Geography

The town is situated at the southern slopes of Toros Mountains

Taurus Mountains

Taurus Mountains are a mountain complex in southern Turkey, dividing the Mediterranean coastal region of southern Turkey from the central Anatolian Plateau. The system extends along a curve from Lake Eğirdir in the west to the upper reaches of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in the east...

. The average altitude is 825 metres (2,706.7 ft). It is 24 kilometres (14.9 mi) north of Mersin at 36°58′N 34°33′E. The current population (as of 2010) is 2673

History

The earliest settlement was around a middle age castle. The castle as well as the small village was named Belenkeşlik. For many years, Belenkeşlik was used as a yayla

Yayla (resort)

Yayla is a name given to the summer mountain resorts in Turkey.- Etymology :Nomadic herdsmen of Turkic origin used to call their herding locations by different names depending on the season. Yazlak, yaylak, güzlek and kışlak referred to herding locations of different seasons of the year...

(summer resort of Mersin citizens) . During the second half of the 20th century the population of the village increased and the village was declared township in 1997.

Economy

Although the mountains around Soğucak are covered with pine forests, there is enough agricultural land for the Soğucak residents. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the main products. House rental services during summers and animal husbandry are also pronounced activities.