Reyhanlı

Reyhanlı
—  District  —
Location of Reyhanlı within Turkey.
Coordinates: 36°16′09″N 36°34′02″E / 36.26917°N 36.56722°E / 36.26917; 36.56722Coordinates: 36°16′09″N 36°34′02″E / 36.26917°N 36.56722°E / 36.26917; 36.56722
Country	Turkey
Region	Mediterranean
Province	Hatay
Government
- Mayor	Hüseyin Şanverdi (AKP)
- Governor	Cemalettin YILMAZ
Elevation	158 m (518 ft)
Population (2010)
- Urban	61,234
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
- Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code	31500
Area code(s)	(0)326
Licence plate	31
Website	http://www.reyhanli.gov.tr

Reyhanlı is a town and district of Hatay Province, on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, near the country's border with Syria.

History

Formerly known as "İrtah" and "Reyhaniye", Reyhanli has been settled by Turks since the 16th century and in particular with Turkish "muhair" (refugees) from the Caucasus and Cyprus in the 19th century.

Geography

The district today has a rich ethnic mix of Arabs, Caucasians, and Turks. Reyhanlı has a larger community of Sunni Arabs than most of Hatay, where the Arab population are mostly Alawite.

The climate is typical of the Mediterranean region, and Reyhanlı is an agricultural district watered from Reyhanlı reservoir, growing cotton, wheat and other grains and raising cattle, sheep and goats.

The town lies on the main road between Iskenderun and Aleppo. The border crossing point at Cilvegözü, 5 km south east of the town, is the busiest land border post between Turkey and Syria.^[1]

Well-known residents

• Cemil Meriç - rightist thinker for leftists, leftist thinker for rightists, born Reyhanlı 1916.

References

1. ^ Lonely Planet Turkey