Reşadiye is a district located east of Tokat city center, on the banks of the Kelkit Stream. Agricultural and livestock farming activities are common in the district. Furthermore, thermal springs and plateaus contribute to the region's tourism.
Reşadiye (Tokat Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism)
History
Based on archaeological data, the settlement area of Reşadiye has a layered history of habitation extending back to the Early Bronze Age (3rd millennium BCE). In the early 2nd millennium BCE, the region was within the borders of the Hittite and Urartian kingdoms, then came under the control of the Milesians in 670 BCE, and subsequently the Kingdom of Pontus. During the period of 63–88 BCE, the city became a province of the Roman Empire, and during the reign of Trajan (98–117 CE), it was separated from the provinces of Pontus Galaticus and Polemoniacus and annexed to Cappadocia. The ancient settlement was known as Sebastapolis; this Greek-derived name, meaning “great and majestic city,” also took the form of Heracleopolis at certain periods.
During the Migration Period, Turkish tribes arrived in the region and established dominance there between 1095–1175 through the conquests of Danişmend Gazi, during the disintegration phase of the Anatolian Seljuks. Following the Battle of Kösedağ in 1243, the region came under Ilkhanate rule, was conquered by the Hacıemiroğulları from the Çepni tribes in the 1380s, and was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in 1427. The settlement, referred to as İskefsir in Ottoman records, was granted the title “Reşadiye” in 1906, named after Sultan Reşad by order of Reşit Pasha, the Governor of Sivas. The district, divided into five neighborhoods in 1912, covered a large area with 75 villages and a population of 27,372 according to the 1927–28 yearbook, also rich in forest assets. Following the 1939 Erzincan Earthquake, the district center was shifted northward, and reconstruction activities were carried out after 1966. Officially administered as a district since May 20, 1990, Reşadiye continues to preserve a multi-layered historical heritage spanning from the Hittites to the Ottomans.
Geography and Climate
Reşadiye is located 89 km from Tokat city center, at the intersection of 40° 25′ N and 37° 20′ E parallels. The district center is a coastal settlement at an altitude of 450 m, bordered by the southern extensions of the Canik Mountains to the north, Koyulhisar of Sivas to the east, Niksar of Tokat to the west, and Almus and Hafik districts to the south. Most of the land within its 1,162 km² area consists of plateaus and valley sections; low-lying areas are defined by the Kelkit Valley and limited plains at the foot of the mountains. The soil cover in the plain floor is deeply alluvial and sandy-loamy, transitioning to a stony-clay structure in higher elevations. Within the district borders, the Kelkit River flows, along with its tributaries Tozanlı, Delice, Tombalak, Köy, and Reşit streams.
The climate exhibits transitional features between the humid conditions of the Black Sea and the continental climate of Central Anatolia. Summers are hot and dry; winters are cold and harsh. Total annual rainfall is between 450–500 mm; precipitation increases in winter and spring, while it drops to its lowest level in summer. Average temperatures are around 0–2 °C in January and 20–24 °C in July. The average relative humidity is around 55%. There are 44 registered plateaus in the district; Selemen, Cimban, Gedik, and Batmış plateaus are among the most well-known. Natural water bodies such as Göllüköy (147,486 m²) and Zınav (348,514 m²) are used as recreational and picnic areas surrounded by forest belts.
Population and Demography
The population of Reşadiye district was recorded as 40,319 in 2007, and 41,952 in 2024; during this period, the population increased by 2,633 and 2,484 people in 2008 and 2009 respectively, then decreased by 5,556 people to 39,880 in 2010, rose by 2,908 people to 42,365 in 2012, but then dropped by 4,911 people to 37,454 in 2013. While increases of 3,449 people were observed in 2017–2018 and 2,692 people in 2018–2019, the largest decline of 9,659 people occurred in 2019–2020; with increases of 4,127 people in 2022–2023 and 5,225 people in 2023–2024, the population has again reached 41,952. As of 2024, the male population is 21,354 (50.90%) and the female population is 20,598 (49.10%), and annual population changes have shown fluctuations largely due to migration movements and administrative record updates.
Economy
Reşadiye's economy, with its primary sector-heavy structure, presents a distribution based on agriculture, animal husbandry, and forestry. The productivity level of agricultural lands varies depending on the irrigation infrastructure; wheat, barley, corn, and legumes are cultivated in irrigated areas within the plains. In dry farming areas, drought-resistant cereal types such as rye and sainfoin are preferred. The rate of agricultural mechanization remains limited; insufficient availability of agricultural tools and equipment affects crop yields. In addition to crop production, beekeeping activities serve as a secondary source of livelihood, providing added value due to the rich plateau flora.
Animal husbandry is predominantly limited to small ruminant production due to the limited scale of pastures. Meat and dairy production is at a level that supports rural family economies. Forestry plays a role in the economic structure through the provision of timber and non-wood forest products obtained from a total of approximately 75,000 ha of forest areas (45,000 ha beech, 15,000 ha Scots pine, 15,000 ha oak). This sector also includes intermediate products such as plant cultivation, mushroom and chestnut gathering.
The trade and services sector encompasses a limited number of entrepreneurs, with 4,504 motor vehicles, 457 simple tax method taxpayers, 296 actual tax method taxpayers, 57 institutions, 11 cooperatives, and 375 real estate tax payers. As of 2012, 4.34 million TL in tax revenue was collected, and 22.77 million TL was spent. Financial services are provided in the district through branches of Ziraat Bank and Halkbank, as well as agricultural credit and tradesmen's guarantee cooperatives. There are no modern industrial facilities; a flour mill and small-scale workshops producing animal feed, stationery, and monopolized products constitute the working area. Out-migration is relatively high due to a decrease in workforce during winter and infrastructure deficiencies.
Tourism–Culture–Cuisine
Its thermal tourism potential encompasses elements such as canyons, waterfalls, lakes, plateaus, and ancient settlements. Ilıca Thermal Spring, with its water rich in sodium, potassium, and magnesium at 48–52 °C, provides complementary treatment for some inflammatory rheumatic and orthopedic ailments. The thermal spring facility constitutes its health infrastructure with accommodation units such as guesthouses, hotels, motels, apartment hotels, and resorts, along with physiotherapy and rehabilitation units. The thermal spring area is located in the district center, on the E80/D 100 highway, by the banks of the Kelkit River.
Zınav Canyon, Gündoğdu Waterfall, and Kurt Lake offer recreational areas suitable for hiking, picnicking, camping, and amateur water sports. Zınav Lake, home to carp species, provides opportunities for sport angling with its 1.5 km² surface area and depths of 10–15 m. Plateaus suitable for nature sports, rock formations, and cave clusters (Kokurdan, Güngerit, Tilkidibi, Deliklikaya, Kızıl, İnkaya, Kayadibi, and Abudeliği caves) diversify the region in terms of exploration routes. Cultural heritage elements include the caravan route described by Evliya Çelebi as the “Eastern Road,” early period cemetery areas such as “Şehit Yakub” and “Cami-i Kebîr,” remnants of early Ottoman madrasahs, and various ruined castle foundations.
Local cuisine is based on wheat flour and legumes as staple foods. In addition to products like tarhana, akıtma (a type of pancake/crepe), and yaş erişte (fresh noodles), the meat dish called “buta,” regional soups, and plateau cheeses form the daily dietary practice. Establishments at the level of rural restaurants, within the scope of thermal and nature tourism, offer these delicacies to visitors.
