T he L e ading c ontr ibutor to the Tur k is h Ec onomy
Izmir , known as the modern face of Anatolia and its portal to the West , has hosted different cultures , religions and civilizations for centuries . It is unique with its aspect of being a city of tolerance due to the cultural variety it has embraced until present .
Thanks to its economic size , Izmir is among the leading contributors to the Turkish economy . The competitiveness of Izmir is not only within Turkey but also at a global scale . In the report “ Global Metro Monitor ” prepared by Brooking Institute and JP Morgan Chase , Izmir is listed as the second rising economy among 300 cities .
A large part of trade in Izmir ; Turkey ’ s third largest city , is provided by maritime transport . Port of Izmir is very effective and has a great role in the transportation system of the city . In Izmir , large part of the exports are carried by sea and Izmir port takes its place among the main container ports in Turkey .
Other industry and tourism sectors are lively in central districts where the population is concentrated while agriculture and animal husbandry are prominent in districts farther from centre and tourism is more common as an economic activity in coastal districts .
Izmir is among the economies contributing the most to the country ’ s economy . Izmir got a share of 6.23 % of the Turkish economy with regards to the Gross Added Value . While trade activities are conducted in an intense manner in the city centre ; small industrial sites , organized industry zones , free zones and techno parks also contribute to the development of the city industry .
Markets located in the city centre of Izmir , commercial sites and shopping centers are intensive trade areas of the city .