Kızıltepe (Mardin) anthropogeography and economic geography

In this study population, the features of settlement and economical activities are researched about Kızıltepe, a city in Mardin, in the Southeastern Anatolia Region. Between the years 1935 and 2007 from time to time some increases or decreases are seen in the population of Kızıltepe. The increases or decreases in the population effected by nature and humanity lead to some changes in the density of arithmetical and physiological population, size in the population of settlement, demographic features and educational status. The most crucial aspect of the population of Kızıltepe is that the population in Kızıltepe has largely increased and emigration from rural area to urban area has occurred since 1935.The settlement in Kızıltepe gets to BC (Before Christ) and the reason why it takes a great place in this research is that Kızıltepe has a fruitful plain and throughout the history it has been an important dwelling place. A large proportion of settlement is seen to condense in the plain of Kızıltepe.The research area has two different morphological units consisting of the floor of plain and mountainous area where the elevation is not higher than 1050 meters. Agricultural activities are densely done in the floor of plain which dominates rich alluvial fields. In the mountainous and rough area in the north economic activities like forestry, vineyards and orchards, and stockbreeding constitute the dominant economic activities. In the research area, agricultural fields have the largest proportion among the usage of the fields. The cultivated area has the most important usage with the proportion of 94,5 % among the total agricultural fields. Wheat, lentil, barley, corn and cotton are the products produced in the region most. In recent years with the help of irrigation, fruit growing is also an attractive economic activity in agriculture in the region.Key Words: Kızıltepe, Mardin, Population, Settlement, Agriculture