BALIKESİR

There are many tumuli (barrows), caves and level areas dating from 8000 – 3000 B.C. that have already been investigated; recent discoveries; and undoubtedly many more archaeological treasures that have yet to be unearthed. 

The Province of Balıkesir is in the northwest of the Anatolian peninsula and is in the Karesi district of the Marmara region of which it is an important part; a small part of the province is in the Northeast part of the Aegean region.  The province has 115.5 km along the Aegean Sean (Ayvalık: 54 km, Gömeç: 17.5 km, Burhaniye: 12 km, Edremit: 32 km) and 175.25 km along the Sea of Marmara (Gönen: 8 km, Erdek: 34.75 km, Marmara: 72.5 km, Bandırma: 60 km).  The province occupies an area of 14456 km² between 39' 06” - 40' 39” north lattitude and 26' 39” - 28' 58” east longitude.  

Balıkesir is beginning to put priority on agricultural production.  As the number one producer of  livestock in Turkey, Balıkesir is an important supplier of food nationally.  Because of the richness of the forest it is becoming a priority to make industrial use of forestry products.  Agricultural abundance has brought development of industrial machinery for agriculture and elements of the food industry that depend on agriculture.  The textile industry has seen progress in synthetic bags, most of which are exported.  Tranformers and generators are other commodities that export the bulk of their products.  Because Balıkesir is rich in sources of boron, marble and coal it will soon be host to several mineral industries.  In connection with the abundance of marble is the antique marble industry which is making good progress and has potential for increasing export.  Besides the sectors mentioned above the Balıkesir industrial production also includes aluminum, PVC window and door freames, paint, chains, furnaces, shower enclosures, cold storage, cutting machines, plastic packaging and a variety of similar products.

 The chicken sector in our province along the shores of the Sea of Marmara has come to the forefront and has a high production capacity.  Besides tourism the Aegean Sea coast with its 11 million olive trees produces the highest quality olives in the country.

 AGRICULTURE 

Due to the influences three different climate regions, productive soil, and rich running water sources Balıkesir has a wide variety of agricultural products.  A large fraction of the population works in agriculture.  On the coast, olives, citrus fruits, figs, cotton, apples, pears, quince and grapes are grown.  Inland, grain, legumes, beets, tobacco, sunflowers, sesame, rice and all kinds of fruits and vegetables are grown.  The most commonly grown agricultural products are wheat, barley, corn and oats.  Balıkesir has the country's biggest olive groves and produces a third of the country's olives.

 LIVESTOCK 

Balya and Manyas counties are suitable for animal husbandry.  Sheep, goats and cattle are raised.  Modern chicken farming is very advanced.  As time goes on, beekeeping is making progress.  The fish industry is fairly advanced.  On Marmara Island all kinds of canned fish are produced.  The fish canning industry is well developed.  Marmara Island has Turkey's biggest fish cold storage.  The region's pilchards are famous.

 FORESTRY 

Balıkesir is a province rich in forests and forestry products .  The forests are mostly in the eastern mountainous region and along the coasts.  The counties of  Dursunbey, Balya, Sındırgı and Burhaniye lead in forestry products.  There are furniture and lumber factories.

 MINERALS 

The province of Balıkesir is a very rich in minerals.  Balıkesir has 52% of the world's boron reserves.  Pure boron, sodium borate, calcium borate and other boron compounds are valuable minerals used in the machine, flight and space industries.  About 40% of the worlds raw boron production is here.  Turkey's richest marble lodes are in Balıkesir.  Marble has been processed on Marmara Island for two thousand years.  Its white and grey marble are famous world-wide.  Most of it is exported.  There are 250 marble quarries in Balıkesir.  Granite and carborundum are fairly abundant.    Eymir, Gönen, Şamlı, Balya and Havran are rich in iron ore mining.  There are also lignite, anthracite, mercury, iron, copper, aluminum, manganese, chrome, lead, antimony, meerschaum, dolomite, silver, kaolin and gold lodes.