# Mardin

> city in Turkey

**Wikidata**: [Q188022](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188022)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mardin)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/mardin

## Summary
Mardin is a city and metropolitan municipality located in southeastern Turkey, serving as the capital of Mardin Province. Situated at an elevation of 1,083 meters, the city is recognized as a Tentative World Heritage Site due to its cultural and historical significance. It has a recorded population of 129,864 as of 2021 and is known by various native names, including Mêrdîn and Maride.

## Key Facts
- **Location**: Mardin is located in Mardin Province, Turkey, at coordinates 37.313°N, 40.735°E.
- **Elevation**: The city sits 1,083 meters above sea level.
- **Population**: The preferred population figure is 129,864 (2021); historical data ranges from 19,354 (1950) to 86,948 (2012).
- **Political Status**: It is a metropolitan municipality and the capital of Mardin Province.
- **Heritage Status**: Designated a UNESCO Tentative World Heritage Site in 2000 under criteria (ii), (iii), and (iv).
- **Sovereignty**: Currently part of Turkey (since 1923); historically part of the Ottoman Empire (1515–1922) and Safavid Iran (until 1514).
- **Identifiers**: UN/LOCODE is TRMDN; License plate code is 47; Local dialing code is 0482.
- **Time Zone**: Observes UTC+03:00 (Time in Turkey).
- **Administration**: Official website is http://www.mardin.bel.tr/; verified Twitter handle is @MardinBuyukshr.

## FAQs
**What is the historical significance of Mardin?**
Mardin has a complex political history, having been under the control of Safavid Iran until 1514, the Ottoman Empire from 1515 to 1922, and the Republic of Turkey from 1923 to the present. It is currently listed as a Tentative World Heritage Site.

**What are the demographic trends in Mardin?**
The city has seen steady population growth over the decades, rising from 19,354 residents in 1950 to 53,005 in 1990, and reaching a preferred count of 129,864 in 2021.

**How is Mardin connected internationally?**
The city maintains twinning agreements with ten locations globally, including Ljubljana, Mosul, Erbil, and Golmud. It is also covered extensively online, with Wikipedia entries in over 70 languages.

**What are the linguistic and cultural identifiers of the city?**
The city is multilingual and multicultural, reflected in its aliases such as Mêrdîn (Kurdish), Maride, and Izala. It has been documented by major encyclopedias including the Encyclopædia Britannica and the Great Soviet Encyclopedia.

## Why It Matters
Mardin serves as a significant administrative and cultural hub in southeastern Turkey. Its designation as a Tentative World Heritage Site highlights its universal value, particularly regarding its architecture and human settlement history. The city's strategic location and elevation have made it a focal point for various civilizations, evidenced by its transition through Safavid and Ottoman rule to modern Turkey. The extensive documentation of Mardin across major global encyclopedias and its presence in over 70 Wikipedia language editions underscore its international relevance and recognition as a major human settlement.

## Notable For
- **High Elevation**: Situated 1,083 meters above sea level, offering distinctive geography.
- **UNESCO Recognition**: Added to the Tentative World Heritage list in 2000 for meeting cultural criteria (ii), (iii), and (iv).
- **Historical Continuity**: A large human settlement with continuous population records dating back to 1950 and historical sovereignty changes spanning Safavid, Ottoman, and Turkish rule.
- **Global Digital Presence**: Content available in 77 languages on Wikipedia, including unique dialects like Aromanian and Lezgi.
- **Extensive Twinning Network**: Partnered with 10 cities across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

## Body

### Geography and Administrative Status
Mardin is classified as a city, a big city, and a metropolitan municipality in Turkey. It serves as the administrative capital of Mardin Province. Geographically, it is positioned at a latitude of 37.313 and a longitude of 40.735. The city is notable for its high altitude, standing exactly 1,083 metres above sea level.

### Demographics
The population of Mardin has grown significantly over the last half-century. Official records show the following progression:
- **1950**: 19,354
- **1960**: 28,382
- **1970**: 33,740
- **1980**: 39,137
- **1990**: 44,085
- **2000**: 65,072
- **2012**: 86,948
- **2021**: 129,864 (Preferred value)

### Political History
The sovereignty of Mardin has shifted through several major powers:
- **Safavid Iran**: Control ended in 1514.
- **Ottoman Empire**: Control began in 1515 and ended in 1922.
- **Turkey**: Became part of the modern republic in 1923 (preferred status).

### Cultural Heritage
In 2000, Mardin was designated a Tentative World Heritage Site. This status is based on three criteria: (ii) interchange of human values, (iii) bearing unique testimony to a cultural tradition, and (iv) an outstanding example of a type of building or landscape. The city has been the subject of academic and encyclopedic documentation in sources such as the *Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia*, *Great Soviet Encyclopedia* (1926–1947), *Meyers Konversations-Lexikon* (4th edition, 1885–1890), and the *Encyclopædia Britannica 11th edition*.

### Names and Identity
The city is known by multiple names and aliases, reflecting its diverse linguistic heritage. These include Mêrdîn (Kurdish/Native), Maride, Moha, Katxiari, Márida, and Izala. Its native labels are written in Latin and Arabic scripts (Mêrdîn, ماردين‎).

### International Relations
Mardin is twinned with a diverse range of administrative bodies and cities worldwide:
- **Ljubljana** (Slovenia)
- **Bandırma**, **Kartal**, **Bahçelievler**, **Buca district** (Turkey)
- **Mosul**, **Erbil** (Iraq)
- **Hasakah** (Syria)
- **Golmud** (China)
- **Ouarzazate** (Morocco)

### Digital Presence and Media
The city maintains an official website (www.mardin.bel.tr) and a verified Twitter account (@MardinBuyukshr). The social media following has grown from 22,158 in April 2020 to 35,767 in February 2023. The city's Wikipedia presence is extensive, with sitelinks in 77 languages, including Arabic, Armenian, Azerbaijani, English, French, Persian, and Turkish, among many others.

### Codes and Identifiers
Mardin is indexed in numerous international databases and has specific administrative codes:
- **Postal Code**: 47000–47901
- **License Plate**: 47
- **Local Dialing Code**: 0482
- **UN/LOCODE**: TRMDN
- **GND ID**: 4100494-2
- **VIAF ID**: 446217099478115660001
- **GeoNames ID**: 304797

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
2. Czech National Authority Database
3. MusicBrainz
4. GeoNames
5. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/tr.htm)
6. Virtual International Authority File
7. Quora
8. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
9. [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/places/inaturalist-places.csv.zip)
10. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File