Quick answerIzmir is a city in Turkey, with 4,504,184 people inside the city limits in 2025. It is best known for the Clock Tower, the Agora of Smyrna and the Kordon waterfront. Its official language is Turkish, and its currency is the Turkish lira.
Izmir is the third-largest city in Turkey, with 4,504,184 people in the province (2025 estimate). It is the largest city on the Aegean Sea, known in ancient times as Smyrna, and is home to the Clock Tower and the Agora of Smyrna.
Key facts
| Country | Turkey |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 4,504,184 (2025) |
| Elevation | 2 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Europe/Istanbul |
| Language | Turkish |
| Currency | Turkish lira (TRY, ₺) |
| Coordinates | 38.42444° N, 27.13222° E |
Overview
Izmir is the third-largest city in Turkey, with 4,504,184 people in the province at the end of 2025. It is the largest metropolitan area on the Aegean Sea and the capital of Izmir Province. The city extends along the Gulf of Izmir on the Aegean coast of Anatolia, in western Turkey.
Izmir was known in classical times as Smyrna, and it has more than 3,000 years of recorded urban history. It was one of the great trading ports of the Mediterranean, and its Agora, built under the Romans, still stands in the city centre. Today Izmir is a busy port and university city, known for its waterfront promenade, the Kordon, its Clock Tower, its bazaars and its Mediterranean climate. The ruins of Ephesus, one of the great cities of the ancient world, lie about 80 kilometres to the south.
What Izmir is known for
- Clock Tower
- Agora of Smyrna
- Kordon waterfront
- Aegean port
- Ancient Smyrna
- Kemeraltı Bazaar
Landmarks
- Clock Tower (Konak)
- Agora of Smyrna
- Kadifekale
- Kordon
- Kemeraltı Bazaar
- Asansör
- Kültürpark
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Izmir?
Izmir Province had 4,504,184 people at the end of 2025, according to TurkStat. The city itself is home to around 3.5 million people, with about 3.0 million in the urban area. That makes Izmir Turkey's third-largest city, after Istanbul and Ankara.
Where is Izmir and what is it known for?
Izmir is on the Aegean coast of western Turkey, at the head of the Gulf of Izmir. It is famous for its Clock Tower, the Agora of Smyrna, the Kordon waterfront, the Kemeraltı Bazaar and its port, and as the gateway to the ruins of Ephesus.
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Keep exploring
- Turkey — the country Izmir is in
- Istanbul — another city in Turkey
- Ankara — another city in Turkey
- Bursa — another city in Turkey
- All cities in Turkey
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.