Bursa: The Locomotive City of Industry

Bursa is one of the rare cities in the world that has succeeded in combining its natural beauty with industry and technology, and it holds the characteristic of being the locomotive city of Turkey's industry. Bursa also lies on the Silk Road, the most important trade route of the past. This strategic location has provided Bursa with commercial advantages throughout history. The city, which offers easy and fast transportation via land and sea routes, continues to grow and develop in terms of industry and commerce. From an economic perspective, Bursa has always played an important role in the development and acceleration of Turkish industry throughout history. Bursa makes a very significant contribution to the national economy in terms of exports. With its infrastructure and technological accumulation, Bursa holds an important central position in terms of trade and industry for Turkey and the region. Its strategic location, which is an important advantage for its industry, has given Bursa the characteristic of being the gateway for Western Anatolia to access the west and for the west to enter Anatolia. The foreign-capital silk factories established in the 19th century formed the foundation of Bursa's industry. Subsequently, Bursa's industry showed rapid development from the 1920s onwards with the proclamation of the Republic. The Merinos factory, established through public investment, is one of the pioneering and important facilities in this field. Different industrial establishments created by the private sector also accelerated and developed the process.

In Bursa, the textile, automotive, machinery-metal manufacturing, agriculture-based industry and food, and furniture sectors stand out and create value.

Bursa is a global attraction center thanks to its developed manufacturing industry and commerce. It holds an important share in Turkey's economic growth and is one of the leading emerging economies. Bursa has continued to be an important city throughout the ages. Many historical structures dating from the Eastern Roman and Ottoman periods enrich Bursa architecturally. With its green nature, healing water sources, numerous lakes and waterfalls, Bursa also stands out for its natural beauty. It offers diverse alternatives to both the resident population and domestic and foreign businesspeople and tourists. According to a statement from TÜİK Bursa Regional Directorate, based on the results of the Address-Based Population Registration System, Bursa's population as of the end of 2016 was 2,901,396. The population residing in Bursa showed an increase of 58,849 people in 2016 compared to the previous year. The male population ratio was recorded as 50.1% (1,454,059), while the female population ratio was 49.9% (1,447,337). The annual population growth rate in Bursa was 19.5 per thousand in 2015, and 20.5 per thousand in 2016. Bursa continued its characteristic of being Turkey's 4th most populous city. In the report, the population density in Bursa, expressed as the number of people per square kilometer, was stated as 278 people. In Bursa, the district populations of Gemlik, İnegöl, İznik, Karacabey, Mudanya, Orhangazi, Yenişehir, Nilüfer, Osmangazi, Yıldırım, Gürsu, and Kestel increased compared to the previous year, while the populations of other districts declined. The mountain ranges extending along the east-west axis in Bursa bring an important geographical feature to the city. The most important among these mountain ranges is undoubtedly Uludağ. At a height of 2,543 meters, Uludağ is the highest mountain in the Marmara Region and is the center of winter tourism in Turkey.

Bursa's 2016 Export Performance

Exports from Bursa in 2016 increased by 11.24% compared to the previous year, reaching USD 12,959,783,000. According to 2016 data, 10% of Turkey's exports were made from Bursa. It should be emphasized that among the top 5 cities with the most exports from Turkey, only Bursa managed to increase its exports compared to the previous year. This figure is also the highest export figure Bursa has achieved in the last 11 years. The most exported products from Bursa are: automotive industry, textiles and raw materials, ready-made garments and clothing, machinery and components, steel, chemicals and chemical products, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, air conditioning industry, electrical-electronics, mining products, aquatic products and livestock products, fruit and vegetable products, fresh fruits and vegetables, carpets, olive and olive oil products. The most important component of Bursa's economy is undoubtedly the automotive sector. Bursa proved its place and importance in the national economy once again with USD 8.4 billion in exports from the automotive sector in 2016.

Organized Industrial Zones

In the 1960s, a consulting firm conducted extensive research on behalf of the "State Planning Organization" to find the most suitable industrial area in Turkey. The research concentrated on the cities of Bursa, Istanbul, Adapazarı, Adana, Mersin, and Zonguldak, and as a result, Bursa was determined as the most optimal city. The submitted report specified Bursa's characteristics and advantages. Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry took ownership of this project, and the Bursa Organized Industrial Zone, Turkey's first industrial zone, became operational in 1961. From that date onwards, the concept of organized industrial zones was adopted in our country, and new ones were created both in Bursa and in many different cities throughout Turkey. Today, 18 organized industrial zones are active in Bursa.