Durağan is a district located southeast of Sinop, at the confluence of the Kızılırmak and Gökırmak rivers. It is notable for its historical and natural features. Agriculture, animal husbandry, and forestry are common activities in the district.
History
Based on excavation and archival records, Durağan's settlement history dates back to the pre-Medieval period, as it served as a strategic junction connecting Anatolia's northern land route with the sea route. It is reported that the first settlement began around the spring water in the area now known as Sakızören, and that after the water dried up, settlement moved down to the Gökırmak shores. New accommodations developed around the structure known as the caravanserai-han (Durakhan). Built in 1265 by Müinüddin Süleyman, son of Pervane, this inn played a decisive role in the evolution of the district's name to Durağan.
It is recorded that a military camp was established at Durağan during the Seljuk period to ensure the security of the trade route connecting Central Anatolia and the Black Sea, and that preparations for the capture of Sinop were completed there in 1214. It is documented that the Danishmends (1105–1174) ruled the Gökırmak Valley south of the İsfendiyar Mountains; that the Candaroğulları Principality then governed the region along with Kastamonu; that it was incorporated into the Ottoman borders in 1392 during the reign of Yıldırım Beyazıt; and that after brief challenges between 1402 and 1420, it definitively came under Ottoman rule.
According to Ottoman records, in 1530 it was a village affiliated with the Kastamonu liva and in 1880 it was the center of the İnebolu district. It was separated from Boyabat in 1954 and gained district status, and municipality status in 1955. With the development of the region's communication and transportation infrastructure during the Republican era, and the restoration and opening of the caravanserai to tourism, Durağan has consolidated its current settlement identity while preserving its historical heritage.
Geography and Climate
Durağan is located between longitudes 35–36° E and latitudes 41–42° N, 120 km southwest of Sinop city center. Eighty percent of the district's 910 km² surface area is mountainous; to the east, alluvial plains form along the Gökırmak and Kızılırmak valleys; to the west and north, extensions of the Isfendiyar and Ilgaz Mountains rise between 500 and 1,451 m. The highest point is Dedemin Hill, at 1,451 m, near Çorakyüzü village. The principal rivers are the Gökırmak, as well as the Ardım, Felek, Kanlı, Sırnık, Akbel, Çayağzı, and Ümerik streams; the Gökırmak flows into the Altınkaya Dam's reservoir before joining the Kızılırmak. There are no natural lakes in the district; instead, the Altınkaya Dam lake and Durağan and Yukarıkaracaören ponds serve for water management and flood control.
The plateaus are located at the foothills around the villages of Yeşilyurt, Kaplangı, Hacımahmutlu, and Yassıalan, while the plains are located in narrow strips named after villages along the Gökırmak and Kızılırmak valleys. The fertile plains are Karayazı, Başgezek, and Çayırovası. The district's average elevation above sea level is 220 m.
Although climate data are not directly included in the sources provided, the inland location of the Black Sea Region and the abundance of water resources indicate a regime characterized by regular precipitation and relatively high humidity throughout the year.
Population and Demography
The total population of the Durağan district of Sinop, which was 22,854 in 2007, decreased to 17,151 in 2024. During this period, increases of 1,300 and 1,068 people were recorded in 2017–2018 and 2022–2023, respectively, while decreases were recorded at different rates in the other years. According to 2024 data, the male population was 8,707 (50.77%) and the female population was 8,444 (49.23%), with the gender gap generally remaining at a few hundred people. Annual population changes have followed a fluctuating course, which can be explained by factors such as administrative record updates and population movements.
Economy
Its stable economy is shaped around six main income items:
• Agricultural Income: Irrigated agriculture dominates the Gökırmak and Arım stream valleys, with rice primarily cultivated, followed by wheat, corn, and barley. Approximately 400 tons of rice are produced annually with the support of mechanization and chemical fertilizers. In barren lands, crops such as oats, beans, chickpeas, and lentils are produced for family consumption. Fruit cultivation includes apples, plums, mulberries, grapes, quinces, and figs; peach production has recently been encouraged.
• Animal Income: After agriculture, the second-highest-ranking activity is livestock farming, with livestock (cattle, buffalo, horses, donkeys) and sheep (sheep, goats); poultry (chickens, turkeys) are common, but methods are traditional. According to the latest census, there are 20,580 head of cattle, 43,000 small ruminants, 5,480 equids, and 15,850 poultry in the district.
• Forest Products and Forestry: 80% of the population in forest villages earn their living by gathering timber, firewood, and mushrooms (morel, kanlıca). There are four forest management directorates in the district; timber and wood trade are important sources of income.
• Trade Revenues: Consumer goods trade is widespread in the domestic market; rice, lumber, wood, livestock, wool, leather, and eggs are exported. Trade relations with major cities, especially neighboring Samsun, are maintained.
• Aquaculture: Amateur and cooperative fishing for catfish, carp, grey mullet and rarely sea bass is carried out in the Altınkaya Dam lake; the area surrounding the dam lake supports fishing income.
• Other Revenues: Four rice processing factories producing bran and broken rice products; one flour factory; and five flour mills are part of an increasingly diversified industrial structure. Handicraft production, such as hoop and towel weaving, as well as migration and remittances from expatriates, also fuel the economic flow.
Tourism‒Culture‒Cuisine
Durağan's most important historical structure is the Durakhan Caravanserai, built by Pervane Süleyman in 1265. Ancient ruins such as the İsmail Bey Mosque, the Anbar Rock and Terelek Rock Tombs, the Ambarkaya Rock Tombs, and Buzluk Cave are suitable for cultural tourism. The Altınkaya Dam lake, the Durağan and Yukarıkaracaören reservoirs, Akkır, Akbel, and other recreational areas offer opportunities for nature tourism.
In the district, the weaving of towels and hoops is passed down from generation to generation, continuing the tradition of hand-woven fabrics with shuttles and kirkits. The restoration of the Durakhan Caravanserai, carried out in accordance with its original design between 1989 and 1992, the wood carvings of the İsmail Bey Mosque, and the recreation areas established by the Forest Management Directorate are examples of cultural heritage being preserved.
The regional cuisine is based on ingredients from agricultural and aquatic sources. Grains such as rice, wheat, and corn; fruits such as apples, plums, mulberries, grapes, quinces, and figs; and legumes such as beans, chickpeas, and lentils make up the daily diet. Catfish, carp, and mullet from the dam lake; morel and kanlıca mushrooms collected from the forests; and fresh salep produced in natural ecosystem conditions—all of this diversity form the basis of local table practices.
