Factors affecting urbanization process and urban development in Mudanya

Urbanization is not merely a population movement. The socio-economic and cultural dimensions of this movement are in question. Urbanization, a global phenomenon that changes and permanently transforms society in terms of its effects and consequences, is at the same time one of the most important processes that constitute the infrastructure of modernization. Cities which functionally and structurally changed a little until the industrial revolution have rapidly developed along with industrialization and become places where new civilization is shaped by being articulated to the world system. Urban development in all industrialized countries where the industry emerges, particularly in UK, is parallel to each other. Although the urbanization movement in Turkey has followed the processes of urbanization in the world with delay, it has followed a similar process in terms of the basic features of urbanization even though there are differences. When the Republican period is examined, it is understood that the factors determining the urbanization process are the economic, technological, political and socio-psychological factors as they are all over the world. Turkey has experienced periodical differences in the process of urbanization. The most prominent feature of the first period covering the 1923-1950 period is the stability of horizontal and vertical population movements. In addition, factors such as the non-modern production processes depended on the closed economy, limited transportation and communication facilities, the lack of structural transformations in urban areas, the lack of economic strength, which is the main determinant of the qulified human resourses and urbanization process are the facts of this period. The most prominent feature of the second period, which covers the 1950 – 1980 interval, is the period in which the horizontal and vertical population movements within the country accelerate. In the process of social and economic transformation that accelerated together by the 1950s, we see that the rate of population growth in the urban and rural population areas has gained momentum. This period is also a period when the closed economic model is partially abandoned and the western integration movements are beginning to become stronger. The third period that covers a period from the end of the 1980s till today is similar to the previous period in terms of the factors affecting the urbanization process. However, new and different dynamics effecting the process also appeared. Both the world globalization process and its direct or indirect effects for Turkey and the development of the tourism sector in Turkey's own internal dynamics, terror movements in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia, new political formations in the country and consequently the country's new economic reconstructions such as socio-economic and political processes, have been the main factors that have unveiled this difference. The establishment of Mudanya ran across the period in which the city states dealing with trade on the west coast of Anatolia formed colonies in the Sea of Marmara. The history of Mudanya extending along the the south coastline of the Sea of Marmara dates back to around 7th century BC. Having a history of 2600 years, Mudanya has hosted the civilizations of Lydia, Persia, Bithynia, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman civilizations. The urbanization process in Mudanya has been shaped by factors such as geographical location, geomorphology, climate characteristics, natural vegetation cover. In addition, human factors such as transportation systems, agricultural areas, Lausanne treaty and migration of exchanged population, protected areas have influenced the physical change of the urbanization area in Mudanya. The urbanization process in Mudanya that can not be considered independently of the dynamics of urbanization in Turkey has unique characteristics. In the last century, the population of Mudanya changed color dramatically. The demographic structure of the population as well as the socio-cultural structure have changed greatly. Up to the beginning of the 20th century, the city, which was dominated by Christian origin and dominated by Greek Cypriot population, has left its place with a different faith and culture with the Republic. As a matter of fact, non-muslims constituted 13,329 people of the Mudanya population of 18,193 according to the population data of 1902. However, there was a loss of population in Mudanya as well as in Anatolia during the wars and the War of Independence during the last period of the Ottoman Empire. As a result of the population loss that occurred as a result of population exchange, the total population did not increase during the last 25 years when it came to 1927, in the contrary, 4,327 persons have decreased. Much of the non-muslim population has abandoned Mudanya in large part due to the population exchange. It is possible to observe that many cultural elements, especially the cultural architectural structure and the urban texture that have left the city, still exist. By 1927, the population of Mudanya was 13.866. As a result of the migrations from Anatolia and Rumelia, the population of the province increased by 43% between 1927- 1935 and by 1935 it reached 19,496. We can see that this population increase has oocured in the rural areas. Between 1927-1935, there has been an increase of only 41 persons in the urban population and 5,589 persons in the rural population. This shows that the incoming exchanged people are settled in rural areas and that the natural population increase is greater in rural areas. The dwindling of the railway and decrease of silkworm production after declaration of the Republic main reason of the population decrease in Mudanya, which is the gateway of Bursa to Europe in the last period of the Ottoman empire and which has an important role in the trade of silkworms. Although the total population showed an increase by 26% between 1945-50, it showed an increase of 6% between 1950-55. In Mudanya, which followed a stable course until 1985, an activity has started in the increase rate of the urban population after this date. The population of Mudanya, which was 12.152 in 1985, increasede to 17.196 in 1990. Mudanya, which was not a major industrial production other than the cable factory that was established in 1964, was an agricultural city until this date. After 1990, significant increases were observed in the urban population as a result of the tourism activities developing parallel to the developments in the transportation systems. After this date, the Greek neighborhood, which functions as the city center of Mudanya, and the urban area limited to the Turkish neighborhood (Today Hasanbey district) established during Ottoman times, expanded eastward parallel to the Bursa-Mudanya road. This development is also a big part of the elevations, which started immediately from the shore. However, urban areas and olive grove areas have become border areas, creating a variety of legal problems against the city development. Another important limiting effect in urban development is the archeological sites. At the same time, Hisarlik hill, which is located in the middle of the city and the vicinity of Mudanya, was declared as a first degree archaeological site and urban settlement in this area was stopped. Factors such as the development of transportation systems in Mudanya and the rapid increase of secondary houses built parallel to the tourism sector have accelerated migration to the city. As a result, in 2007 the urban population reached the highest level of Mudanya history with 48,7% rate. Until 2007, the main factors determining the changes in the rural-urban population distribution were the natural population growth and the population movements resulting from migration. However, after this date, legal regulations have resulted in unnatural results in urban-rural population ratios. Between 2007- 2010, the affiliation of some villages to the city center became effective. We can see the result of this in the 2008 data clearly. The urban population rate, which was 48.7% in 2007, increased to 71.5% in a short period of one year. Trilye District and 36 villages acquired district status with the Integrated City Regulation which was accepted on March 30, 2014, were affiliated to the city center. After this period, the rural population in Mudanya came to an end. The port of Mudanya, which has been functional from the ancient times until today, is the shortest maritime line connection linking Bursa to Istanbul and Europe. Bursa lacks the international transportation possibilities that can carry its economic and commercial potential in its broad hinterland full capacity to world market. Mudanya is one of the most important gates that can reach these potential global markets. One of the main economic activities in Mudanya during the Ottoman period was silkworm production.Mudanya-Bursa historical railway line had the main role in transportation of the raw silk came from Iran and produced in Bursa to Mudanya pier. The urban functions of Mudanya have changed over time. Mudanya, which has been a city of agriculture, commerce and transport since the early age, has had an industrial function since the 1960s. Tourism function is added to them today and this function is becoming more and more important. Mudanya, formerly one of the most beautiful summer resorts of Bursa with its natural beauties, unique urban architecture and popular recreation and entertainment, has lost some of its qualities during the industrialization period. In parallel with the development of the tourism sector in Turkey last 30 years, tourism potential of Mudanya has re-emerged with the influence of developing urban transport system and has strengthened the tourism city identity gradually.