Population Characteristics of Ayvalik City

Abstract

This study evaluates the population characteristics of Ayvalik city from past to the present. In terms of population characteristics, Ayvalik appears as a rich cultural area due to different religion, language and race factors which appear in the region. Ayvalik city has taken advantage of its geographical location and characteristics for many years and it has been an important economic and socio-cultural center. The population of the city increased greatly during those periods. The population of Ayvalik, which reached 40.000's in 1800, could re-increase to only 34.968 in 2008. As will be explained, significant changes occurred in the population characteristics due to political, socio-cultural and econoinic conditions froin time to time. The wars, revolts, long-lasting invasions in Ayvalik tired the people who live there, and the region regressed so much economically. The population who came to Ayvalik through immigration experienced great problems, and for the entire population who experienced the entire immigration, Ayvalik became a hope as they left their homelands and came to this city. The immigrating population was identified as foreigners at the places from where they came, and from time to time, they are also the foreigners for the places they arrived, and tried to overcome this troublesome immigration process.