# İskenderun

> district and city in Hatay, Turkey

**Wikidata**: [Q174341](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q174341)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/İskenderun)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/iskenderun

## Summary
İskenderun is a district and city in Hatay Province, Turkey, located on the Gulf of İskenderun in the Mediterranean Sea. It is named after Alexander the Great and is also known by several historical and multilingual names, including Alexandretta and Scanderoon. The city has served under multiple political administrations in the 20th century, including the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon and the Hatay State, before being part of Turkey.

## Key Facts
- İskenderun is a **district and city** in **Hatay Province, Turkey**.  
- İskenderun is **located on/next to the Gulf of İskenderun**, a gulf of the Mediterranean Sea.  
- **Coordinates:** 36.587222222222 (lat), 36.173333333333 (lon).  
- **Area:** 247 (unit not specified in the source material).  
- **Named after:** **Alexander the Great** (king of Macedonia and conqueror of Achaemenid Persia, 356–323 BC).  
- **Country (current):** Turkey.  
- **Country (historical):**
  - Part of the **French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon** (start_time: 1920; end_time: 1939-09-06).
  - Part of the **Hatay State** (start_time: 1938-09-07; end_time: 1939-06-29).
- **Located in (administrative):**
  - **Hatay Province** (start_time: 1938-09-06).
  - Previously located in an entity identified as **** (start_time: 1918-11-27; end_time: 1938-09-06).
- **Population figures (district/city):**
  - 184,833 (point_in_time: 2012).
  - 246,207 (point_in_time: 2015; Address-Based Population Registration System).
  - 248,335 (point_in_time: 2018; Address-Based Population Registration System).
  - 250,964 (point_in_time: 2020; Address-Based Population Registration System).
  - 251,682 (point_in_time: 2022; Address-Based Population Registration System; preferred).
- **Time zone:** UTC+03:00 (start_time: 2018-10-02); also listed as “time in Turkey” (start_time: 2018-10-02).  
- **UN/LOCODE:** TRISK.  
- **WOEID:** 2344110.  
- **Official website:** http://www.iskenderun.bel.tr  
- **Image:** https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/City_View_of_Iskenderun_Turkey_-_panoramio.jpg  
- **Page banner:** https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Iskenderun_banner.jpg  
- **Commons gallery:** İskenderun.  
- **Wikipedia title:** İskenderun; **Wikidata description:** “district and city in Hatay, Turkey.”  
- **Aliases / alternate names (as provided):** Iskenderun, Scanderoon, Alexandretta, Alejandria de Cilicia, İskenderun, Alejandría de Cilicia, Iskanderun, Искендерон, Александретта, Alexandreta, الإِسْكَنْدَرُونَةُ.  
- **Name in kana:** イスケンデルン.  
- **Connected local entities headquartered/based in İskenderun (as stated):**
  - **İskenderun Demir Çelikspor** (professional association football club; inception: 1991; headquarters: İskenderun; country: Turkey).
  - **İsdemir** (organization; inception: 1970-01-01; headquarters: İskenderun; country: Turkey; industry: ).
  - **Roman Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia** (Catholic apostolic vicariate; inception: 1845-03-13; headquarters: İskenderun; country: Turkey).
  - **Cathedral of the Annunciation, İskenderun** (church in İskenderun, Turkey).
- **Historical/administrative context entities referenced:** Alexandretta Sanjak (inception: 1918-11-27; described as a former second-level Ottoman province in the French Syrian mandate, now Hatay Province).  
- **Selected external identifiers (as provided):**
  - VIAF: 150161271
  - FAST: 1237504
  - IdRef: 190206594
  - BnF: 13602399t
  - Freebase: /m/01mt35
  - GeoNames: 311111; 437928
  - GNS unique feature IDs: 6270596; -754984
  - Who’s On First: 890460445
  - MusicBrainz area: 5418cd11-cedb-4deb-a8fe-4170f614bd01
  - BBC Things: af5c0d92-b130-41f8-b343-d06717e7e264
  - Yale LUX: place/1b2c5315-258a-4d5b-a877-41a298e59dc2
  - ArmeniaPedia: 4571; 6185
  - Facebook location ID: 112485378763867
  - Google Play store ID: Iskenderun
  - Arab Encyclopedia concept ID: 14751
  - TDV Encyclopedia of Islam ID: iskenderun
  - National Library of Israel J9U ID: 987007564619305171
  - Encyclopædia Britannica Online IDs: place/Iskenderun-district-Turkey; place/Iskenderun-Turkey
  - Encyclopedia of China (third edition) ID: 327430
  - Encyclopaedia of Islam (first edition) ID: SIM-3224
  - De Agostini ID: “Alessandrétta” (with recorded label : Alessandrétta)
- **Wikipedia language editions listed for İskenderun:** ar, arz, az, azb, be, be_x_old, bg, br, ca, ce, ceb, ckb, commons, cs, de, el, en, eo, es, eu, fa, fi, fr, gag, gl, glk, he, hu, hy, id, io, it, ja, ka, kk, ko, ku, la, lmo, lt, lv, mdf, min, mrj, ms, mzn, nl, nn, no, oc, os, pl, pnb, ps, pt, ro, ru, sco, sh, simple, sr, sv, sw, szl, tg, th, tr, tt, uk, ur, uz, vi, war, wuu, zh, zh_min_nan.  
- **Sitelink count:** 80.  
- **Twinned administrative body:** a twinning relationship is recorded with a start_time of 2005 (counterparty not specified in the source material).  
- **Note:** A “factgrid_item_id: Sakura Tsukuba” is listed in the source material (relationship not explained there).

## FAQs

### What is İskenderun, and what type of place is it?
İskenderun is described as a district and city in Hatay, Turkey. In related classifications, it is associated with settlement concepts such as “city” and “town.”

### Where is İskenderun located?
İskenderun is in Hatay Province in Turkey. It sits on/next to the Gulf of İskenderun, a Mediterranean Sea gulf, and its coordinates are 36.587222222222, 36.173333333333.

### What is İskenderun named after?
İskenderun is named after Alexander the Great. The source material identifies him as the king of Macedonia and conqueror of Achaemenid Persia (356–323 BC).

### What are the main historical political entities associated with İskenderun?
The source material records İskenderun as being within the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon (1920 to 1939-09-06) and within the Hatay State (1938-09-07 to 1939-06-29). It is currently in Turkey.

### What population figures are available for İskenderun?
Population values are provided for multiple years: 184,833 (2012), 246,207 (2015), 248,335 (2018), 250,964 (2020), and 251,682 (2022). Several of these are explicitly attributed to the Address-Based Population Registration System.

### What time zone does İskenderun use?
İskenderun is listed with UTC+03:00 starting on 2018-10-02. It is also associated with “time in Turkey” starting on the same date.

### What are some alternate names for İskenderun?
The source material lists many aliases, including Iskenderun, Alexandretta, Scanderoon, Alexandreta, and multilingual forms such as Искендерон, Александретта, and الإِسْكَنْدَرُونَةُ. A De Agostini entry records the name “Alessandrétta.”

### What local institutions and organizations are linked to İskenderun?
Several entities are explicitly tied to İskenderun as a headquarters or location, including İsdemir, İskenderun Demir Çelikspor, and the Roman Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia. The Cathedral of the Annunciation, İskenderun is also identified as a church in the city.

### What official codes and identifiers exist for İskenderun?
İskenderun has UN/LOCODE TRISK and WOEID 2344110. It is also mapped across multiple authority and knowledge-base identifiers, including VIAF 150161271, FAST 1237504, BnF 13602399t, Freebase /m/01mt35, and Who’s On First 890460445.

### Where can I find official or media resources about İskenderun?
An official website is listed as http://www.iskenderun.bel.tr. Wikimedia resources include an image file and a page banner, and a Commons gallery titled “İskenderun.”

## Why It Matters
İskenderun matters as a named, administratively defined district and city in Hatay Province with clear geographic anchoring on the Gulf of İskenderun, linking it directly to Mediterranean coastal geography. Its recorded transitions through the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon and the Hatay State before being part of Turkey make it relevant for understanding 20th-century administrative and political changes in the region. The city’s importance is also reflected in the number of connected institutions headquartered there—industrial (İsdemir), sporting (İskenderun Demir Çelikspor), and religious (the Roman Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia and the Cathedral of the Annunciation)—and in its extensive cross-referencing across international identifiers and encyclopedic systems, which supports reliable disambiguation and data integration.

## Notable For
- Being a **district and city** in **Hatay Province, Turkey**, with a defined **coastal relationship** to the **Gulf of İskenderun** (Mediterranean Sea).  
- Being **named after Alexander the Great**.  
- Having documented **historical country associations** with the **French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon** and the **Hatay State**, each with specified start and end times.  
- Having multiple recorded **population measurements** across 2012–2022, including figures attributed to the **Address-Based Population Registration System**.  
- Serving as the **headquarters location** for multiple entities, including **İsdemir** (inception 1970-01-01) and the **Roman Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia** (inception 1845-03-13).  
- Being referenced under many **aliases** (e.g., **Alexandretta**, **Scanderoon**) and across many **language editions** of Wikipedia.  
- Having standardized location and catalog identifiers such as **UN/LOCODE TRISK**, **WOEID 2344110**, and **VIAF 150161271**.

## Body

### Identity and Classification
İskenderun is described as a **district and city** in Hatay, Turkey. In the related material, it is contextualized alongside settlement classes such as **city** (a large human settlement) and **town** (a settlement smaller than a city but bigger than a large village, or a large borough in some areas).

### Geographic Setting
İskenderun is located in **Hatay Province** in **Turkey** and is situated on/next to the **Gulf of İskenderun**, which is identified as a gulf of the **Mediterranean Sea**.
- **Coordinates:** 36.587222222222, 36.173333333333  
- **Area:** 247 (unit not specified)

### Names and Language Forms
The source material provides a wide set of alternate names and scripts for İskenderun, supporting multilingual reference and historical usage:
- **Aliases:** Iskenderun; Scanderoon; Alexandretta; Alejandria de Cilicia; İskenderun; Alejandría de Cilicia; Iskanderun; Искендерон; Александретта; Alexandreta; الإِسْكَنْدَرُونَةُ
- **Name in kana:** イスケンデルン
- A De Agostini entry records **“Alessandrétta”** (with the recorded name string “Alessandrétta”).

### Etymology (Named After)
İskenderun is **named after Alexander the Great**. The source material characterizes Alexander the Great as a **king of Macedonia** and **conqueror of Achaemenid Persia** (356–323 BC).

### Administrative and Political Context (Historical and Current)
The source material records multiple “country” associations over time:
- **Turkey** (current country association; Turkey’s inception is listed as 1923-10-29 in the related entity description).
- **French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon:** start_time 1920; end_time 1939-09-06.
- **Hatay State:** start_time 1938-09-07; end_time 1939-06-29.

Administrative placement is also time-qualified:
- **Located in Hatay Province** starting **1938-09-06**.
- Previously located in an entity identified as **** from **1918-11-27** to **1938-09-06**.

A related historical administrative unit is also referenced:
- **Alexandretta Sanjak** is described as a former second-level Ottoman province in the French Syrian mandate, now Hatay Province, with inception **1918-11-27**.

### Demographics
Multiple population values are provided, with explicit time qualifiers:
- 184,833 (2012)
- 246,207 (2015; Address-Based Population Registration System)
- 248,335 (2018; Address-Based Population Registration System)
- 250,964 (2020; Address-Based Population Registration System)
- 251,682 (2022; Address-Based Population Registration System; preferred)

### Time Zone
İskenderun is listed with:
- **UTC+03:00**, with a start_time of **2018-10-02**
- **“time in Turkey”**, also with a start_time of **2018-10-02**

### Codes, Web Presence, and Media
Operational and reference codes:
- **UN/LOCODE:** TRISK  
- **WOEID:** 2344110  

Web and Wikimedia resources:
- **Official website:** http://www.iskenderun.bel.tr  
- **Image:** City_View_of_Iskenderun_Turkey_-_panoramio.jpg (Wikimedia Commons file path provided)  
- **Page banner:** Iskenderun_banner.jpg (Wikimedia Commons file path provided)  
- **Commons gallery:** İskenderun  

### Institutions and Organizations Based in İskenderun
Several entities are explicitly linked to İskenderun via “headquarters” or location statements:
- **İsdemir** (organization)
  - **Inception:** 1970-01-01  
  - **Country:** Turkey  
  - **Headquarters:** İskenderun  
  - **Industry:**  (industry label not specified in the source material)
- **İskenderun Demir Çelikspor** (professional association football club)
  - **Inception:** 1991  
  - **Country:** Turkey  
  - **Headquarters:** İskenderun
- **Roman Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia** (Catholic apostolic vicariate in Turkey)
  - **Inception:** 1845-03-13  
  - **Country:** Turkey  
  - **Headquarters:** İskenderun
- **Cathedral of the Annunciation, İskenderun**
  - Identified as a **church in İskenderun, Turkey**

### Twinning
A **twinned administrative body** relationship is recorded with **start_time: 2005**. The counterpart is not specified in the provided material.

### Cross-References and Knowledge Graph Identifiers
İskenderun is mapped to many external identifiers and catalog systems, enabling consistent lookup across datasets:
- **VIAF:** 150161271  
- **FAST:** 1237504  
- **IdRef:** 190206594  
- **BnF:** 13602399t  
- **Freebase:** /m/01mt35  
- **GeoNames:** 311111; 437928  
- **GNS unique feature IDs:** 6270596; -754984  
- **Who’s On First:** 890460445  
- **MusicBrainz area ID:** 5418cd11-cedb-4deb-a8fe-4170f614bd01  
- **BBC Things ID:** af5c0d92-b130-41f8-b343-d06717e7e264  
- **Yale LUX ID:** place/1b2c5315-258a-4d5b-a877-41a298e59dc2  
- **ArmeniaPedia IDs:** 4571; 6185  
- **Facebook location ID:** 112485378763867  
- **Google Play store ID:** Iskenderun  
- **Arab Encyclopedia concept ID:** 14751  
- **TDV Encyclopedia of Islam ID:** iskenderun  
- **National Library of Israel J9U ID:** 987007564619305171  
- **Encyclopædia Britannica Online IDs:** place/Iskenderun-district-Turkey; place/Iskenderun-Turkey  
- **Encyclopedia of China (third edition) ID:** 327430  
- **Encyclopaedia of Islam (first edition) ID:** SIM-3224  

The entry also includes:
- **Sitelink count:** 80  
- **Wikipedia title:** İskenderun  
- **Wikipedia language editions:** a long list including (among others) ar, de, en, fr, ru, tr, zh, and many more as provided in the source material.  
- A listed field **“factgrid_item_id: Sakura Tsukuba”** appears in the source material without further explanation of how it relates to İskenderun.

## References

1. GEOnet Names Server. 2018
2. [Source](https://statoids.com/ytr.html)
3. Virtual International Authority File
4. [Source](https://www.lexpera.com.tr/resmi-gazete/metin/gun-isigindan-daha-fazla-yararlanmak-amaciyla-butun-yurtta-uygulanan-ileri-saat-uygulamasinin-devam-3)
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. MusicBrainz
7. [Source](https://biruni.tuik.gov.tr/medas/?kn=95&locale=en)
8. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
9. GeoNames
10. BBC Things
11. [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/places/inaturalist-places.csv.zip)