Keles is a small district located in the northernmost part of the Inner Western Anatolian section of the Aegean Region, affiliated with Bursa and situated on the southern slopes of Uludağ. It has an area of 640 km², with 35 villages and 7 neighborhoods.

Population

According to the 2024 census, the population of Keles is 11,171 people. This population consists of 5,615 males and 5,556 females.

In terms of percentage: 50.26% male, 49.74% female. The population density is 17.45. The general population showed an increasing trend until 1980, and a decreasing trend after 1980. Due to insufficient utilization of the district's agricultural lands, forests, and underground resources, and limited investments in the region, there are not many job opportunities in the area. For this reason, the district experiences out-migration to other cities and districts. For instance, according to the 1893 census, while Bursa's population was 121,590, Keles district's population was 12,582. Today, Bursa's population has increased approximately 26 times to 3,238,618, while the district's population has decreased to 11,171.

Origin of the Name

There are various claims regarding the origin of the name Keles. However, the general consensus is that the district's name comes from a place name in Central Asia and was brought by the Kayı tribe of the Oghuz Turks. Today, geographical regions named Keles still exist in Central Asia. Some of these geographical regions include:

• Keles River; 241 km long, an important tributary of the Syr Darya River. Originating from Karadağ on the Kazakh-Uzbek border, this river passes near the basin of the same name and flows into the Syr Darya River, irrigating a large basin.

• In the Northern Tashkent Province of Uzbekistan, there is a district named Keles, and this district currently serves as the center of this province.

• 40 km north of Tashkent, there is a small village with the same name. Furthermore, the renowned Turkologist Baymirza Hayit stated that there is a ruined city center called "Keles" in the region.

• In the works of Muslim-Arab geographers of the 10th and 11th centuries, the wide region between the Chyrdyk River and Tashkent, Shymkent, Chardara, and Sutkent is named "Kalas Steppe/Keles Steppe" (It is stated that the difference between Kalas and Keles originates from Arabic writing and pronunciation). Additionally, a very long and strong wall built parallel to the Syr Darya River in the middle of this steppe is referred to as the "Kalas/Keles Wall."

History

The history of the district dates back to pre-Christian eras. Various civilizations existed in the region. Phrygians, Lydians, Bithynians, Romans, and Byzantines lived in the region. Small artifacts such as ornaments, coins, seals, storage jars, etc., as well as building ruins like churches, temples, and baths, dating from ancient civilizations, have been found in the region. Furthermore, the existence of a very large temple on a dominant hill in the region has been discovered. According to research, during the Roman period, the region was located on the King's Road, a busy and important trade route. The region first came under the control of the Anatolian Seljuks in 1075. However, after the First Crusade in 1097, the region returned to Byzantine control. In the early 13th century, Ertuğrul Gazi and the tribes loyal to him, belonging to the Kayı tribe of the Oghuz Turks, settled in the Söğüt and Domaniç regions, which are very close to Keles.

Ertuğrul Gazi carried out conquest activities in the region. After his death, his son Osman Gazi continued the conquests, and the Keles district came under Turkish control again during his reign. The region was not occupied during the Ottoman period. However, the Greeks, who occupied Bursa on July 8, 1920, opened a police station in Keles a year later, on July 10, 1921. The Greek detachment that came to the district initially established its headquarters in Cuma Mahallesi, and later in Yenice Mahallesi. The most important reason for the Greeks sending soldiers to Keles was to suppress the militia forces in the region and especially to cut Bursa's communication link with Ankara. Indeed, during the occupation, the communication between Bursa and Ankara was maintained by militia forces in the mountainous region via Tavşanlı and Kütahya, and after the occupation of this region, Bursa's communication link with Anatolia and Ankara was completely severed. The district was liberated from the Greek occupation on September 11, 1922.

The local people gave hundreds of martyrs and veterans in World War I, the Gallipoli Campaign, and the Turkish War of Independence. The people of the region suffered greatly and were occupied for more than 1 year.

Climate and Geography

The district cannot benefit much from the influence of the Marmara Sea due to Uludağ blocking it. It has a climate that can be considered a transition point between a temperate climate and a continental climate. For this reason, winters are cold and rainy. It stands out as the district that receives the most rainfall among Bursa's districts.

The district is located south of Uludağ and southeast of Tepel Mountain. The district's terrain includes plains in some parts and mountainous regions in others. Despite the prevalence of mountainous areas, the region is suitable for agriculture. Forests constitute 57% of the district's total area. It is one of the districts in Bursa with the most forest land. Although there are many rivers in the region, the most important and largest of them is Kocasu. It originates from the northern foothills of Murat Mountain near Gediz, Kütahya, and flows into Uluabat Lake. A separate stream emerging from Uluabat Lake also flows into the south of the Marmara Sea. The length of Kocasu is approximately 276 km. The district's vegetation generally consists of pine forests and meadows. As one goes towards the Uludağ region, fir, poplar, chestnut, and juniper trees also become widespread. Additionally, meadow areas are used as pastures.

Economic Structure

The district's economy is generally based on agriculture and animal husbandry. Due to the mountainous, rugged, and forested nature of the region's land, agricultural productivity and diversity are limited. The most produced agricultural products in the district are cherries, strawberries, sour cherries, and walnuts. Especially cherry production is intensely carried out in the region. The share of cherry production in the region in Türkiye is approximately 3%. Small and large livestock farming is also carried out in the district. The region stands out with goat and sheep breeding. Dairy cattle farming is also one of the important economic items of the region. At the same time, in the district covered with forests, forestry work and forest product production hold an important economic place.

^{Location of Keles District in Bursa (Source: BEBKA Keles District Report)}

^{Bursa Keles Gelemiç Village (Source: Bursa Tourism Portal)}