The human and economic geography of the county of Kadirli

The Department of GeographyThe county of Kadirli is located in the north of Osmaniye in Adana part of Mediterranien Region. The location of Kadirli which is fairly convenient for urban and agricultural life like Çukurova, caused it to be the centre of many civilizations in history; that it is at the cross of caravan routes gave way its becoming a commercial centre.The land of Kadirli with its main lines exposes some physical conditions, including various morphological units with the plain base, rough slope planes, deep split valleys, fields of slope, ridges and hills among these valleys and with its high mountainous areas. So, the economic life of the people is shaped as a result of these physical conditions. For instance, in the plain area, where rich alluvial soil expands, agricultural activities especially planting and sawing come first among the other means of living. In the higher northern areas, where plant cover is abundant, means of life show themselves as forestry and stock farming, apart from agricultural activity.The rural population of Kadirli in the Republic period has undergone four different periods in terms of specific aspects. These are: decrease between 1935-1940, rapid population increase between 1940-1965, pause between 1965-1980 and regular decrease between 1980-2000.Unlike the rural population, the urban population has increased slowly between 1927-1965, but after 1965 it increased very rapidly. Kadirli was an agricultural town until 1960 but after, it has become a city having a prevalent function of service sector with the variation in urban functions and the developments especially in service sector. With the increase in population, the urban functions have also developed. The urban identity will become stronger provided that more investments are done in industry in the city where service sector is dominant.KEY WORDS: Kadirli, Çukurova, Population, Location, Economy, Rural Function, Urban Function