Acıpayam

Acıpayam is a town and a rural district of Denizli Province in high country between the Aegean and Mediterranean regions of Turkey. A plain, watered by two reservoirs, known for growing melons and watermelons, on the road between the city of Denizli and Antalya. It covers an area of 1700 km², and the altitude is 895 m. The district has a population of 57,533 of which 13,700 live in the city of Acipayam.

Acıpayam
Acıpayam
Coordinates: 37°25′30″N 29°21′14″E
Country Turkey
ProvinceDenizli
Government
 • MayorHulusi Şevkan (Republican People's Party)
 • KaymakamUğur Kalkar
Area
 • District1,627.87 km2 (628.52 sq mi)
Elevation
895 m (2,936 ft)
Population
 (2012)[2]
 • Urban
13,746
 • District
56,330
 • District density35/km2 (90/sq mi)
Websitewww.acipayam.bel.tr

Etymology

The name Acıpayam means bitter almond (payam being a loanword from Persian) in the local dialect, the town was formerly named Garbipayam and Garbikaraağaç.

History

The plain has been settled since 2000 BC, and Hittites were here in 1500 BC, followed by the Ancient Greeks and more civilizations up to the Byzantines and then the arrival of the Turkish peoples. From 1097 the area was in the hands of the Seljuk Turks. Turkish rule was interrupted by the Crusades but afterwards was settled by the Oghuz Turks and eventually was absorbed into the Ottoman Empire.

Climate
Climate data for Acipayam
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 7
(44)		 9
(48)		 13
(55)		 18
(64)		 23
(73)		 27
(80)		 31
(87)		 31
(87)		 28
(82)		 21
(69)		 14
(57)		 8
(46)		 19
(66)
Average low °C (°F) −2
(28)		 −1
(30)		 0
(32)		 3
(37)		 7
(44)		 10
(50)		 14
(57)		 13
(55)		 9
(48)		 5
(41)		 1
(33)		 0
(32)		 4
(39)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 91
(3.6)		 69
(2.7)		 53
(2.1)		 33
(1.3)		 36
(1.4)		 20
(0.8)		 10
(0.4)		 13
(0.5)		 13
(0.5)		 33
(1.3)		 56
(2.2)		 91
(3.6)		 520
(20.3)
Source: Weatherbase [3]

Acıpayam today

As well as agriculture some of Denizli's textile industry has spread to Acıpayam too, where there is a cellulose factory. In the past the people would migrate seasonally to pick tobacco or cotton in other parts of Turkey, today this is not necessary.

Places of interest
  • Keloğlan Cave - a 145m long cave, open to visitors.

See also
  • Acıpayam (sheep)

References
  1. "Area of regions (including lakes), km²". Regional Statistics Database. Turkish Statistical Institute. 2002. Retrieved 2013-03-05.
  2. "Population of province/district centers and towns/villages by districts - 2012". Address Based Population Registration System (ABPRS) Database. Turkish Statistical Institute. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
  3. "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Acipayam, Turkey". Weatherbase. 2011. Retrieved on November 24, 2011.
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