| Gediz Delta | |||||||||||||||||||
| Photo Alt: | An overexposed image of a marsh, with calm flat waters in every direction, peppered with small islands of grass. The sky is bleeding over the rest of the image, and some hills can be seen in the distance, not fully obscured by the glare. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Map: | Turkey | ||||||||||||||||||
| Location: | İzmir Province, Turkey | ||||||||||||||||||
| Nearest City: | İzmir | ||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates: | 38.5167°N 79°W | ||||||||||||||||||
| Area Ha: | 14,900 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Governing Body: | Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry | ||||||||||||||||||
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The Gediz Delta is the river delta at the confluence of the Gediz River with the Gulf of İzmir, in İzmir Province in western Turkey. It is a 14,900 ha area of land that occupies coastal parts of Foça, Menemen, and Çiğli districts. It is one of the largest areas of coastal wetlands in Turkeyand has a biodiversity of plants and birds. It is a Ramsar site since 1998 and an Important Bird Area since 2000.[1] [2] It is 26 km from İzmir city center.
The delta is home to more than 250 bird species and hosts approximately 80,000 birds in winter.[3] It provides shelter for 10% of the world's flamingo population.[4]
Remains of the former Ionian town of Leucae is located on the delta.[3]
Çamaltı Salt Pan, which is located on the delta, provides one third of Turkey's salt production.[3]