Mersin is a large city and a busy port on the Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey. The metropolitan area in the entire Mersin Province had a population of 982,429 as of 2010, making it Turkey's sixth most populous city. It is also part of an interurban agglomeration – the Adana-Mersin Metropolitan Area – and lies on the western part of Çukurova, a geographical, economical and cultural region. According to Evliya Çelebi, the city is named after the Mersinoğullari tribe; another theory is that it is derived from the myrtle which grows abundantly in the region.... Mersin is important for Turkey's economy, and Turkey's largest seaport is located here. Mersin's nickname within Turkey is "Pearl of the Mediterranean" and the city will host the 2013 Mediterranean Games. This coast has been inhabited since the 9th millennium BC. Excavations by John Garstang of the hill of Yumuktepe have revealed 23 levels of occupation, the earliest dating from ca. 6300 BC. Fortifications were put up around 4500 BC, but the site appears to have been abandoned between 3200 BC and 1200 BC.
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| Country: | Turkey |
| Population: | 1,640,888 |
| Area: | 6120.9 sq. mi. |
| Time zone: | Eastern European Time |
| Also known as: | map |