The geography of Taşlıçay (Ağrı) town

The study area, Taşlıçay town, is the district center of Ağrı Province, located in the Upper Murat Section of the Eastern Anatolia Region. Situated 32 kilometers away from the city center of Ağrı, Taşlıçay was separated from the Diyadin district and gained district status on June 1, 1954, under Law No. 6324. The total area of the district is 822 km². When examining its neighboring districts, Taşlıçay is bordered by Diyadin and Doğubayazıt to the east, Tuzluca to the north, the central district of Ağrı and Hamur to the west, and Van/Erciş to the south. The Murat River, flowing in an east–west direction, constitutes the largest stream within the town. Moreover, twothirds of Lake Balık, one of the highest-altitude lakes within Turkey, lies within the boundaries of Taşlıçay district. Historically, settlement in the research area dates back to around 4000 B.C., indicating that the town has deep historical roots. The Kocadağ Castle, Yassıhöyük, Taşlıçay Mound, rock dwellings and tombs in Dumanlı village, and the necropolis in Akyıldız village are historically significant sites within the district. When examining the climatic characteristics of Taşlıçay, the annual average temperature is 7.6°C. The wettest season is spring (175.2 mm), while the driest season is summer (61.3 mm). The total annual precipitation is 438.8 mm, and these features reflect the continental climate typical of the Eastern Anatolia Region. According to 2024 population data, Taşlıçay district has a total population of 18,152 people, of whom 9,381 are men and 8,771 are women. The gender distribution shows that 51.68% of the population is male and 48.32% is female. The population growth rate has fluctuated over time; although it increased in 2023, it declined again in 2024. The population of the town of Taşlıçay was recorded as 6,350 in 2024, consisting of 3,218 men and 3,132 women. In almost every period, the male population has been slightly higher than the female population. The main economic activities in the study area are agriculture and animal husbandry, which constitute the primary sources of livelihood for most of the population. Due to its geographical position—close to the Aladağ region in the south and the Sinek plateau in the north—the terrain of Taşlıçay is narrow and rugged, limiting the availability of arable land. In general, the region has a small proportion of land suitable for agriculture. The main agricultural products include sugar beet and cereal crops, while both large and small livestock breeding are practiced. Local breeds of cattle and sheep are raised in the area. In addition to agriculture and livestock breeding being the main economic activities in Taşlıçay town, the fact that it serves as a district center has also led to a relatively high rate of employment in the service sector. Approximately 57% of the active population is engaged in agriculture, while around 41% is employed in the service sector. The industrial sector in the town is almost negligible, consisting mainly of small workshop-type industrial activities. Only about 1.44% of the active population is employed in industry.