Şırnak

This article deals with the Turkish city, for the province of the same name see Şırnak (Province) .

Şırnak
Help on coat of arms
Sirnak in the evening light, in the background the Cudi mountain range
Basic data
Province (il) :	Şırnak
Coordinates :	37 ° 31 '  N , 42 ° 28'  E Coordinates: 37 ° 30 '59 "  N , 42 ° 27' 40"  E
Height :	1650  m
Residents :	62,761 (2018)
Telephone code :	(+90) 486
Postal code :	73,000
License plate :	73
Structure and administration (as of 2019)
Structure :	12 Mahalle
Mayor :	Mehmet Yarka ( AKP )
Website:	www.sirnak.bel.tr
Şırnak County
Residents :	93,431 (2018)
Surface:	1,701 km²
Population density :	55 inhabitants per km²

Şırnak ( Kurdish Şirnex) is a city in the Turkish region of Southeast Anatolia . At the same time, it is the capital of the province founded in 1990 and the district of the same name. The district town ( Merkez ) unites around 67 percent of the population of the entire district.

The district is next to the district town from three other municipalities ( Belediye :) Kasrik (3186), Balveren (3457) and Kumçatı (9,287 pop.). In addition, there are 18 villages ( Köy , plural Köyler ), with an average population of 776 inhabitants per village. Six villages have over 1,000 inhabitants, including Yenİaslanbaşar (2,858) and Kizilsu (2,479).

Şırnak is a very old city, the first signs of settlement go back several millennia. Before the conflict in 2016, the city had 63,047 inhabitants (2014 census), the majority of whom were Kurds . The city is located near the border triangle Turkey / Syria / Iraq in a mountainous region. To the south of Şırnak is Mount Cudi and to the west is Mount Gabar . Şırnak lies at 1,350 meters above sea level and has no historical building fabric.

Şırnak has had Şerafettin Elçi Airport, which Turkish Airlines flies to, since 2013 .

According to a popular etymology, the name Şırnak is said to be derived from Şehr-i Nuh , which means Noach's city . This then became Şerneh and then Şırnak . Mount Cudi applies to the Koran as Anlegeort of Noah's ark . The derivation of the Armenian word Sirunak ("beautiful") is controversial.

Conflicts between the Turkish military and the PKK

1992

On August 18, 1992 fighting broke out between the Turkish police and the military on one side and the PKK on the other. The military bombed the city and most of the residents fled. When the fighting ended after three days, around 150 deaths were counted.

2016

In the course of the Turkish offensive against the PKK in Southeast Anatolia , which has been ongoing since 2015 , the fighting also reached Şırnak in March 2016. The fighting was accompanied by a curfew, which lasted 246 days from March 14, 2016 and was lifted in November 2016. Most of the residents left the city during the fighting and returned - at least partially - after the fighting ended.

According to the Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urban Development, 14,727 houses were damaged and 2,044 buildings were demolished in the course of the fighting, which led to the disappearance of entire city districts. According to former HDP MP Leyla Birlik , 70% of the city has been demolished. Districts that were actually not in the combat zone were also affected.

Population development

The following table shows the comparative population level at the end of the year for the province, the central district and the city of Şırnak as well as the respective share at the higher administrative level. The figures are based on the address-based population register (ADNKS) introduced in 2007.

year	province	district		city
	real	percent	real	percent	real
2018	524.190	17.82	93,431	67.17	62,761
2017	503.236	17.00	85,557	64.23	54,955
2016	483,788	17.05	82,468	65.52	54.032
2015	490.184	18.81	92.206	68.72	63,367
2014	488.966	18.73	91,573	68.85	63,047
2013	475.255	18.35	87,187	69.11	60,255
2012	466.982	18.78	87,719	72.16	63,298
2011	457.997	18.64	85,369	71.85	61,335
2010	430.109	18.10	77,865	69.69	54.263
2009	430.424	20.21	87,000	73.18	63,664
2008	429.287	19.30	82,863	71.73	59,435
2007	416.001	18.81	78.231	69.41	54,302

Climate table

Şırnak (1350 m)
Climate diagram
J F. M. A. M. J J A. S. O N D.     90   6th -2     130   6th -1     113   11 3     95   16 8th     47   22nd 13     3.8   29 19th     2.7   34 23     0.2   33 23     4.9   29 18th     43   21st 12     84   14th 5     96   8th 1 Temperature in ° C ,  precipitation in mm Source: State Meteorological Office of the Turkish Republic, normal period 1981-2010

Average monthly temperatures and precipitation for Şırnak (1350 m) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Max. Temperature ( ° C ) 5.9 6.4 11.1 16.3 22.2 29.2 33.6 33.4 28.7 21.4 13.6 8.2 O 19.2 Min. Temperature (° C) -1.5 -1.2 3.0 7.5 12.6 19.0 22.9 23.0 18.4 12.1 5.1 0.5 O 10.2 Temperature (° C) 1.7 2.6 7.1 12.0 17.6 24.5 28.7 28.5 23.4 16.8 8.9 4.3 O 14.7 Precipitation ( mm ) 90.3 130.1 112.9 95.2 47.2 3.8 2.7 0.2 4.9 42.5 84.3 95.8 Σ 709.9 Rainy days ( d ) 8.4 9.8 10.0 10.7 7.5 1.9 0.6 0.4 0.9 6.4 6.8 9.0 Σ 72.4 Source: State Meteorological Office of the Turkish Republic, normal period 1981-2010

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Türkiye Nüfusu İl ve İlçelere Göre Nüfus Bilgileri (Nufusune.com) , accessed on April 23, 2019
2. ↑ Christopher de Bellaigue: Rebel Land, page 231
3. ↑ Mehmet Aksoy - KurdishQuestion.com. Accessed March 31, 2019 . 
4. ↑ How the Turkish army and Kurdish fighters reduced this town to ruins. Accessed March 31, 2019 . 
5. ↑ 70% of Şırnak has been demolished. Accessed March 31, 2019 . 
6. ↑ Central Dissemination System / Merkezi Dağıtım Sistemi (MEDAS) of the TÜIK , accessed on May 5, 2019