Elbistan (Old Anatolian Turkish: Ablasta, Ablastayn, Ablastin, Ablistan;[3] Kurdish: Elbistan;[4] Arabic: البستان[5]) is a district in Kahramanmaraş Province in southern Turkey. Its population is 142,548 (2019)[6] and it is the most populous district of Kahramanmaraş province. It is also the largest district of the province by area and it has the fourth largest plain in the country.
Elbistan | |
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District | |
![]() General view of Elbistan | |
![]() ![]() Elbistan | |
Coordinates: 38°12′05″N 37°11′18″E | |
Country | Turkey |
Province | Kahramanmaraş |
Government | |
• Mayor | Mehmet Gürbüz (AKP) |
• Kaymakam | Özkan Demir |
Area | |
• District | 2,319.08 km2 (895.40 sq mi) |
Elevation | 1,150 m (3,770 ft) |
Population (2012)[2] | 143,000 |
• 2013Population | 139,855 |
• 2013Population density | 60/km2 (160/sq mi) |
Post code | 46300 |
Website | www.elbistan.bel.tr |
Evliya Çelebi noted that the majority of the town's population was Turkoman in his seyahatname.[7] Currently, the majority of the population of the district is Sunni Turkish[8] with a significant Alevi and Sunni Kurdish population.[9][10] Turkish Alevis are also present.[11] The Turkmen Alevism of the region is historically rooted in the Alevi Turcoman Beylik of Dulkadir in the 14th century.[3][12]
![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2022) |
Evliya Çelebi's Seyahatnâme gives information about the region that in the mountains and towns mostly reside Turkmens who originally migrated from Bukhara.[13][14] Elbistan was known as "vilayet-i Türkmân" in the Ottoman documents.[15]
The city used to be the capital city of the Dulkadirids after capturing from Eretnids in 1337. In 1277 the Mamluks led by Sultan Baibars defeated a Mongol army in the Battle of Elbistan. The region was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire shortly before the campaign against the Mameluks of Egypt in 1512, although some local chiefdoms were given varying degrees of autonomy, notably around the localities of Haticepınar and Kasanlı.
The name "Elbistan" was pronounced similarly in Byzantine and Islamic sources. Elbistan was known as Ablasta (Armenian: Աբլաստա) according to Armenian historians in the early 11th century. According to Baldric of Dol the city was known as "Ablistan" till 15th century. Egyptian-Mamluk historian Muhammad ibn Iyas wrote the city's name as "Albistan". Alaüddevle Bozkurt Bey from Dulkadirids used the name "Elbistan" in the official documents. After Dulkadirids decided to join the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century, the current name became prevalent. Among the rural people of Elbistan it is pronounced as "Albıstan". Albistan means "the orchard" in Arabic.[16]
Climate data for Elbistan | |||||||||||||
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Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Average high °C (°F) | 2.2 (36.0) |
4.8 (40.6) |
10.4 (50.7) |
16.7 (62.1) |
21.7 (71.1) |
26.8 (80.2) |
31.2 (88.2) |
31.4 (88.5) |
27.5 (81.5) |
20.2 (68.4) |
12.2 (54.0) |
5.1 (41.2) |
17.5 (63.5) |
Average low °C (°F) | −6.8 (19.8) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
4.3 (39.7) |
7.7 (45.9) |
10.4 (50.7) |
12.4 (54.3) |
11.9 (53.4) |
7.9 (46.2) |
4.4 (39.9) |
0.4 (32.7) |
−3.0 (26.6) |
3.8 (38.8) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 53 (2.1) |
42 (1.7) |
58 (2.3) |
54 (2.1) |
46 (1.8) |
18 (0.7) |
5 (0.2) |
4 (0.2) |
10 (0.4) |
39 (1.5) |
52 (2.0) |
56 (2.2) |
437 (17.2) |
Source: Climate-data.org |
The Elbistan coalfield supplies lignite to the nearby Afşin-Elbistan power stations in Afşin.
It is said that air pollution in Turkey from the nearby coal-fired power stations also affects Elbistan, as well as smoke from landfill.[17] In late 2020 the oldest plant Afşin-Elbistan A, was said by opposition MP Ali Öztunç to be still operating without filters.[18]
![]() | This section does not cite any sources. (February 2022) |
Total population | Town Center |
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137,283 | 95,037 |
Elbistan in Kahramanmaraş Province of Turkey | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Metropolitan municipalities are bolded. |
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