Avsa
Encyclopedia
Avşa Island or Türkeli is a Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

 island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...

 in the southern Sea of Marmara
Sea of Marmara
The Sea of Marmara , also known as the Sea of Marmora or the Marmara Sea, and in the context of classical antiquity as the Propontis , is the inland sea that connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, thus separating Turkey's Asian and European parts. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Black...

. It was the classical and Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...

 Aphousia or Ophiousa (Οφιούσα) and was a place of exile during the Byzantine period.

The island belongs to the Marmara District of Balıkesir Province
Balikesir Province
Balıkesir Province is a province in midwestern Turkey, having coastlines on both the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean. Its adjacent provinces are Çanakkale to the west, İzmir to the southwest, Manisa to the south, Kütahya to the southeast, and Bursa to the east. The provincial capital is Balıkesir City...

 in northwestern Turkey. It is a popular domestic tourist destination, especially for tourists from Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...

. The local population is around 2,000 according to the last census, but during in the summer season the number of visitors increases as far as forty to fifty thousand.

Transportation

The island is within reach from Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...

 by ship and ferry. It is also accessible from Erdek
Erdek
Erdek is a town and district of Balıkesir Province in the Marmara region of Turkey. The population is 20,693 .Located on the north coast of Gulf of Erdek at the south of the Sea of Marmara, Erdek is known as a friendly holiday destination that is popular among domestic tourists...

 and Tekirdağ
Tekirdag
Tekirdağ , the ancient Bisanthi , is a city in Eastern Thrace, in the European part of Turkey. Tekirdağ is the capital of Tekirdağ Province, felt by the local people to be a quieter and more pleasant town than the industrial centre of Çorlu, which it administers. The city population as of 2009 was...

 by motorboat.

Location

The exact location of Avşa island is shown in the following map in red color. The larger island north of Avşa is the island of Marmara and the island to the east is Paşalimanı
Pasalimani
Paşalimanı Island , formerly Halone , is a small island in the southern Sea of Marmara in Turkey. The island belongs to the Marmara District of Balıkesir Province in northwestern Turkey. There are five small settlements on the island.-See also:...

.

See also

  • Marmara Island
    Marmara Island
    Marmara is a Turkish island in the Sea of Marmara. It is the largest island in the Sea of Marmara that is the center of Marmara district in Balıkesir Province...

  • Paşalimanı
    Pasalimani
    Paşalimanı Island , formerly Halone , is a small island in the southern Sea of Marmara in Turkey. The island belongs to the Marmara District of Balıkesir Province in northwestern Turkey. There are five small settlements on the island.-See also:...

  • Sea of Marmara
    Sea of Marmara
    The Sea of Marmara , also known as the Sea of Marmora or the Marmara Sea, and in the context of classical antiquity as the Propontis , is the inland sea that connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, thus separating Turkey's Asian and European parts. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Black...

  • Balıkesir
    Balikesir Province
    Balıkesir Province is a province in midwestern Turkey, having coastlines on both the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean. Its adjacent provinces are Çanakkale to the west, İzmir to the southwest, Manisa to the south, Kütahya to the southeast, and Bursa to the east. The provincial capital is Balıkesir City...

  • 1935 Erdek-Marmara Islands earthquake
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