Gebze

Gebze
Gebze
City
	Osman Hamdi Bey Museum
Country	Turkey
Region	Marmara
Province	Kocaeli
Government
• Mayor	Adnan Köşker (AKP)
Area
• City	604 km2 (233 sq mi)
Population (2010)
• Urban	290,868
Postal code	41400
Website	http://www.gebze.bel.tr/

Gebze (ancient names: Dakibyza and Libyssa) is an industrial city in Kocaeli Province, Turkey. Situated 30 miles east of Istanbul on the northern shore of the Sea of Marmara, it is the largest district of Kocaeli; Gebze has experienced rapid growth in recent years- from 159,116 in 1990, to 282,444 in 2009. Gebze accounts for 15% of Turkish industrial production. ^{[citation needed]}

The Demise of Hannibal

In 183 BCE, Hannibal committed suicide in the ancient port city of Libyssa (present-day Diliskelesi in Gebze) on the Sea of Marmara rather than face capture by the Romans.

Regional proximity

The district of Gebze is located in the westernmost portion of Kocaeli Province, with neighbors Tuzla to the west, Pendik, northwest, Şile, north, and Körfez, to the east. The district includes 6 municipalities- Gebze, Darıca, Çayırova, Dilovası, Şekerpınar and Tavşancıl -and 22 villages- Ahatlı, Balçık, Cumaköy, Çerkeşli, Demirciler, Denizli, Duraklı, Elbizli, Eskihisar, Hatipler, Kadıllı, Kargalı, Köseler, Mollafenari, Muallimköy, Mudarlı, Ovacık, Pelitli, Tavşanlı, Tepecik, Tepemanayır (Tepepanayır) and Yağcılar.

The northern terminus of the proposed Izmit Bay Bridge will fall within this area; the project -having a total length of 4 kilometers (with a 1,688 meter main span)- will bridging the Sea of Marmara from Kababurun to Dilburnu.