Adana - Demographics

Demographics

The population of the city of Adana as of December 31, 2011 is 1,617,284. Since the expansion of the city borders in 2008, yearly population growth is steadily decreasing from %2.52 in 2009 to %1.62 in 2011. However, the population growth in the city is higher than the population increase in Turkey which is at %1.35. Women population in Adana is slightly higher than men standing at %50.21.

Adana is made up of the municipal populations of the five metropolitan districts; Seyhan, Çukurova, Yüreğir, Sarıçam and Karaisalı. Municipal populations of the metropolitan districts of Adana since 2008 are:

Two-thirds of the residents of Adana live west of the Seyhan River where the city was first founded. Urban sprawl at the east of the river is limited due to the large institutions like Çukurova University and Incirlik Air Base. Seyhan is the most diverse district, accommodating all the ethnic groups. Çukurova district has a good community of seniors from all over Turkey who prefer to enjoy their retirement in the warm climate of Çukurova region.

Major ethnic groups in Adana are the Turks, Arabs and Kurds. First Turks moved to the city from Central Asia around 11th century. In the early 14th century, several Türkmen tribes were settled after Mamluks took control of Çukurova. Arabs, currently the oldest community of the city, are concentrated in Karşıyaka precinct of Yüreğir. New generations of Arabs do not speak Arabic as they are mostly assimilated into Turkish culture. Demography of the city changed significantly in 1990's after the massive migration of Kurds, many of them being forced to leave their villages in southeast at the peak of Turkey-PKK conflict. Kurds mostly live in southern neighborhoods of the city. Conos, a tribe of Roma people of Romania, settled in Adana during Balkan Wars. Conos mainly live around Sinanpaşa neighborhood. Around eight-thousand Romani people live in Adana Province including Conos. There's also a sizeable community of migrants from Balkans and Caucasia who also settled in Adana during Balkan Wars and before.

An estimated two-thousand families of Crypto-Armenians live in Adana, identifying themselves as Arabs, Kurds or Alevis for the last one century. There is also a good number of descendents of Armenian children who were given to Muslim families to be fostered in 1915, either by their Armenian parents or by the Ottoman officials. Armenians and Greeks were to constitute half of the population of Adana before 1915. Adana is home to a community of around two-thousand British and Americans serving to the Incirlik NATO Air Base; some of them residing at the base, many of them residing in the city. Before 2003, the community numbered up to 22,000, but declined after, when many troops stationed to Iraq.

Similar to other cities at the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts, secularism is strong in Adana. Among the people with faith, the majority of the residents adhere to Sunni Islam. The majority of Turks, most of the Kurds and some of the Arabs are Sunni Muslim. Adana is also a stronghold of Alevi community, many Alevis moving to the city from Kahramanmaraş after the incidents in 1978. Arabs of Adana are mostly Alawi which is often confused with Alevis. Alawi Arabs are locally known as Nusayri or Fellah. Arabs that migrate to Adana from Şanlıurfa Province are Sunni Muslims. There is a tiny community of Roman Catholics and few Jewish families.