Location and Borders
Bartın is located in the western part of the Black Sea Region. The north of the province opens onto the Black Sea and has a coastline 59 km long. It borders Kastamonu to the east, Karabük to the south and Zonguldak to the west. According to data from the Bartın Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, the province has an area of approximately 2,143 km².
Districts
Bartın has four districts, including the central district:
- Central district (Merkez): the provincial centre, established around the Bartın River.
- Amasra: a coastal district known for its historic castle and harbour.
- Kurucaşile: a coastal district known for its wooden boat building.
- Ulus: a district in the interior of the province, close to the Küre Mountains.
Landforms and Rivers
The province is surrounded from the east, west and north by mountains that do not exceed 2,000 metres in height but descend steeply and sharply toward the coast. Among the principal mountains are the Aladağ, Kocadağ, Karadağ and Arıt Mountains. The province's main watercourse is the Bartın River, known in antiquity as Parthenios. Formed by the confluence of the Koca Çay and the Kocanaz Çay in the city centre, the river flows for about 15 km and reaches the Black Sea at the Boğaz locality. The Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism notes that ships of 500 tonnes could travel up the river from the Black Sea to the city.
Climate
Bartın has a temperate Black Sea climate with precipitation in every month of the year. According to measurements by the General Directorate of Meteorology for the period 1961-2025, the average temperature is 4.2 °C in January and 22.1 °C in July. The wettest month is December, with an average of 133.1 mm; when the monthly averages are added up, annual precipitation reaches approximately 1,060 mm.
Natural Areas
Küre Mountains National Park, which lies within the borders of Bartın and Kastamonu, was declared a national park in 2000. According to data from the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, 1,050 plant species and 129 bird species are recorded in the park, which covers approximately 37,754 hectares. On the coast, the lava columns rising like a wall from the sea at Güzelcehisar, 17 km from the provincial centre, were declared a natural monument in 2017.
Population
According to the 2025 results of TÜİK's Address-Based Population Registration System, the population of Bartın was 206,663 as of 31 December 2025. Of these, 102,394 are men and 104,269 are women. Of the population, 102,771 live in provincial and district centres and 103,892 in towns and villages.
Sources
Bartın Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism; Culture Portal (Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye); General Directorate of Meteorology; Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK); Western Black Sea Development Agency.