPEarly AKP-era infrastructure projects.
Yüksel Çakır2009–2014AKPContinued urban development.
Cemalettin Başsoy2014–2019AKPPre-2019 election tenure.
Bekir Aksun2019–presentMHPElected with 29,838 votes; focused on education and community support.

Economy

Primary Sectors

Erzincan Province's economy relies heavily on agriculture, which utilizes the fertile plains for grain cultivation, including wheat, barley, and alfalfa as primary crops, alongside fruit orchards producing apples, plums, cherries, grapes, mulberries, walnuts, and almonds. Livestock rearing, focused on sheep, goats, and cattle, supports meat, milk, and wool production, leveraging the region's pastoral traditions and contributing to local self-sufficiency in animal products. These sectors benefit from relatively low-cost rural labor, enabling competitive production costs despite limited mechanization in smaller farms. However, water scarcity poses a persistent challenge, as evidenced by reservoir levels dropping below 10% in areas like Göyne, which has curtailed irrigation for farming villages and restricted crop expansion beyond rain-fed plains agriculture. Empirical data from the Turkish Statistical Institute indicate Erzincan's ranking among Turkey's top producers for mulberries (6,675 tons annually) and apricots, underscoring strengths in niche fruit yields that bolster regional food security. Mining complements agriculture through operations at the Çöpler deposit, an epithermal gold-silver-copper site processed via open-pit methods and heap leaching of oxide and sulfide ores. The mine, capable of handling up to 5.4 million tons of sulfide ore yearly, has yielded significant output, including over 220,000 ounces of gold equivalent in 2023, with associated copper recovery from polymetallic ores supporting export revenues. State oversight via environmental and licensing bodies ensures operational continuity, though private entities manage extraction, highlighting mining's role in diversifying beyond agrarian self-reliance.

Industrial Development and Challenges

Erzincan has experienced modest industrial growth since the early 2000s, primarily through the establishment of organized industrial zones (OIZ) that facilitate manufacturing in textiles, food processing, and construction materials, including cement production. The Erzincan OIZ, spanning 3.1 million square meters, hosts 101 active parcels as of 2025, supporting over 4,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) focused on export-oriented activities. Textiles occupy 12 parcels with 1,386 workers, generating exports to markets like the UK and France, while food processing utilizes 15 parcels employing 469 workers and accounting for $20 million of the province's $26.8 million in 2023 food exports. Construction materials sectors, encompassing cement and related products, operate across 16 parcels with 174 workers, leveraging local raw materials for regional supply. The sector's contribution to Erzincan's economy expanded from 10% in 2004 to 25% by 2024, driven by OIZ incentives that attract foreign direct (FDI) through infrastructure readiness and state supports like tax exemptions under Turkey's general investment scheme. These zones have enabled diversification beyond , with over 20% of production in food and textiles integrated into national supply chains for , plastics, and isolation materials. A new OIZ in Tercan, covering 1.414 million square meters, is under preliminary development to further boost capacity, signaling sustained post-2010s momentum amid Turkey's broader FDI inflows of $262.5 billion from 2003 to 2023. Despite progress, industrial expansion faces structural challenges, including Erzincan's location on the , where the 1992 magnitude 6.8 earthquake destroyed significant infrastructure and heightened investor caution toward seismic vulnerabilities in site selection and building codes. High energy costs, compounded by Turkey's reliance on imports, erode competitiveness for energy-intensive sectors like cement and textiles, while bureaucratic overregulation in investment permitting and compliance—evident in complex regional incentive applications—delays project timelines and deters smaller FDI inflows compared to western Turkish hubs. No notable shift toward defense manufacturing has materialized in the 2020s, limiting diversification into high-value sectors. Industrial achievements include 13% of total provincial employment in manufacturing by 2024, with the OIZ alone providing 2,704 jobs, supporting local economic resilience post-disasters. Environmentally, air quality remains relatively stable with PM2.5 averages of 13-17 µg/m³ in recent monitoring, indicating minimal industrial pollution contributions amid low reported emissions from OIZ operations, though critics note potential unmonitored impacts from mining-adjacent activities warranting stricter metrics. These gains contrast with critiques of uneven environmental oversight, where verifiable data shows no exceedances of national limits but highlights the need for enhanced monitoring to balance employment with sustainability.

Infrastructure

Transportation Networks

Erzincan's road network centers on the D100 state highway, a key east-west artery traversing Eastern Anatolia from the Black Sea region toward Iran, facilitating freight and passenger movement through the province. This route, upgraded in sections like Amasya-Erzincan, supports efficient overland trade by linking Erzincan to major hubs such as Sivas and Erzurum, though seasonal weather in the mountainous terrain can impose delays. Rail connectivity relies on the conventional Eastern Anatolia line, with the 247 km Sivas-Erzincan high-speed railway under detailed design and construction since 2021, designed for speeds up to 250 km/h to integrate with the operational Ankara-Sivas high-speed line inaugurated in April 2023. This extension reduces Ankara-Erzincan travel times, enhancing freight capacity along corridors tied to historical Silk Road paths, where post-2000 infrastructure investments have boosted regional logistics potential amid Turkey's broader rail modernization. Erzincan Yunus Emre Airport (ERC) provides regional air access with scheduled domestic flights to , , and Izmir operated by carriers like AJet and , handling passenger traffic for connectivity beyond road and rail limitations. The facility's infrastructure supports efficient short-haul operations, though limited to three primary destinations as of 2025. Terrain-induced bottlenecks, including steep gradients and seismic risks in the Eastern Anatolian plateau, are addressed through solutions like the T1-T2-T3 tunnels on the Erzincan-Kemah-İliç provincial , which mitigate congestion and improve safety for heavy freight transit. These interventions, part of national efforts, underscore Erzincan's evolving role as a trade node despite geographic challenges.

Education and Health Services

Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University, established on March 1, 2006, under Law No. 5467, functions as the province's main higher education provider, evolving from earlier vocational and education schools dating to 1967 and 1987. The institution emphasizes practical and technical education, with 11 faculties including engineering and sciences, alongside vocational schools offering associate degrees in areas such as electrical technology, , and to align with regional industrial needs like manufacturing and agriculture. Enrollment exceeds 25,000 students annually, reflecting expanded access in eastern Anatolia, though acceptance rates hover around 59% based on national entrance exams. Provincial education metrics mirror national trends, with Turkey's adult literacy rate reaching 97% as of 2021, supported by compulsory schooling expansions that have boosted primary and secondary net enrollment to near-universal levels. In Erzincan, vocational training initiatives under the university target skill gaps in local sectors, contributing to higher education graduate rates that rose nationally from 9.8% in 2008 to 23.9% in 2022 for those aged 25 and over. Rural enrollment lags urban centers due to geographic barriers, yet data indicate gradual convergence through targeted programs, with secondary net enrollment in eastern regions improving via infrastructure investments. Health services in Erzincan underwent significant reconstruction following the March 13, 1992, magnitude 6.8 earthquake, which collapsed structures at all three major hospital sites, exacerbating immediate care deficits. The subsequent World Bank-funded Erzincan Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Project, approved in 1993 with $285 million, facilitated upgrades to seismic-resistant facilities, including hospital renovations to enhance capacity and resilience. Empirical indicators reflect progress, with national infant mortality declining to 9.1 per 1,000 live births by 2023 from higher historical levels, a trend attributable to improved neonatal care and vaccination coverage extending to provincial levels like Erzincan in northeastern . Persistent rural-urban disparities in health access persist, with eastern provinces including Erzincan showing lower health index scores due to uneven distribution of resources and higher rural populations at 39% as of recent data. However, family medicine implementations since 2005 have narrowed gaps, increasing utilization and preventive services, evidenced by rising 79.6 years in Erzincan by 2020 and province-specific studies documenting reduced neonatal mortality contributions from prematurity through better infrastructure.

Culture and Society

Historical Landmarks

Altıntepe, an Urartian fortress and temple complex dating to the 9th–7th centuries BCE, stands as one of Erzincan's premier ancient landmarks, situated on a 60-meter-high volcanic hill overlooking the Euphrates River in the Üzümlü district. The site, excavated since its discovery in 1938, features remnants of fortifications, a fire temple, and administrative structures that highlight Urartian military and religious architecture, with ongoing restorations transforming it into an open-air archaeological park by 2022. Preservation efforts, including recent excavations, underscore its role as a key center for the Urartian kingdom and later Eastern Roman Empire, though access remains limited, contributing to modest tourism figures. In the medieval period, structures like the Gülabibey Mosque in Kemah district exemplify regional Islamic architecture, constructed in 1454 by Akkoyunlu governor Gülabibey using a square plan with wooden pillars and cut stone. This mosque, blending pre-Ottoman Turkmen influences with later Ottoman continuity, has endured partial damage from seismic events but persists as a functional historical site. Erzincan's historical landmarks have faced severe challenges from earthquakes, notably the 1939 event of magnitude 7.8, which razed much of the city and prompted its relocation 5.5 kilometers north, with American engineers aiding in seismic-resistant rebuilding techniques. The 1992 quake further damaged masonry structures, yet post-disaster reconstructions, such as fortified repairs to surviving baths and fortresses, demonstrate engineering adaptations that preserved select sites amid recurrent tectonic activity along the . These efforts prioritize structural integrity over original aesthetics, reflecting pragmatic responses to the region's geology rather than expansive heritage tourism.

Social and Cultural Practices

Erzincan's social structure reflects a predominantly conservative Muslim society, with a Sunni Turkish majority alongside a significant Alevi minority, primarily of Turkmen origin. Alevis maintain distinct communal worship in cemevis, where cem ceremonies incorporate semah ritual dances—mystical body movements in rhythmic harmony recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage since 2010. Sunni practices adhere to orthodox Islamic rituals in mosques, fostering a pattern of parallel religious observance amid historical tensions but functional coexistence in daily community life. In 2013, a disused mosque in Erzincan was converted into a cemevi after its imam departed, underscoring the province's Alevi demographic weight and pragmatic adaptation of underutilized religious infrastructure. Family life emphasizes traditional nuclear and extended structures common in rural eastern Turkey, with marriage customs featuring localized musical repertoires that blend folk instruments like the saz and , though repertoires show modernization through incorporation of contemporary elements. National surveys indicate rising divorce rates across Turkish provinces, yet conservative norms in areas like Erzincan sustain lower instability relative to urban centers, prioritizing marital endurance and familial solidarity. Cultural events draw from folk traditions, including seasonal agricultural gatherings tied to the region's apple and grain harvests, though formalized festivals remain modest compared to coastal or urban counterparts. Media engagement mirrors broader Turkish trends, with Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University students exhibiting high social media usage influenced by age, gender, and academic factors, potentially diluting oral folklore transmission amid digital shifts. Ethnographic accounts highlight persistent communal solidarity, tempered by urbanization's gradual impact on intergenerational customs.

Notable Individuals

Yıldırım Akbulut (November 15, 1935 – April 14, 2021) was a Turkish politician born in Erzincan who graduated from Istanbul University Faculty of Law in 1961 and began his career as a prosecutor before entering politics with the Justice Party. He served as Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey from 1987 to 1989 and again from 1991 to 1995, and as the 19th Prime Minister from November 17, 1989, to June 17, 1991, leading the Motherland Party government amid post-coup economic reforms. Ümran Savaş İnan (born December 28, 1950) is a Turkish-American geophysicist and electrical engineer born in Erzincan, known for research in very low frequency radio propagation and space physics, with over 300 peer-reviewed publications and contributions to understanding lightning-induced phenomena. He earned B.S. and M.S. degrees from Middle East Technical University and a Ph.D. from Stanford University in 1982, where he became an emeritus professor, and served as rector of Koç University from 2009 to 2019, expanding its research infrastructure. Oğuzhan Koç (born May 13, 1985) is a Turkish singer-songwriter, comedian, and actor raised in Refahiye district of , who gained prominence through television hosting on shows like Komedi Dükkanı starting in 2008 and released hit albums such as Kendi Yoluma Gidiyorum (2017), blending pop music with comedic sketches.

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