Doğanşehir

Doğanşehir is a municipality and district of Malatya Province, Turkey. Its area is 1,364 km², and its population is 37,697. The mayor is Memet Bayram. Historically the city was known as Sozopetra.

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Geography

The altitude of the town is 1,290 meters above mean sea level. Both plains and mountains are part of the landscape. It borders Çelikhan District to the east, Adıyaman District to the southeast, Tut District to the south, Gölbaşı District to the southwest, Nurhak and Elbistan to the west, Akçadağ to the north and Yeşilyurt to the northeast. The reservoirs at Polat Dam and Sürgü Dam are situated in the district.

Climate

Doğanşehir has a dry-summer continental climate with hot, dry summers, and cold, snowy winters.

Composition

There are 39 neighbourhoods in Doğanşehir District:

Altıntop
Beğre
Bıçakcı
Çavuşlu
Çığlık
Çömlekoba
Dedeyazı
Doğu
Elmalı
Erkenek
Esentepe
Eskiköy
Fındıkköy
Gövdeli
Günedoğru
Gürobası
Güzelköy
Hudut
Kadılı
Kapıdere
Karanlıkdere
Karaterzi
Karşıyaka
Kelhalil
Küçüklü
Kurucaova
Örencik
Polat
Polatderesi
Reşadiye
Şatırobası
Savaklı
Söğüt
Suçatı
Sürgü
Topraktepe
Yeni
Yolkoru
Yuvalı

History

The 2nd-century geographer Claudius Ptolemy records the city as Zizoatra, part of the province of Lauiansene in Cappadocia. In Byzantine times, it was known as Sozopetra and Zapetra.

Economy

Significant improvements in the fruit industry has made agriculture the District's most important source of income. It includes apricots and an increase in the production of apples. Livestock is usually farmed in the village. Both the district and the villages of central and traditional values, importance is given to local custom. Tourism, mountaineering and monitoring local wildlife are also new attractions.

Transport

Doğanşehir has a railway station on the line from Malatya to Adana. State road D.850 passes through the district.