Zonguldak (Turkish pronunciation: [zoŋˈguɫdak]) is a city of about 100 thousand people in the Black Sea region of Turkey. It is the seat of Zonguldak Province and Zonguldak District.[2] It was established in 1849 as a port town for the nearby coal mines in Ereğli. The current mayor is Tahsin Erdem, representing the CHP.
Zonguldak | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Zonguldak Location in Turkey | |
| Coordinates: 41°27′23″N 31°47′55″E / 41.45639°N 31.79861°E | |
| Country | Turkey |
| Province | Zonguldak |
| District | Zonguldak |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Tahsin Erdem (CHP) |
| Elevation | 60 m (200 ft) |
| Population (2022)[1] | 101,749 |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (TRT) |
| Postal code | 67000 |
| Area code | 0372 |
| Climate | Cfa |
| Website | www |
Etymology
editThere are several different theories concerning the origin of the city's name:
- That it comes from Zone Geul-Dagh, the name given to the area by French and Belgian mining companies[3][4] from French "zone" and a French spelling of Turkish Göldağı ('Lake Mountain'), the highest mountain in the vicinity of the Devrek district.
- That the name came from Turkish zongalık which means "swamp", or zongura.
- That the name may derive from the name of the nearby ancient settlement of Sandaraca or Sandarake (in Ancient Greek Σανδαράκη).
- That the name may have come from "jungle" (which the French entrepreneurs called the area due to its uneven wooded geography) plus Turkish dağ 'mountain'.
In a 1920 report, the British Foreign Office spelled Zonguldak Zunguldak.[5]
History
editThe port city of Zonguldak suffered a heavy bombardment by the Russians during World War I, according to the caption of a Lubok popular print.[6]
As of 1920, the port was under the control of the Heraclea Coal Company. The northern part of the bay featured a man-made harbor, for steamship use. At that time, they had two cranes which distributed coal to exporting vessels.[5]
Climate
editAccording to the Köppen climate classification, Zonguldak has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa), though it was, until recently, considered to have an oceanic climate (Cfb), with its warmest month being well below the 22 °C threshold. In recent decades climate change and the city's urban heat island has warmed the city enough to change its classification. Summers are warm, the average temperature is around 22.5 °C in July and August. Winters are cool, the average temperature is around 6 °C in January and February. Precipitation is frequent, while it is generally heaviest in autumn and early winter, lightest (although still frequent) in spring. Snow is sporadic in winter, but is heavy once it occurs.
The water temperature is cool to mild and fluctuates between 8 °C and 20 °C throughout the year.
| Climate data for Zonguldak (1991–2020, extremes 1939–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 24.1 (75.4) |
26.7 (80.1) |
31.7 (89.1) |
33.6 (92.5) |
36.7 (98.1) |
40.5 (104.9) |
39.5 (103.1) |
39.8 (103.6) |
36.2 (97.2) |
35.9 (96.6) |
29.9 (85.8) |
28.1 (82.6) |
40.5 (104.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 9.2 (48.6) |
9.7 (49.5) |
11.7 (53.1) |
15.2 (59.4) |
19.3 (66.7) |
23.6 (74.5) |
25.8 (78.4) |
26.2 (79.2) |
23.2 (73.8) |
19.2 (66.6) |
15.2 (59.4) |
11.5 (52.7) |
17.5 (63.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 6.3 (43.3) |
6.4 (43.5) |
8.1 (46.6) |
11.5 (52.7) |
15.7 (60.3) |
19.9 (67.8) |
22.4 (72.3) |
22.7 (72.9) |
19.5 (67.1) |
15.7 (60.3) |
11.7 (53.1) |
8.3 (46.9) |
14.0 (57.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 3.8 (38.8) |
3.6 (38.5) |
5.2 (41.4) |
8.3 (46.9) |
12.6 (54.7) |
16.5 (61.7) |
18.8 (65.8) |
19.2 (66.6) |
16.1 (61.0) |
12.8 (55.0) |
8.9 (48.0) |
5.7 (42.3) |
11.0 (51.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −7.7 (18.1) |
−8.0 (17.6) |
−6.4 (20.5) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
3.0 (37.4) |
8.8 (47.8) |
11.2 (52.2) |
10.0 (50.0) |
5.9 (42.6) |
1.8 (35.2) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
−7.4 (18.7) |
−8.0 (17.6) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 127.7 (5.03) |
93.9 (3.70) |
96.4 (3.80) |
57.1 (2.25) |
59.5 (2.34) |
83.0 (3.27) |
69.7 (2.74) |
81.6 (3.21) |
125.9 (4.96) |
147.5 (5.81) |
134.5 (5.30) |
161.8 (6.37) |
1,238.6 (48.76) |
| Average precipitation days | 18.13 | 15.93 | 15.60 | 12.73 | 11.37 | 9.33 | 7.17 | 7.03 | 10.17 | 12.80 | 13.60 | 18.30 | 152.2 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 72.4 | 72.3 | 70.5 | 71.2 | 74.9 | 74.6 | 75.6 | 76.3 | 74.7 | 76.4 | 71.5 | 71.1 | 73.5 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 62.0 | 73.5 | 108.5 | 153.0 | 195.3 | 243.0 | 275.9 | 257.3 | 189.0 | 130.2 | 90.0 | 65.1 | 1,842.8 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 2.0 | 2.6 | 3.5 | 5.1 | 6.3 | 8.1 | 8.9 | 8.3 | 6.3 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 5.0 |
| Source 1: Turkish State Meteorological Service[7] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: NOAA (humidity)[8] | |||||||||||||
Health
editIt was determined that coal-related lung diseases are more common than normal.[9] During the quarantine period in Turkey, Zonguldak was also quarantined in addition to the metropolitan cities.
Economy
editJobs in coal in Turkey are being lost[10] and in 2020 the EBRD proposed a just transition.[11] However a 2021 study said the city was unprepared for coal-phase out.[12] In 2024 a local journalist alleged that hundreds of Afghans were being employed in illegal coal mines,[13] and in 2024 a court case re the death of an Afghan was ongoing.[14]
Transportation
editThe city is the terminus of a railway line to Irmak, with the terminating station Zonguldak Railway Station built in 1937.
International relations
editNotable people
editErgün Penbe - Turkish former footballer
Murat Boz - Turkish singer-songwriter and actor
Nilgün Efes - Turkish entrepreneur and journalist
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Address-based population registration system (ADNKS) results dated 31 December 2022, Favorite Reports" (XLS). TÜİK. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ^ İl Belediyesi, Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
- ^ "Governorship of Zonguldak - A Brief History". Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.
- ^ Financial Manager's Office of Zonguldak - A General Description Archived October 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine (in Turkish)
- ^ a b Prothero, G.W. (1920). Anatolia. London: H.M. Stationery Office.
- ^ "The Russian-Turkish War. Sinking Four Turkish Cargo Ships." World Digital Library. Accessed May 11, 2015.
- ^ "Resmi İstatistikler: İllerimize Ait Mevism Normalleri (1991–2020)" (in Turkish). Turkish State Meteorological Service. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
- ^ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Zonguldak". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- ^ Ugurtas, Selin (2020-04-17). "Coronavirus outbreak exposes health risks of coal rush". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
- ^ "Ürettiği kömür kırıcılar 'kara elmas'ı sanayiye hazır hale getiriyor". www.aa.com.tr.
- ^ "The EBRD just transition initiative".
- ^ "Perception of The Possible Post-Coal Period in Coal-Dependent Cities: Zonguldak Example in Turkey". dergipark.org.tr.
- ^ "'There are Afghan workers beaten with a coal shovel and sent back without being paid'".
- ^ "Refugee mine worker's killing: Defendants admit burning body to avoid mine closure".
- ^ "Kardeş Kent İlişkileri". zonguldak.bel.tr (in Turkish). Zonguldak. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
External links
edit- Zonguldak Municipality official website (in Turkish and English)
- History of Zonguldak
- History of Mind
- Zonguldak Documentary
- Videos