Yakakent

Yakakent
Town
Country	Turkey
Region	Black Sea
Province	Samsun
Government
• Mayor	Burhan Bayraktar (CHP)
Population
• Total	4,707
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code	55810
Area code	(0090)+ 362
Licence plate	55

Yakakent is the central town of Yakakent district in Samsun Province of Turkey, located on the Black Sea coast.

History

Yakakent was founded in the second century BC. It was named Cominus under Byzantian rule. The name remained as Gümenos or Gümenez until the 1980s, when it was renamed Yakakent. The city grew with the arrival of migrants from Caucasia during the Russian - Ottoman war and from Thessaloniki. It has become a sub-prefecture in 1991.

Geography

Yakakent is about the same distance to both Samsun and Sinop. It has a coastline on the Black Sea in the north and is surrounded by the Canik mountains in the south. The other neighbouring cities are Alaçam to the west, and Gerze to the east.

Climate

There are not much rain in summers, while winters are tepid and rainy.

Socio-Economic Structure

The agriculture and fishing are the backbone of Yakakent's economy. Sturgeons and other species of fish are caught by nearly seventy trawlers. Two factories process marine products and export them mainly to France and other European countries.

Characteristic agricultural products are tobacco, wheat and rice. Carpet - weaving is widespread in the villages.

Transports

Yakakent is 6 kilometers away from Alaçam, 33 kilometers from Bafra and 84 kilometers from Samsun. There are scheduled bus services to both Samsun and Sinop every day.

Sightseeing

The earliest settlement was found in the Pilavtepe tumulus. Though mention is made of a castle by ancient historians, no traces of it has been found so far. The Yakakent - Kushimato Brotherhood Sea Games Festival is held every July with participation of folkloric teams from Turkey and Japan.

Overnight Stay And Meals

A 20-bed municipal hotel with restaurant and a motel with 12 rooms are conveniently located at the seashore. The Teachers Club (a n affordable guesthouse) is also a convenient option for accommodation. Twelve family boarding houses are available at Sürmeli site some 5 kilometers away from the town. Likewise, the Forestry Administration's motel at Çamgölü is a pleasant option for overnight stay. The local ravioli, with walnut and ground meat fill is much appreciated. Broth with goose and chicken meat is also worth trying.

Sister cities

Yakakent has one sister city:

• Kushimoto (Japan)