The 81 provinces of Turkey are divided into 973 districts (ilçeler; sing. ilçe). In the Ottoman Empire and in the early Turkish Republic, the corresponding unit was the kaza.
Most provinces bear the same name as their respective provincial capital districts. However, many urban provinces, designated as greater municipalities, have a center consisting of multiple districts, such as the provincial capital of Ankara province, The City of Ankara, comprising nine separate districts. Additionally three provinces, Kocaeli, Sakarya, and Hatay have their capital district named differently from their province, as ðzmit, Adapazarñ, and Antakya respectively.
A district may cover both rural and urban areas. In many provinces, one district of a province is designated the central district (merkez ilçe) from which the district is administered. The central district is administered by an appointed provincial deputy governor and other non-central districts by an appointed sub-governor (kaymakam) from their district center (ilçe merkezi) municipality. In these central districts the district center municipality also serves as the provincial center municipality. Both the deputy governor and sub-governors are responsible to the province governor (vali). Greater Municipalities, however, are administered differently where a separate seat of municipality exists for the entire province, having administrative power over all districts of the province.
Municipalities (belediye) can be created in, and are subordinate to, the districts in which they are located. Each district has at least one municipality (belde) in the district center from which both the municipal government for that municipality and the district government is administered. A municipality is headed by an elected mayor (belediye baà Âkanñ) who administers the local government for defined municipal matters. More and more settlements which are outside district centers have municipalities as well, usually because their population requires one. A municipality's borders usually correspond to that of the urban settlement it covers, but may also include some undeveloped land.
Villages (köy) outside municipalities and quarters or neighborhoods (mahalle) within municipalities are the lowest level of local government, and are also the most numerous unit of local government in Turkey. They elect muhtars to care for specific administrative matters such as residence registration. The designation slightly differs (köy muhtarñ for village muhtar, mahalle muhtarñ for quarter muhtar) and the tasks, which are largely similar but are adapted to their locality.
Greater municipalities (büyükà Âehir belediyesi) exist for large cities like Istanbul and ðzmir that consist of an extra administrative layer run by an elected head mayor, who oversee the municipalities and mayors within the province. Currently, 30 provinces are administered by greater municipalities in addition to having separate municipalities for every district within the province.
The districts and their populations (as of December 31, 2019) are listed below, by region and by province (with capital district in bold text).
(Mostly in the Aegean Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Afyonkarahisar Province Population: 750,193
(Entirely in the Aegean Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Aydñn Province Population: 1,165,943
(Mostly in the Aegean Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Denizli Province Population: 1,061,371
(Entirely in the Aegean Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
ðzmir Province Population: 4,493,242
(Mostly in the Aegean Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Kütahya Province Population: 571,078
(Entirely in the Aegean Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Manisa Province Population: 1,475,353
(Mostly in the Aegean Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
MuÃÂla Province Population: 1,081,867
(Entirely in the Aegean Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
UÃ Âak Province Population: 375,310
(Entirely in the Central Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Aksaray Province Population: 439,474
(Mostly in the Central Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Ankara Province Population: 5,864,049
(Mostly in the Central Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
ÃÂankñrñ Province Population: 199,981
(Mostly in the Central Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Eskià Âehir Province Population: 921,630
(Mostly in the Central Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Karaman Province Population: 262,791
(Mostly in the Central Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Kayseri Province Population: 1,452,458
(Entirely in the Central Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Kñrñkkale Province Population: 283,053
(Entirely in the Central Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Kñrà Âehir Province Population: 244,546
(Mostly in the Central Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Konya Province Population: 2,330,024
(Entirely in the Central Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Nevà Âehir Province Population: 317,952
(Entirely in the Central Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
NiÃÂde Province Population: 372,708
(Mostly in the Central Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Sivas Province Population: 637,007
(Entirely in the Central Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Yozgat Province Population: 413,161
(Entirely in the Eastern Anatolia Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
AÃÂrñ Province Population: 499,801
(Mostly in the Eastern Anatolia Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Ardahan Province Population: 91,354
(Entirely in the Eastern Anatolia Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Bingöl Province Population: 283,276
(Entirely in the Eastern Anatolia Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Bitlis Province Population: 359,808
(Entirely in the Eastern Anatolia Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
ElazñàProvince Population: 603,941
(Mostly in the Eastern Anatolia Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Erzincan Province Population: 241,239
(Mostly in the Eastern Anatolia Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Erzurum Province Population: 745,005
(Entirely in the Eastern Anatolia Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Hakkari Province Population: 282,191
(Entirely in the Eastern Anatolia Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
IÃÂdñr Province Population: 206,857
(Entirely in the Eastern Anatolia Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Kars Province Population: 272,300
(Entirely in the Eastern Anatolia Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Malatya Province Population: 750,491
(Entirely in the Eastern Anatolia Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Muà  Province Population: 392,301
(Mostly in the Eastern Anatolia Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
à Âñrnak Province Population: 570,826
(Entirely in the Eastern Anatolia Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Tunceli Province Population: 86,612
(Entirely in the Eastern Anatolia Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Van Province Population: 1,118,087
(Entirely in the Black Sea Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Amasya Province Population: 342,378
(Mostly in the Black Sea Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Artvin Province Population: 169,280
(Entirely in the Black Sea Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Bartñn Province Population: 206,715
(Mostly in the Black Sea Region)
Bayburt Province Population: 83,676
(Entirely in the Black Sea Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Bolu Province Population: 326,409
(Mostly in the Black Sea Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
ÃÂorum Province Population: 521,335
(Entirely in the Black Sea Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Düzce Province Population: 412,344
(Entirely in the Black Sea Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Giresun Province Population: 455,922
(Entirely in the Black Sea Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Gümüà Âhane Province Population: 142,617
(Entirely in the Black Sea Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Karabük Province Population: 250,478
(Entirely in the Black Sea Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Kastamonu Province Population: 381,991
(Entirely in the Black Sea Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Ordu Province Population: 770,711
(Entirely in the Black Sea Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Rize Province Population: 346,977
(Entirely in the Black Sea Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Samsun Province Population: 1,382,376
(Entirely in the Black Sea Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Sinop Province Population: 226,957
(Entirely in the Black Sea Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Tokat Province Population: 612,674
(Entirely in the Black Sea Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Trabzon Province Population: 822,270
(Entirely in the Black Sea Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Zonguldak Province Population: 586,802
(Mostly in the Marmara Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Balñkesir Province Population: 1,276,096
(Mostly in the Marmara Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Bilecik Province Population: 228,495
(Mostly in the Marmara Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Bursa Province Population: 3,238,618
(Mostly in the Marmara Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
ÃÂanakkale Province Population: 568,966
(Entirely in the Marmara Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Edirne Province Population: 421,247
(Entirely in the Marmara Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Istanbul Province Population: 15,701,602
(Entirely in the Marmara Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Kñrklareli Province Population: 379,031
(Mostly in the Marmara Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Kocaeli Province Population: 2,130,006
(Mostly in the Marmara Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Sakarya Province Population: 1,110,735
(Entirely in the Marmara Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
TekirdaÃÂ Province Population: 1,187,162
(Entirely in the Marmara Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Yalova Province Population: 307,882
(Entirely in the Mediterranean Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Adana Province Population: 2,280,484
(Entirely in the Mediterranean Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Antalya Province Population: 2,722,103
(Entirely in the Mediterranean Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Burdur Province Population: 275,826
(Entirely in the Mediterranean Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Hatay Province Population: 1,562,185
(Entirely in the Mediterranean Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Isparta Province Population: 446,409
(Mostly in the Mediterranean Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Kahramanmaraà  Province Population: 1,134,105
(Entirely in the Mediterranean Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Mersin Province Population: 1,954,279
(Entirely in the Mediterranean Region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Osmaniye Province Population: 561,061
(Mostly in the Southeastern Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Adñyaman Province Population: 611,037
(Mostly in the Southeastern Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Batman Province Population: 654,528
(Mostly in the Southeastern Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Diyarbakñr Province Population: 1,833,684
(Mostly in the Southeastern Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Gaziantep Province Population: 2,193,363
(Mostly in the Southeastern Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Kilis Province Population: 156,739
(Entirely in the Southeastern Anatolia regio)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Mardin Province Population: 895,911
(Mostly in the Southeastern Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
Siirt Province Population: 336,453
(Entirely in the Southeastern Anatolia region)
The following population data is based on the 2024 census. The list is sorted from highest to lowest population. According to the results of the local elections of March 31, 2024, mayors are listed with their parties.
à Âanlñurfa Province Population: 2,237,745