A vision for a more resilient, efficient, and citizen-oriented administrative future

Türkiye’s Settlement Pattern and Population Dynamics (Article 21 – Final)

Aydın Tiryaki (2026)

Throughout this article series, we have examined Türkiye’s settlement map and civil administration structure through multi-layered perspectives such as population dynamics, technological transformation, and disaster risks. The resulting picture clearly shows that in the second century of our Republic, our current administrative templates struggle to meet the current and future requirements of settlements. A management approach based on static boundaries must now give way to a “functional and dynamic” architecture (1).

In our future projection, the primary goal is a reform that focuses on the function of the settlement rather than its name, and on its service capacity rather than its borders. Looking from the year 2026, the concepts we proposed for Türkiye’s settlement architecture—such as “Urban Village,” “Rural Neighborhood,” and “Special Status District”—are not just administrative arrangements, but also guarantees of social peace and economic sustainability. A system where citizens can reach qualified public services at equal speed regardless of where they live, and participate directly in local decisions through digital tools, will determine the management quality of modern Türkiye (2).

When we look on a regional basis, transferring the massive pressure on the Marmara Region to new attraction centers to be established in Anatolia is an obligatory move for both the economic and vital security of the country. Spreading industry, technology, and agriculture across the country in coordination with settlement planning will open the clogged arteries of metropolises and truly initiate local development. At this point, reconfiguring the administrative division based on efficiency is a rational step that will prevent the waste of public resources (3).

Digitalization and smart city applications will strengthen the bond between the citizen and the state by removing administrative obstacles created by physical distances. In the Türkiye of the future, bureaucracy will evolve from buildings and signatures into a data-driven, preventive, and result-oriented process. Building living spaces that are resilient to disasters, compatible with nature, and worthy of human dignity must be the main principle of our settlement architecture (4).

In conclusion, all the solution proposals we have emphasized throughout this study aim not to ignore Türkiye’s administrative tradition, but to update that tradition in accordance with the requirements of the era. A more democratic, participatory, and functional settlement pattern will be the unshakable foundation of a prosperous future (5).

Aydın Tiryaki Ankara, January 12, 2026

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All ideas, opinions, and suggestions in this article belong to the author. During the process of writing the text, the artificial intelligence Gemini was utilized for writing assistance and information compilation.

ANNEX

Annex A: Strategic Goals for 2030 and Beyond This table summarizes the new administrative ecosystem that will be formed by implementing the core suggestions discussed throughout the article series:

• Administrative Simplification: Transitioning districts with populations under 2,000 to “service unit” status.
• Representation: Direct neighborhood councils and budget rights in rural neighborhoods and urban villages.
• Resilient Cities: Completion of disaster simulations for all settlement units via digital twins.
• Spatial Planning: Gradual transfer of industrial hubs to safe regions of Anatolia (e.g., the Kayseri-Konya-Sivas line).
• Digital Management: Completion of 90% of local government services without requiring physical contact.

REFERENCES

(1) Republic of Türkiye Presidency of Strategy and Budget, 2053 Vision and Local Government Forecasts. https://www.sbb.gov.tr

(2) Tiryaki, A. (2026). A New Model in Settlement Architecture (Article 16 of the Series).

(3) Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (TBB), Analysis of the European Charter of Local Self-Government and Its Implementation in Türkiye. https://www.tbb.gov.tr

(4) OECD, Regional Development and Local Governance Report 2025. https://www.oecd.org

(5) Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Interior, Communiqué on New Approaches in Civil Administration Restructuring. https://www.icisleri.gov.tr