Adana

Traffic Code: 01 

Area: 17.253 km² 

Population: 1.849.478 (2000) 

Geographical Location: Adana is situated on the Seyhan River in Çukurova Plain which is in the South of Taurus Mountains. Adana, which has approximately 160 km shore of Mediterranean Sea, is on the crossroads of important transportation that link Europe to Asia. 

Neighbouring Provinces : On the east Osmaniye ( 90 km) and Hatay ( 190 km), on the northeast K.Maraş ( 187 km), on the north Kayseri ( 323 km), on the northwest Niğde ( 205 km), on the west Mersin ( 70 km). 

Topography (Mountains, Rivers, Lakes etc.): Highway and railway connection with Middle East are enabled through Adana. These connections are enabled through Gülek Strait on Taurus Mountains. % 49 of total area is mountainous, % 23 is plateau and % 27 is plain. From south to north, the height of Taurus Mountains exceeds 2500 m. Foothills of Taurus Mountains turn into a plain shape towards the Mediterranean Sea. Seyhan and Ceyhan Rivers which rise from central Anatolia empty into the Mediterranean. Yedi Göller (Seven Lakes) is on the peak of Taurus Mountains. There are Seyhan and Çatalan dam lakes on Seyhan River. There is Aslantaş dam Lake on Ceyhan River and Akyatan and Ağyatan bird paradise lakes in Karataş. 

Climate: Adana has a typical Mediterranean climate. Winters are warm and summers are hot and dry. Average rainfall is 625 mm. %51 of rainfall is in winter, % 26 in spring, % 18 in autumn and %5 in summer. The coldest month is January (average 9 C) , the hottest month is August (aveage 28 C). 

Flora: You can see a flora which is specific to Mediterranean. To the heights up to 700-800 meters, mersin (murt) (myrte) (myrturs cummunis), sandal (sukhad)(arbutus andrachne), kermes meşesi (cermes oak)(quercus coccifera), çınar (plane tree)(platanus orientatis), yabani zeytin (wild olive tree)(oleaeuropea sylvestris), akça kesme (philyrea latifolia), menengiç (terebinth ) (pistacia terebinthus), sakız ağacı (gumwood)(pistacia lentiscus), funda (erica)(erica verticillata), erguvan (cercis)(cercis siliquastrum), kara çalı (blackthorn)(paliurus spina), zakkum (oleander)(nerium oleander), okaliptus (eucalyptus)(ecalypus spp) can be seen. Over 800 meters , meşe (oak)(quercus calliprinus), kızılcık (cornelian cherry)(cornusman), defne (daphne)(laurus canseriensis), in higher parts some sorts of pine (pinus nigra, pinus sylvestres), ardıç (juniper)(junipearus), kayın (beech)(fagun), toros göknarı (taurus fir/abies)(abies cilicica), sedir (cedar)(cedrus libani) can be seen. And over 2000 meters, a natural beauty of grasslands that resemble to those of Alps’ can be seen. 

In Çukurova region, knobbly plants like kardelen (galanthus plicus), yabani siklamen (cyclamen mirabille hidebr), ada sogani, nergis (snowdrop)(narissus), sümbül (hyacinth)(hyacinthus) and similar plants can be seen in spring. 

Also it is known that gelincik çiçeği (corn poppy)(pampal) which grows in rural areas is different from those in Europe.