Banaz
Encyclopedia
Banaz is a town and district of Uşak Province
in the inner Aegean
region of Turkey
. The mayor is Tahsin Erdem (CHP
). Banaz district area neighbors those of two other districts of the same province, namely Sivaslı
and Uşak
central district from its south to its west, ranges three districts of Kütahya Province
, Gediz
, Altıntaş
and Dumlupınar
, along its north, and adjoins three districts of Afyonkarahisar Province
, namely Sandıklı
, Sinanpaşa
and Hocalar
to its east.
The town is situated on the main road from İzmir
to Ankara
, at a distance of 33 km (21 mi) to the province seat of Uşak
. The town has a population of 15,504 (2007 census).
The district extends on a large and fertile plain (65 km²) that carries the same name as the town and the district (Banaz Plain - Banaz Ovası), and it is an area of intense and varied agricultural production, as well as of dense forestation.
The stream that crosses and feeds the plain carries the name Banaz as well (Banaz Çayı) and it later joins Büyük Menderes River. Sugarbeet and opium
are the principal agricultural products that are grown in Banaz.
The climate unites the influences of both the Aegean Region and of Central Anatolia, thus experiencing the hot summers of the first and the harsh winters of the second in moderation.
Another notable feature of the district is the presence of several hot thermal springs, some of which, such as those at localities called Evrendede, Çatalçam and Hamamboğazı have been arranged to serve as health centers with accommodation and as recreational areas.
The district has two depending townships with their own municipality (Büyükoturak and Kızılcahöyük) and 45 villages. One of these villages, lying at a distance of 4 km from the district center carries the same name of "Banaz" and is where the ancient site of the locality, called Panasion and from which the name Banaz derives, was actually located.
Usak Province
Uşak is a province in western Turkey. Its adjacent provinces are Manisa to the west, Denizli to the south, Afyon to the east, and Kütahya to the north. The provincial capital is Uşak, and its traffic code is 64. The province covers an area of 5,341 km² and has a population of 335,860...
in the inner Aegean
Aegean Region
Aegean Region , is one of the 7 census-defined regions of Turkey, and in Western Asia.It is located in the west part of the country: bounded by Aegean Sea on the west; Marmara Region on the north;...
region of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. The mayor is Tahsin Erdem (CHP
Republican People's Party (Turkey)
The Republican People's Party is a centre-left Kemalist political party in Turkey. It is the oldest political party of Turkey and is currently Main Opposition in the Grand National Assembly. The Republican People's Party describes itself as "a modern social-democratic party, which is faithful to...
). Banaz district area neighbors those of two other districts of the same province, namely Sivaslı
Sivasli
Sivaslı is a town and district of Uşak Province in the inner Aegean region of Turkey. Sivaslı district area neighbors those of four other districts of the same province from north to south, clockwise Karahallı, Ulubey, Uşak central district, and Banaz and ranges Sandıklı district of Afyonkarahisar...
and Uşak
Usak
Uşak is a city in the interior part of the Aegean Region of Turkey. The city has a population of 180,414 and is the capital of Uşak Province. The mayor is Ali Erdoğan ....
central district from its south to its west, ranges three districts of Kütahya Province
Kütahya Province
Kütahya Province is a province in the Aegean region of Turkey. It is 11,889 km² in size, and the population is 590,496 . In 1990, Kütahya had a population of 578,020.-Districts:...
, Gediz
Gediz
Gediz may refer to:* Gediz, Kütahya, a district of the Kütahya Province of Turkey* Gediz River, a river in the Aegean region of Turkey...
, Altıntaş
Altintas
Altıntaş is a town and a district of Kütahya Province in the Aegean region of Turkey....
and Dumlupınar
Dumlupinar
Dumlupınar may refer to:*Dumlupınar, a district of Kütahya Province in Turkey*Battle of Dumlupınar, a battle in the Greco-Turkish War*Kütahya Dumlupınar University, a new university in Kütahya, Turkey...
, along its north, and adjoins three districts of Afyonkarahisar Province
Afyonkarahisar Province
Afyonkarahisar Province , also called more simply Afyon Province, is a province in western Turkey.Adjacent provinces are Kütahya to the northwest, Uşak to the west, Denizli to the southwest, Burdur to the south, Isparta to the southeast, Konya to the east, and Eskişehir to the north. The provincial...
, namely Sandıklı
Sandikli
Sandıklı is a town and a district of Afyonkarahisar Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. It has a population of 60.126 of which 33.144 live in the city centre according to the 2010 census. The mayor is İsmail Elibol ....
, Sinanpaşa
Sinanpasa
Sinanpaşa is a town and district of Afyonkarahisar Province, Turkey on a plain surrounded by pine-covered mountains, 33 km from the city of Afyon on the road to Uşak and İzmir. It covers an area of 845 km², and the population is 42,294 of which 3,924 live in the town of Sinanpaşa, while the...
and Hocalar
Hocalar
Hocalar is a town and district of Afyonkarahisar Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. The mayor is Mustafa Akın .-Settlements:*Akçadere, Hocalar*Avgancık, Hocalar*Davulga, Hocalar*Devlethan, Hocalar*Güre, Hocalar*Hocalar*Kocagöl, Hocalar...
to its east.
The town is situated on the main road from İzmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
to Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
, at a distance of 33 km (21 mi) to the province seat of Uşak
Usak
Uşak is a city in the interior part of the Aegean Region of Turkey. The city has a population of 180,414 and is the capital of Uşak Province. The mayor is Ali Erdoğan ....
. The town has a population of 15,504 (2007 census).
The district extends on a large and fertile plain (65 km²) that carries the same name as the town and the district (Banaz Plain - Banaz Ovası), and it is an area of intense and varied agricultural production, as well as of dense forestation.
The stream that crosses and feeds the plain carries the name Banaz as well (Banaz Çayı) and it later joins Büyük Menderes River. Sugarbeet and opium
Opium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
are the principal agricultural products that are grown in Banaz.
The climate unites the influences of both the Aegean Region and of Central Anatolia, thus experiencing the hot summers of the first and the harsh winters of the second in moderation.
Another notable feature of the district is the presence of several hot thermal springs, some of which, such as those at localities called Evrendede, Çatalçam and Hamamboğazı have been arranged to serve as health centers with accommodation and as recreational areas.
The district has two depending townships with their own municipality (Büyükoturak and Kızılcahöyük) and 45 villages. One of these villages, lying at a distance of 4 km from the district center carries the same name of "Banaz" and is where the ancient site of the locality, called Panasion and from which the name Banaz derives, was actually located.