# Artvin

> central district and city in Artvin Province, Turkey

**Wikidata**: [Q193445](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q193445)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artvin)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/artvin

## Summary
Artvin is the capital city and central district of Artvin Province in northeastern Turkey. It serves as the administrative center of the province and has a population of approximately 26,180 as of 2022. The city is known by multiple names in various languages and has a rich historical background, including a period under the Kutaisi Governorate until 1917.

## Key Facts
- Official name: Artvin
- Status: Central district (ilçe) and city of Artvin Province, Turkey; also a municipality
- Coordinates: 41.1830811°N, 41.8287448°E
- Elevation: 345 meters above sea level
- Population (2022, urban): 26,180
- Population (2021, rural): 8,696
- Postal code: 0800
- Timezone: UTC+03:00 (since October 2, 2018)
- Aliases: Artvin City, アルティヴィン (Japanese), Artvim, ارتفين (Arabic), Артвин (Russian), and others
- Province: Capital of Artvin Province (since 1917)
- Website: https://artvin.bel.tr (Turkish language)
- Social media: Twitter/Instagram @artvinbeltr (Twitter created October 15, 2012), Facebook "artvinbeltr"
- Twinned cities: Akhaltsikhe, Oslo, Batumi, Casablanca
- Historical administration: Part of Kutaisi Governorate (1846–1917), then Artvin Province from 1917
- UN/LOCODE: TRAVN
- Geonames ID: 751817
- Wikipedia availability: 74 language editions

## FAQs
**What is the current population of Artvin?**
As of 2022, the urban population of Artvin is 26,180, while the most recent rural population figure is 8,696 from 2021. The city's urban population has shown a gradual increase from 24,502 in 2007, with a peak of 26,700 in 2017.

**Where is Artvin located?**
Artvin is situated in northeastern Turkey at coordinates 41.1830811°N, 41.8287448°E. It is the capital of Artvin Province and lies within the historical region of the same name, near the border with Georgia.

**What is Artvin's administrative status?**
Artvin is both a city and the central district (ilçe) of Artvin Province. It has served as the provincial capital since 1917 and is governed by a mayor. The municipality operates as a local administrative body.

**What timezone does Artvin observe?**
Artvin follows Turkey's standard time zone of UTC+03:00 year-round. This arrangement has been in effect since October 2, 2018, when the country discontinued seasonal clock changes.

**How can I contact the Artvin municipality?**
The official website is https://artvin.bel.tr, available in Turkish. The municipality is active on social media: Twitter and Instagram @artvinbeltr, and Facebook as "artvinbeltr". The Twitter account was created on October 15, 2012.

**What are Artvin's international connections?**
Artvin is twinned with Akhaltsikhe (Georgia), Oslo (Norway), Batumi (Georgia), and Casablanca (Morocco). The city is also referenced in multiple international encyclopedias and appears in 74 language versions of Wikipedia.

**What is the history of Artvin's administrative changes?**
From 1846 to 1917, Artvin was part of the Kutaisi Governorate under the Russian Empire. After 1917, it became the capital of the newly established Artvin Province within the Republic of Turkey, a status it retains today.

## Why It Matters
Artvin is significant as a provincial capital in a strategically important region of Turkey, bordering Georgia. Its historical transition from Russian to Turkish administration reflects broader geopolitical shifts in the Caucasus during the early 20th century. The city's demographic trends—showing urban growth and rural fluctuation—illustrate patterns of regional urbanization. Its multilingual presence, with aliases in languages from Japanese to Arabic, underscores its cultural crossroads position. As a local government hub, Artvin provides essential services and maintains international ties through twinning, fostering cross-border relations. The active digital presence on platforms like Twitter and Facebook helps engage citizens and promote the city globally, while its cataloging in numerous international databases (GND, VIAF, Geonames) ensures its integration into global knowledge systems.

## Notable For
- Capital of Artvin Province since the province's establishment in 1917
- Historical administration as part of the Russian Empire's Kutaisi Governorate (1846–1917)
- Steady urban population growth from 24,502 (2007) to 26,180 (2022)
- Recognized by over a dozen global identifiers (GND, VIAF, Geonames, MusicBrainz, etc.)
- Consistent social media branding across Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook since at least 2012
- International twinning relationships with cities in Georgia, Norway, and Morocco
- Documentation in historical reference works like Meyers Konversations-Lexikon and the Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia
- Distinct elevation of 345 meters above sea level
- Unique postal code 0800 within Turkey's postal system
- Presence in 74 Wikipedia language editions, indicating broad global recognition

## Body

### Geographic Position and Physical Attributes
Artvin is located at 41.1830811°N latitude and 41.8287448°E longitude. The city has an elevation of 345 meters above sea level, as recorded in official Turkish sources. A locator map image for Artvin Province is available on Wikimedia Commons. The city's UN/LOCODE is TRAVN, used for international trade and transport logistics. It falls within the timezone UTC+03:00, a permanent arrangement since October 2, 2018.

### Administrative Status and Governance
Artvin functions as both a city (belde) and the central district (ilçe) of Artvin Province. It is the provincial capital, a status held since 1917. The municipal government is headed by a mayor, with the office titled "mayor of Artvin." The municipality's official website is https://artvin.bel.tr, published in Turkish. The postal code for the city is 0800, assigned by the national postal authority. Artvin is classified as an instance of a city, a district of Turkey, and a municipality.

### Historical Context and Territorial Changes
From 1846 until 1917, Artvin was administered as part of the Kutaisi Governorate under the Russian Empire. This historical period ended in 1917, after which Artvin became the capital of the newly formed Artvin Province within the Republic of Turkey. The city's historical significance is documented in sources such as *Meyers Konversations-Lexikon* (4th edition, 1885–1890) and the *Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia* (volume 2, pages 17–18).

### Demographic Evolution
Population data for Artvin is recorded separately for urban and rural areas, primarily through Turkey's Address-Based Population Registration System.

**Urban Population:**
- 1965: 9,847
- 1970: 13,109
- 1975: 13,390
- 1980: 14,307
- 1990: 20,306
- 2000: 23,157
- 2007: 24,502
- 2009: 24,468
- 2010: 24,354
- 2011: 25,234
- 2012: 25,771
- 2013: 25,192
- 2014: 25,525
- 2015: 25,838
- 2017: 26,700
- 2018: 25,408
- 2019: 9,108
- 2020: 8,719
- 2021: 25,841
- 2022: 26,180

**Rural Population:**
- 1965: 15,155
- 1970: 15,236
- 1975: 15,976
- 1980: 15,657
- 1990: 12,877
- 2000: 11,415
- 2007: 8,325
- 2009: 8,517
- 2010: 8,273
- 2011: 8,099
- 2012: 7,921
- 2013: 8,223
- 2014: 8,525
- 2017: 8,226
- 2018: 9,673
- 2021: 8,696

The data shows long-term urban growth with some recent fluctuations, while rural population has generally declined since the 1990s.

### Digital and Communication Infrastructure
The Artvin municipality maintains a digital presence through its official website (https://artvin.bel.tr) and multiple social media platforms. On Twitter, the account @artvinbelbr was created on October 15, 2012, and had 4,522 followers as of January 3, 2021. The same handle is used on Instagram. The Facebook page is "artvinbeltr" with a location ID of 108029935885680. These platforms are used for civic communication and public engagement.

### International and Cultural Connections
Artvin has formal twinning relationships with four cities: Akhaltsikhe (Georgia), Oslo (Norway), Batumi (Georgia), and Casablanca (Morocco). The city is known by numerous aliases across languages, including Artvin City, アルティヴィン (Japanese), アルトウィン (Japanese alternative), Artvim, ارتفين (Arabic), أرتفين (Arabic alternative), and Артвин (Russian). It appears in 74 language editions of Wikipedia, with titles such as "Artvin" in English and "アルトヴィン" in Japanese. The city is referenced in historical encyclopedias like *Meyers Konversations-Lexikon* and the *Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia*.

### Identifiers and Cataloging
Artvin is cataloged in numerous global databases with unique identifiers:
- GND ID: 4383304-4 (German National Library)
- VIAF ID: 136505577 (Virtual International Authority File)
- Geonames ID: 751817
- Freebase ID: /m/063vhr
- MusicBrainz area ID: b2d82279-aac6-41bf-b038-1c9c6e0cdb0b
- OpenStreetMap relation ID: 1838464
- Who's On First ID: 101911639
- Library of Congress Authority ID: nr2002041120
- National Library of Israel J9U ID: 987007480107505171
- Bibliothèque nationale de France ID: 155345073
- UN/LOCODE: TRAVN
- Fast ID: 1299069
- Inaturalist place ID: 106190
- And others including Yale Lux ID, Armeniapedia ID, and FactGrid item ID.

These identifiers enable consistent referencing across library catalogs, geographic databases, and knowledge graphs.

### Categorization and Associated Content
Artvin is the subject of several Wikipedia categories, including "Category:Artvin" and "Category:Artvin District." There are dedicated categories for people associated with the city: "Category:Births in Artvin" and "Category:People from Artvin." The city's Wikimedia Commons category is "Artvin," and its Wikipedia title is simply "Artvin." The Wikidata description explicitly states it is the "central district and city in Artvin Province, Turkey."

## References

1. [Source](https://statoids.com/ytr.html)
2. Faceted Application of Subject Terminology
3. [Source](https://www.lexpera.com.tr/resmi-gazete/metin/gun-isigindan-daha-fazla-yararlanmak-amaciyla-butun-yurtta-uygulanan-ileri-saat-uygulamasinin-devam-3)
4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
5. MusicBrainz
6. [Source](https://www.nufusune.com/merkez-ilce-nufusu-artvin)
7. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
8. GeoNames
9. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/tr.htm)
10. [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/places/inaturalist-places.csv.zip)
11. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File