Gazipaşa İlçesi, Akdeniz Bölgesi’nin Adana Bölümü’nde yer alır. İlçe, 36º 13’-36º 34’ kuzey enlemleri ile 32º 15’-32º 38’ doğu boylamları arasındadır. Yüzölçümü 921 km²’dir. Gazipaşa’nın batısında Alanya, kuzeyinde Sarıveliler, doğusunda Anamur ilçeleri ve güneyinde Akdeniz bulunmaktadır. 1935-2008 yılları arasında Gazipaşa İlçesi’nin nüfusu % 430 artarak 11 303 kişiden, 48 675 kişiye ulaşmıştır. Nüfustaki bu artış yoğunluk ve dağılış özelliklerinde de görülmektedir. İlçe genelinde, 1935-2008 dönemleri arasında nüfus artışına bağlı olarak birim alana düşen yoğunluk artmıştır. Saha nüfusunun % 44,0’ı (21 415) şehir, % 56,0’ı (27 260) kırsal yerleşmelerde yaşamaktadır. Nüfus, ilçe merkezi ile ova tabanını çevreleyen yamaçlarda yoğunlaşmaktadır. Gazipaşa’da şehir nüfusunun toplam nüfus içindeki payı sürekli artmaktadır. Dolayısıyla dağılış bakımından nüfusun şehirsel yerleşmelere doğru yayıldığını söylemek mümkündür. İlçenin 2008 yılı aritmetik nüfus yoğunluğu 52,9 kişi/km²; fizyolojik nüfus yoğunluğu 294,6 kişi/km²; tarımsal nüfus yoğunluğu da 111,3 kişi/km² olarak tespit edilmiştir. Bu değerler, Gazipaşa İlçesi’nin aritmetik nüfus yoğunluğunun Türkiye ortalamasının altında, tarımsal nüfus yoğunluğunun ise üzerinde olduğunu ifade etmektedir. Sahanın dağlık ve engebeli olması, tarımla uğraşan nüfusun fazlalığı, tarımsal arazinin azlığı gibi nedenler aritmetik ve tarımsal nüfus yoğunluğu üzerinde etkili olmuştur. Sonuç olarak, Gazipaşa’da, nüfusun dağılış ve yoğunluğu üzerinde ilçenin içinde yer aldığı ana morfolojik birimlerin ve beşeri faktörlerin etkileri görülmektedir. Buna bağlı olarak, nüfus yoğunlukları da, ilçedeki yerleşmeler arasında farklılıklar göstermektedir. Bu çalışma, Gazipaşa İlçesi’nin nüfusunun dağılışı ve bu dağılışı belirleyen faktörleri coğrafya biliminin ilkeleri çerçevesinde ortaya çıkarmayı amaçlamaktadır.

Gazipaşa County is located into the part of Adana in the Mediterranean*region. County is between 36° 13’-36º 34’ north latitudes and 32º 15’-32º 38’ east longitudes. Its surface area is 921 km². There has been Alanya in the West, in the North Sarıveliler, in the East Anamur County and in the South Mediterranean of Gazipaşa. There are formations belonging the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Tertiary and Quaternary within the boundaries of the area Gazipaşa County. These formations in the Paleozoic (40.8 %) and Mesozoic (35.9 %) in a large amount of older units. In addition, the neotectonic movements in the period caused faulted and thrusting led to acquire a building site. The county has a very steep and rugged structure. Tectonics, fluvial and erosional in shaping the field, karst, fluvial and erosional activities has been effective in shaping the field. As a result of these, the mountainous and hilly areas, low and high plateau fields, plains and coastal areas have emerged to be part of the different morphological units. Gazipasa County is located in the the most important karst area within the country. In particular the high and low karst plateau has undergone an intensive course. In that area of the plateau, the most beautiful examples of the dissolution and precipitation patterns belonging to karst topography are found. Characteristic Mediterranean climate is effective in Gazipaşa. In the district, that has been concluded sub-humid, mesothermal, water shortage in summer and is very strong, close to the full impact of the sea, the climate type (C2 B’3 s2 b’4). However, in the winter cold air mass of Central Anatolia region, reaches through the valleys Taurus Mountains. This case, the air temperatures falls below 0° C and leads to keep the danger of freezing vegetables. The rivers in the county usually which get their sources from north-northwest and eastern part of the county by passing very high and declined fields reaches to the sea. The rivers which are feed on rain waters and snow-fed rivers in winter and spring season’s drie due to the lack of rainfall and excessive evaporation in summer season. Delice in Gazipasa Bıçkıcı ve Hacımusa streams are featured rivers of area. In the field which composes Gazipasa District lime brown forest by large groups of soil Mediterranean forest and red-brown, alluvial, colluvial, and high mountain meadow soils regosol takes part. In these lands shallowness, stoniness, erosion and drainage problems are pointed out as significant problems. Plant communities are classified asforest, scrub and alpine formations of the three main groups. Coastal areas are predominant types of pine and scrub. Juniper forests of species take place to new heights in larch, fir, cedar. Forests are being destroyed so as to open field and firewood supply reasons. This situation will form an imporatant problem in the future, too. The township’s population increased by 430 % reached 11 303 people to 48 675 between the years 1935-2008. This increase in population density and distribution is seen in the properties. Throughout the county, on periods between 1935-2008 depending upon the growth on population density is increased in per unit area. 44.0 % of the population field OK (21 415) city, it’s 56.0 % (27 260) of rural settlements live. Unbalanced distribution of population in the field, town center and the surrounding valley floors of condensation is seen on the slopes. Gazipasa city’s population in total population share is increasing constantly. Therefore, it is possible to say in terms of distribution of the population towards urban settlements spread. In the study area, while the population share total of 9.5 % in 1950, a total of this proportion increased to 44 % in 2008. In Turkey, 74.96 % of the total population in 2008 in the city’s population is taken into consideration Gazipaşa’s urbanization process that is emerging behind in Turkey. The share of rural population in the total population continously decreasing. In the county people in rural population in 1935 was 11 303 increased to 27 260 and is shown an increase in the rate of 31.4 %. Proportion of rural population in the total population in Turkey from 76.47 % in 1935 decreased to 25.04 % in 2008. Gazipasa in 2008, the total population in the rural population rate is 56.0 %, the county is critical to demonstrate the rural character. Gazipasa in 2008, the total population in the rural population rate is 56.0 %, the county is critical to demonstrate the rural character. Dependency ratio in 2008 is 50.0 % in the entire district, the district center is 44.9 % and the rural population is 54.1 in Turkey. Accordingly, the district dependency rate is close to, dependency ratio population of Turkey. Since Gazipaşa county’s limited source of living cause to migrations in high locations. In addition, such as the reasons of the migrations districts out limited, arable land, insufficient of livestock, underdeveloping of tourism and the industry, inadecuacy of transportation, education and health services is effective. This population movement as a young and active population participates in a more intense. According to SIS data (2000) 2002 person migrated to other districts. In order to prevent this migration, the field the development of tourism activities and the creation of alternative livelihoods is required. In Gazipasa the status of the population in the field labor varies. The county in general highlights the lack of job opportunities. This is increasing especially true from the coast inland. The settlement of Gazipasa dates back at 3000 BC to Sumerian dominance. This BC period first process until the last century, Hittite, Phoenicia, Persia, Hellenistic and Egyptian domination. The area of this date, the AD VI. century, Roman rule and later the Byzantine administration came under. Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat dominance in the region in 1221 and captured the the name of the field was changed to "Selinti". Between 1472 with the collapse of the Seljuk Turks, before Teke Principality, and then remained under the control of Karamanoğulları. It came under the domination of Ottoman Empire in 1472. In the district, including two municipal Gazipasa Municipality and the Municipality of Stewards 41 villages and 211 districts have been identified in the settlement. In Gazipasa the amount of population, density and the number of settlements low backgrounds soaring to new heights. Economic activities in the district may vary in the southern and northern areas. In the south, agriculture and trade, in the north, agriculture, animal husbandry and forestry interests to the fore. More productive agricultural areas held in a large southern area of greenhouse production, the northern mountainous and hilly areas more resistant to cold cereal and fruit and vegetable production is common. 1970’s in the district activities started in the greenhouse; the most important economic life of the town has developed rapidly has been a source of income. In Gazipasa livestock was an important economic activity, day by day loses its significance. Industrial activities in developed areas although in south Gazipasa accessing to settlements provided easy, even though high transportation sectors settlements opportunities are very limited. County unspoiled nature, with the accumulation of cultural and historical tourism in terms of has a great potential. Arithmetic population density of the town 52.9 people/km²; physiological population density of 294.6 people/km²; agricultural population density 111.3 people/km² is confirmed. These values are Gazipaşa County is under arithmatic average population density of under the Turkey’s and over the agricultural population density. The field is mountainous and rugged, excess of the population engaged in agriculture, such as the reasons for the lack of agricultural land and agricultural population arithmetic had an effect on the density. In Gazipasa, distribution and density of population in the district took place in the human factors and effects are the main morphological units. According to this, population densities, varies between settlements in the district this study aims to reveal, the population distribution and geographical parameters that are effective in this distribution in Gazipaşa County.