# Kilis

> central district and city in Kilis Province, Turkey

**Wikidata**: [Q206881](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q206881)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilis)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/kilis

## Summary
Kilis is a city and central district that serves as the capital of Kilis Province in Turkey. Classified as both a big city and municipality, it covers an area of 610 square kilometers with a population of 112,187 as of 2022. The city is located in southeastern Turkey at coordinates 36.7167°N, 37.1167°E, situated at an elevation of approximately 632 meters above sea level.

## Key Facts
- **Population**: 112,187 (2022, Address-Based Population Registration System) — most recent preferred value
- **Area**: 610 square kilometers
- **Location**: Capital city of Kilis Province, Turkey
- **Coordinates**: 36.716666666667°N, 37.116666666667°E
- **Elevation**: 632 meters above sea level (preferred value); alternate source lists 660 meters
- **Time Zone**: Turkey Time (UTC+03:00), effective since October 2, 2018
- **Postal Code**: 79000
- **License Plate Code**: 79
- **UN/LOCODE**: TRKIL
- **Administrative Classifications**: City, big city, district of Turkey, municipality
- **Official Website**: http://www.kilis.bel.tr/ (Turkish language)
- **Wikipedia Coverage**: 71 language editions including Turkish, English, Arabic, German, French, Russian, and others

## FAQs

**What is the demographic makeup of Kilis?**
Kilis has a total population of 112,187 as of 2022. Urban population in 2021 was 108,984, while rural population was 13,304. The city has experienced steady population growth from 62,472 in 1997 to over 112,000 in 2022.

**What are the official administrative designations for Kilis?**
Kilis is classified as a city, big city, district of Turkey, and municipality. It serves as the central district and capital of Kilis Province. The city maintains official social media presence including verified Twitter account (@BelediyesiKilis) and official government website.

**What is the geographic location and setting of Kilis?**
Kilis is positioned at coordinates 36.716666666667°N, 37.116666666667°E in southeastern Turkey. The city sits at 632 meters elevation above sea level and encompasses a total area of 610 square kilometers within Kilis Province.

**What historical and cultural identifiers are associated with Kilis?**
The city has multiple historical names including Ravendel and Ciliza, with native label كِلِّز and Arabic name كلز. It is documented in the Encyclopædia Britannica 11th edition (1911) and maintains identifiers across multiple academic and geographic databases including GND, VIAF, GeoNames, and Pleiades.

**What digital and social media presence does Kilis maintain?**
The municipality operates official accounts across platforms: Twitter (@BelediyesiKilis) with verified status, Facebook (kilisbelediyesitr), Instagram (kilisbelediyesi), and YouTube channel "T.C. Kilis Belediyesi" with 433 subscribers and 5 videos as of December 2020.

## Why It Matters
Kilis serves as a significant administrative and population center in southeastern Turkey, functioning as both a provincial capital and major urban municipality. The city's strategic location near the Turkish-Syrian border gives it geopolitical importance, while its steady population growth from 62,472 in 1997 to 112,187 in 2022 demonstrates its continuing development as an urban center. As the seat of Kilis Province, the city plays a central role in regional governance and administration. Its extensive documentation across 71 Wikipedia language editions and inclusion in major academic reference works like Encyclopædia Britannica reflect its recognized status as a notable world city.

## Notable For
- **Provincial Capital**: Serves as the administrative center of Kilis Province
- **Multi-Administrative Status**: Holds simultaneous designations as city, big city, district, and municipality
- **Extensive Global Documentation**: Presence in 71 Wikipedia language editions and major encyclopedic sources
- **Significant Population Growth**: 80% population increase from 1997 (62,472) to 2022 (112,187)
- **Cross-Cultural Heritage**: Multiple historical names including Ravendel and Ciliza, reflecting diverse cultural influences
- **Strategic Geographic Position**: Located in southeastern Turkey with UN/LOCODE designation TRKIL
- **Active Civic Engagement**: Maintains verified social media presence with thousands of followers across platforms

## Body

### Administrative Structure and Governance
Kilis operates under multiple administrative classifications within the Turkish governmental system. The entity is formally recognized as a city, big city, district of Turkey, and municipality, giving it comprehensive local governance capabilities. As the capital of Kilis Province, the city serves as the primary administrative center for the surrounding region. The municipal government operates under license plate code 79 and postal code 79000, standard identifiers for Turkish administrative divisions.

The city maintains an official web presence at http://www.kilis.bel.tr/, which serves as the primary digital portal for municipal services and information in Turkish. This online infrastructure supports citizen engagement and access to government services.

### Demographics and Population Dynamics
Population data for Kilis reveals substantial growth over the past quarter-century, tracked through Turkey's Address-Based Population Registration System. The trajectory shows consistent expansion:

**Historical Population Progression:**
- 1997: 62,472
- 2000: 70,670
- 2007: 77,706
- 2010: 82,109
- 2018: 100,675
- 2019: 103,883
- 2020: 105,218
- 2022: 112,187 (preferred/most recent value)

**Urban-Rural Distribution:**
The urban population has grown substantially while rural areas have remained relatively stable or declined. In 2000, urban residents numbered 70,670 compared to 16,717 rural residents. By 2021, urban population reached 108,984 while rural population declined to 13,304, indicating accelerating urbanization trends.

### Geographic Characteristics
Kilis occupies a precise geographic position at coordinates 36.716666666667° latitude and 37.116666666667° longitude within southeastern Turkey. The city's elevation is recorded at 632 meters above sea level according to topographic mapping data (preferred value), with an alternate reference citing 660 meters. The administrative area encompasses 610 square kilometers, providing substantial territory for urban and rural development.

The city operates within the Turkey Time Zone (UTC+03:00), a standardization implemented on October 2, 2018, replacing previous daylight saving time variations.

### Historical Documentation and Cultural Identity
Kilis possesses rich historical documentation spanning multiple cultures and naming conventions. The city appears in the Encyclopædia Britannica 11th edition (1911), indicating its established recognition over a century ago. Historical and cultural names include:

- **Kilis** (primary name)
- **Ravendel** (historical variant)
- **Ciliza** (historical variant)
- **كلز** (Arabic script)
- **كِلِّزُ** (Arabic vocalized form)
- **كِلِّز** (Native label)
- **キリス** (Japanese katakana)

The city's demonym is recorded as كِلِّزِيُّ (Kilisi in Arabic script), identifying residents or natives of the city. It maintains a distinct identity separate from Kilis Province, with explicit differentiation noted in structured data.

### Digital Presence and Social Media
The municipality of Kilis maintains active engagement across multiple social media platforms with verified official accounts:

**Twitter/X:**
- Handle: @BelediyesiKilis
- Verified account status confirmed
- Follower count: 1,008 (April 2020); 2,072 (January 2021)
- Account ID: 1145635377291649024
- Account established: July 1, 2019

**Facebook:**
- Handle: kilisbelediyesitr
- Location ID: 105999136098737

**Instagram:**
- Handle: kilisbelediyesi

**YouTube:**
- Handle: kilisbeltrweb
- Channel ID: UCRQZcJxyA6a6EfM5uKekOwA
- Channel Name: T.C. Kilis Belediyesi
- Subscribers: 433 (as of December 2020)
- Videos: 5
- Total Views: 418
- Channel established: February 29, 2016

### International and Academic Database Identifiers
Kilis maintains extensive presence across global knowledge systems and academic databases:

**Library and Bibliographic Identifiers:**
- GND ID: 4214349-4
- VIAF ID: 143257044
- National Library of Israel J9U ID: 987007494247605171
- Yale LUX ID: place/375d5668-19f8-4014-b5ac-fcbb7c6ca900

**Geographic and Mapping Identifiers:**
- GeoNames ID: 307864
- OpenStreetMap Node ID: 26487717
- OpenStreetMap Relation ID: 1240868
- Who's On First ID: 890463903
- iNaturalist Place ID: 106606
- GNS Unique Feature ID: -759988
- UN/LOCODE: TRKIL
- Pleiades ID: 658442

**Encyclopedia and Knowledge Base References:**
- Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID: place/Kilis
- Freebase ID: /m/08x656
- SNARC ID: Q3082
- FactGrid Item ID: Werner Ziegler
- Kulturenvanteri Taxonomy IDs: 128, 4484

### Wikimedia and Open Knowledge Integration
Kilis has substantial presence within the Wikimedia ecosystem and related open knowledge projects:

**Wikimedia Commons:**
- Commons Gallery: Kilis
- Commons Category: Kilis
- Locator Map Image: Kilis_Turkey_Provinces_locator.gif
- Featured Image: Kilis_city_center.jpg

**Wikipedia Coverage:**
The city is documented in 71 language editions of Wikipedia, demonstrating global recognition. Language coverage spans major world languages (English, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic) as well as regional and minority languages including Azerbaijani, Kurdish, Armenian, Georgian, Persian, and numerous others. This extensive coverage indicates the city's broad international acknowledgment.

**WikiProject Involvement:**
Content about Kilis is maintained by WikiProject Turkey and WikiProject Cities, ensuring ongoing editorial oversight and quality control within Wikipedia's volunteer community.

### Classification and Categorization
Kilis is associated with specific categorical classifications within knowledge organization systems:

- **Topic's Main Category**: Category:Kilis
- **Category for People Born Here**: Q80631370
- **Category of Associated People**: Category:People from Kilis

These classifications facilitate navigation and discovery within encyclopedia and database systems, connecting Kilis to related content about notable individuals and regional topics.

## References

1. GEOnet Names Server. 2018
2. [Source](https://statoids.com/ytr.html)
3. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20240224154238/https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2016/09/20160908-2.pdf)
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. GeoNames
7. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/tr.htm)
8. [Source](https://it-ch.topographic-map.com/map-s5s6s8/Kilis/?zoom=19&center=36.70803%2C37.11669&popup=36.70805%2C37.11677)
9. [Source](https://www.harita.gov.tr/images/urun/il_ilce_alanlari.pdf)
10. [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/places/inaturalist-places.csv.zip)
11. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File
12. YouTube API