Bursa is a city in northwestern Turkey and these at of Bursa Province. With a population of 1.948.744 (2011), it is Turkey's fourthlargest city, as well as one of themostindustrializedandculturally charged metropolitan centers in thecountry.
Thecity is frequently cited as "Yesil Bursa" (meaning "Green Bursa") in a reference to the beautiful park sand gardens located acrossits urban tissue, as well as tothevastforests in richvarietythatextend in itssurroundingregion. Thecity is synonymouswiththemountain Uludag which towers behind the city core and which is also a famous ski resort. Themausoleums of early Ottoman sultansare located in Bursa and the numerousedificesbuiltthroughouttheOttomanperiodconstitutethecity's main landmarks. Thesurroundingfertileplain, itsthermalbaths, severalinterestingmuseums, notably a richmuseum of archaeology, and a ratherorderly urban growtharefurtherprincipalelementsthatcompleteBursa'soverallpicture.
Karagöz and Hacivat shadowplaycharacterswerehistoricpersonalitieswholivedandareburied in Bursa. Bursa is also home to some of the most famousTurkishdishes, especially candiedchestnutsand Iskender kebap. Itspeachesarealsowell-renowned. Amongitsdependingdistrictcenters, Iznik, historic Nicaea, is especiallynotableforitslonghistoryandimportantedifices. Bursa is hometo Uludag University, anditspopulationattainsone of thehighestoveralllevels of education in Turkey. It has traditionallybeen a pole of attractionand of refugeforimmigrationintoTurkeyfromtheBalkans, in sizablewaves at timesuntilquiterecently.
Bursa is thetoe of Turkey'sautomobileindustry. FIAT and Renault havefordecades had importantproductionunits in Bursa. Thetextileandfoodindustriesareequallystrong, andCoca Cola, Pepsi Cola, andotherbeveragesbrands, as well as freshandcannedfoodindustriesarepresent in thecity'sorganizedindustrialzones.
Traditionally, Bursa wasfamousforitsfertilesoilandagriculturalactivities, both of whicharedecreasingduetotheheavyindustrialization of thecity.
Bursa is also a majortouristcenter: One of thebest ski resorts of Turkey is located at Uludag justnexttocityproper. Itsthermalbathshavebeenusedfortherapeuticalpurposes since Roman times. Apart frombathsoperatedbyhotels, Uludag University has a physicaltherapycenterwhichalsomakesuse of thermalwater.
Since Bursa Aerodrome, near downtown Bursa in the Yunuseli Neighborhood, is not suitable for departure and arrival of passenger and cargo aircraft with large fuselage (runway dimensions: 1395m x 30m) and for the purpose of constructing a modern terminal and facilities it has been decided to open the existent military airbase of Turkish Air Force, 10 km west of Yenisehir County , to the civil traffic
