IZMIR (SMYRNA)
Izmir, also once called Smyrna, is Turkey's third most populous city and the country's largest port after Istanbul. It is located along the outlying waters of the Gulf of Izmir, by the Aegean Sea. It is the seat of Izmir Province. The city of İzmir is composed of nine metropolitan districts (Balçova, Bornova, Buca, Çiğli, Gaziemir, Güzelbahçe, Karşıyaka, Konak and Narlıdere), each with its own distinct features and temperament. The total area of the nine districts is 855 km2 (330 sq mi) and together these districts constitute the area of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality headed by the mayor of İzmir. The total population of the metropolitan municipality was 2,649,582 by the end of 2007. Of these, 2,606,294 were living in central Izmir, consisting of the nine district centres of the metropolitan municipality.
Modern İzmir also incorporates the nearby ancient cities of Ephesus, Pergamon, Sardis and Kilizman (Klazomenai), and centers of international tourism such as Kuşadasi, Çeşme, Mordoğan and Foça.
