Zonguldak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Zonguldak
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 Zonguldak
Location in Turkey
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| Country | Turkey |
| Province | Zonguldak |
| District | Zonguldak |
| Elevation | 60 m (200 ft) |
| Population
(2022)
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101,749 |
| Time zone | TRT (UTC+3) |
| Postal code |
67000
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| Area code | 0372 |
| Climate | Cfa |
Zonguldak (Turkish pronunciation: [zoŋˈguɫdak]) is a city in the Black Sea region of Turkey. About 100,000 people live there. It is the main city of Zonguldak Province and Zonguldak District. The city was started in 1849 as a port. It helped transport coal from nearby mines in Ereğli. The current mayor is Tahsin Erdem, from the CHP.
Contents
What Does the Name Zonguldak Mean?
There are a few ideas about where the name Zonguldak comes from:
- Some say it comes from Zone Geul-Dagh. This name was used by French and Belgian mining companies. It mixes the French word "zone" with a French spelling of the Turkish "Göldağı," which means 'Lake Mountain'. This is the highest mountain nearby.
- Another idea is that the name comes from the Turkish word zongalık. This word means "swamp" or zongura.
- The name might also come from an old town nearby called Sandaraca or Sandarake.
- Finally, it could be from the word "jungle" (which French business people used for the area because it was very green and hilly) combined with the Turkish word dağ, meaning 'mountain'.
In a report from 1920, the British Foreign Office spelled Zonguldak as Zunguldak.
A Brief Look at Zonguldak's Past
During World War I, the port city of Zonguldak was heavily attacked by Russian forces. This event is shown in an old popular picture called a Lubok.
By 1920, the port was managed by the Heraclea Coal Company. The northern part of the bay had a special harbor built for steamships. At that time, the port used two large cranes. These cranes helped load coal onto ships for export.
Understanding Zonguldak's Climate
Zonguldak has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa). This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters. It used to be thought of as having an oceanic climate (Cfb). However, in recent years, the city has become warmer. This is due to climate change and the urban heat island effect.
Summers in Zonguldak are warm. The average temperature in July and August is about 22.5 °C. Winters are cool, with an average temperature of about 6 °C in January and February. It rains often in Zonguldak. Rain is usually heaviest in autumn and early winter. It rains less in spring, but it is still frequent. Snow can fall in winter. When it does, it can be quite heavy.
The water temperature around Zonguldak changes throughout the year. It is usually cool to mild, ranging from 8 °C to 20 °C.
| Climate data for Zonguldak (1991–2020, extremes 1939–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 24.1 (75.4) |
26.7 (80.1) |
31.7 (89.1) |
33.6 (92.5) |
36.7 (98.1) |
40.5 (104.9) |
39.5 (103.1) |
39.8 (103.6) |
36.2 (97.2) |
35.9 (96.6) |
29.9 (85.8) |
28.1 (82.6) |
40.5 (104.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 9.2 (48.6) |
9.7 (49.5) |
11.7 (53.1) |
15.2 (59.4) |
19.3 (66.7) |
23.6 (74.5) |
25.8 (78.4) |
26.2 (79.2) |
23.2 (73.8) |
19.2 (66.6) |
15.2 (59.4) |
11.5 (52.7) |
17.5 (63.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 6.3 (43.3) |
6.4 (43.5) |
8.1 (46.6) |
11.5 (52.7) |
15.7 (60.3) |
19.9 (67.8) |
22.4 (72.3) |
22.7 (72.9) |
19.5 (67.1) |
15.7 (60.3) |
11.7 (53.1) |
8.3 (46.9) |
14.0 (57.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 3.8 (38.8) |
3.6 (38.5) |
5.2 (41.4) |
8.3 (46.9) |
12.6 (54.7) |
16.5 (61.7) |
18.8 (65.8) |
19.2 (66.6) |
16.1 (61.0) |
12.8 (55.0) |
8.9 (48.0) |
5.7 (42.3) |
11.0 (51.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −7.7 (18.1) |
−8.0 (17.6) |
−6.4 (20.5) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
3.0 (37.4) |
8.8 (47.8) |
11.2 (52.2) |
10.0 (50.0) |
5.9 (42.6) |
1.8 (35.2) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
−7.4 (18.7) |
−8.0 (17.6) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 127.7 (5.03) |
93.9 (3.70) |
96.4 (3.80) |
57.1 (2.25) |
59.5 (2.34) |
83.0 (3.27) |
69.7 (2.74) |
81.6 (3.21) |
125.9 (4.96) |
147.5 (5.81) |
134.5 (5.30) |
161.8 (6.37) |
1,238.6 (48.76) |
| Average precipitation days | 18.13 | 15.93 | 15.60 | 12.73 | 11.37 | 9.33 | 7.17 | 7.03 | 10.17 | 12.80 | 13.60 | 18.30 | 152.2 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 72.4 | 72.3 | 70.5 | 71.2 | 74.9 | 74.6 | 75.6 | 76.3 | 74.7 | 76.4 | 71.5 | 71.1 | 73.5 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 62.0 | 73.5 | 108.5 | 153.0 | 195.3 | 243.0 | 275.9 | 257.3 | 189.0 | 130.2 | 90.0 | 65.1 | 1,842.8 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 2.0 | 2.6 | 3.5 | 5.1 | 6.3 | 8.1 | 8.9 | 8.3 | 6.3 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 5.0 |
| Source 1: Turkish State Meteorological Service | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: NOAA (humidity) | |||||||||||||
Zonguldak's Economy and Coal Industry
Many jobs in the coal in Turkey industry are changing or disappearing. In 2020, the EBRD suggested a "just transition" for the area. This means helping workers and communities move from coal-related jobs to new types of work. A study in 2021 said that Zonguldak was not fully ready for coal mining to stop.
How People and Goods Move in Zonguldak
Zonguldak is the end point of a railway line that goes to Irmak. The main train station, Zonguldak Railway Station, was built in 1937.
Zonguldak's Sister Cities Around the World
Zonguldak has "twin town" relationships with other cities. This helps them share culture and ideas. Zonguldak is twinned with:
Brindisi, in Apulia, Italy
Castrop-Rauxel, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Kherson, in Kherson Oblast, Ukraine- Monfalcone, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
Famous People from Zonguldak
- Ergün Penbe - A Turkish former football player.
- Murat Boz - A Turkish singer-songwriter and actor.
- Nilgün Efes - A Turkish business person and journalist.
See also
In Spanish: Zonguldak para niños
