Ayancık is a coastal district located west of Sinop. The district center is located in the Ayancık Stream Valley, between Maltepe and Ayantepe. A significant portion of the population lives in rural areas. Forestry, fishing, and agriculture are among the most prominent economic activities. The district boasts a variety of natural and cultural sites.
History
Ayancık and its surrounding area, in the Western Black Sea region of Paphlagonia, bears traces of settlement dating back to the 2nd millennium BC. The Paphlagonians were the first indigenous inhabitants, followed by Amazons, Achaeans, and Dorians; the region remained under the protection of the Athiler until 1200 BC. The region came under Danishmend rule in the late 11th century, followed by the Anatolian Seljuks in 1204, the Pervaneoğulları in 1259, and the Candaroğulları in 1292. Ayancık, annexed to Ottoman territory during Mehmed the Conqueror's campaign against Trabzon in 1460, was governed as one of the four judgeships of the Kastamonu Sanjak until the Tanzimat.
In the 19th century, the center was first moved to Ayandon (around present-day Hamamlı Village), and later, with the agreement of Şükrüoğulları and Çaylıoğulları, to Ayancık. The settlement, which formed around a mill in the 1860s, grew over time with the establishment of institutions such as the district governor's office and the military branch. The commissioning of a sawmill in 1929, a joint venture between Germany and Belgium, marked a turning point in the region's economy and social life.
Organized as a district of Kastamonu in the early years of the Republic, Ayancık was annexed to Sinop in 1933, a status it has maintained to this day. During the Turkish War of Independence, the district provided significant contributions to the army in terms of both logistical support and human resources, with 404 soldiers killed, including one from Ayancık, among the 89 sent to the front.
Geography and Climate
Ayancık covers an area of 866 km² on the Black Sea coast, bordered by the sea to the north, Boyabat (Sinop) and Taşköprü (Kastamonu) to the south, Türkeli to the west, and Erfelek to the east. The district center is located in the Ayancık Stream valley between Maltepe and Ayantepe, at an elevation of 202 m. While 28% of its area is suitable for agriculture, the majority of this is on sloping slopes; 72% consists of forest, scrubland, and non-agricultural land. The total forested area is 61,941 hectares, and species such as black pine, fir, oak, hornbeam, beech, ash, elm, and poplar form extensive communities known as "Çangal Forests."
To the northeast of the district lies the artificial Akgöl Lake, and to the east are karst formations such as the Iğrava and Karabalçık caves. The Ayancık Stream, a stream that flows 90 km long, is reduced to a single branch by the confluence of numerous smaller streams before emptying into the sea. It is located within a 4th-degree earthquake zone due to the influence of the North Anatolian Fault Zone. Ayancık, where the Black Sea climate prevails, has an average annual temperature of 14 °C, with a high of 22.2 °C (July) and a low of 6.6 °C (January–February). Average annual precipitation is 1,003 mm, relative humidity is 72%, and the number of stormy days is 9.2. Sea water temperatures range from 23–24 °C in summer.
Population and Demography
While the population of Ayancık district was 22,748 in 2007, it followed a fluctuating course over the years and reached 24,013 in 2024; during this period, an increase of 97 people was recorded between 2007–2008, a decrease of 131 people between 2008–2009, an increase of 420 people between 2012–2013, the largest decrease of 482 people between 2014–2015 and the highest increase of 1,095 people between 2017–2018, and after an increase of 550 people in the 2022–2023 period, there was a decrease of 460 people between 2023–2024. As of 2024, the male population is 12,080 (50.31%) and the female population is 11,933 (49.69%); The data in question show the impact of periodic migration movements and registration updates on the population size in the district.
Economy
Ayancık's economy is based on forest products, a sawmill established in 1926 (partnership from 1926 to 1945; nationalization after 1945; and transfer to AYORSAN Inc. through privatization in 1996), and its associated industrial facilities. Initially limited to log processing and parquet production, the company diversified by adding particleboard production in 1975. Today, AYORSAN's suspension of production determines the activity level of facilities such as Taciroğlu Forest Products, Ayancık Furniture, and the Yenikonak Linen Factory.
In the agricultural area, a large portion of the 24,350 hectares of arable land is devoted to grain (wheat, corn), fruit (grapes, kiwi, apple, quince, walnut, chestnut), hazelnut, and vegetable (bean, cabbage). The prominent product is the Ayancık chestnut, which ranks fourth in chestnut production in Sinop. Apiculture (chestnut honey) and kiwi cultivation are secondary activities suited to the geographical conditions. Animal husbandry is carried out on a limited scale. Fishing contributes to the coastal economy on a family-run scale.
The commercial sector extends from grocery stores, markets, and greengrocers to carpentry, repair shops, and transportation; 432 registered trucks support regional logistics. Financial services are provided through branches of Ziraat Bank, Halkbank, and İşbank. A total of 54 cooperatives (agricultural development, aquaculture, construction, tradesmen's guarantee, etc.) perform production and marketing functions.
Tourism, Culture and Cuisine
Ayancık's 11 km strip of pebble and sand beaches, accessible via a 55 km road connection, offers opportunities for seaside tourism in summer. Gazhane, Karahan, Saymoz, Yavuzlar, and Sarıoğlu hotels offer accommodation with 41-50 bed capacities. Çamurca Beach, Kuğu Yalısı Bay, and İstefan Harbor offer opportunities for underwater sports, hunting, and yacht tourism. Karst caves in İnaltı Cave, Akgöl, and Manga provide hiking and camping routes. Toza Hill, a lookout point, canyon passages, and marine and forest ecotourism enrich the diversity of the region.
With a literacy rate of 92.5%, the district boasts two printing houses, five bookstores, and newsstands selling national newspapers. The Ayancık Municipality has the AKM cinema, the 600-seat Gazi Stadium, two amateur football teams, and infrastructure for school sports (soccer, volleyball, basketball, and table tennis). Two hunting clubs, wrestling competitions, and the Hıdrellez Festival keep folklore alive. Local folk dances include çiftetelli, horon, and greeting styles, accompanied by tulum (drums), davul, and zurna (a traditional Turkish folk song), and linen garments woven on handlooms constitute cultural material.
Grains and legumes are the main source of nutrition in Ayancık. Among the main dishes of the region
• Nokul (pastry with raisins, walnuts, minced meat and yoghurt),
• Stuffed pan (rice and anchovy tray),
• Corn soup (with corn and kidney beans),
• Spoon sticker (Mamalika),
• Keskek,
• Ear dough (meaty dough),
• Islama (spreading dough and dipping),
• Corn tarhana,
• Leeks with vinegar,
• Pumpkin nation,
• Matzo dessert,
• Includes chestnut stuffed rice.
Preparation methods include roasting without oil, adding almonds and currants, and steeping over low heat. Chestnuts, currants, almonds, chickpeas, and cubed meat form the pilaf's flavor components. Cooking techniques like nokul and içli tava reflect the region's characteristic flavor profiles through the balance of dough, oil, and cooking.
