Kocaeli

Province of northwest Turkey, bordered to the north by the Black Sea, to the east by Sakarya, to the south by Bursa, to the southwest by the Sea of Marmara, and to the west by Istanbul; area 3,986 sq km/1,533 sq mi; population (1990 est) 936,200. Major cities are the capital, Izmit, and Gölcük. Physical features include the Gulf of Izmit, the Kocaeli Yarimadasi mountain range, and the Gö, Çanak, and Yalak rivers. Industries include oil-refining, engineering, cement, chemicals, paper, and textiles. Agricultural products include olives and tobacco.

Izmit is highly industrialized, but Gölcük and Karamürsel are seaside resorts, and Hereke produces Turkish carpets. Carpets for the Ottoman palaces were woven there.

The region was hit by a massive earthquake in August 1999, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale. The epicentre of the earthquake was at Izmit, though the effects were felt throughout the district. The devastation was augmented by the high population density of the province, with 17,100 people killed, and 44,000 injured.