Guzelcecay Valley
A valley surrounded by pine forests, where the district of Dikmen is situated, containing agricultural and industrial areas.
View on map5 places to visit in the Dikmen district of Sinop: Guzelcecay Valley, Goktepe Ski Sports Area and Domuzalan Plateau. Plan your trip to Dikmen with local food, practical tips and transport information.
Dikmen is a district in the east of Sinop province, on the border with Samsun province, on the Black Sea coast. It covers an area of 411 km², lies at an elevation of 177 metres, and has a population of 4,810. Until 1990 Dikmen was a town attached to Gerze; in that year it gained district status.
Geography
Dikmen, in the Black Sea Region basin, is a small settlement founded in the Güzelceçay Valley among pine forests. The settlement, with its hilly and rugged terrain, lies in a 1st-degree landslide zone. Durağan, Gerze, Boyabat, Yakakent and Alaçam districts border Dikmen.
Population
Dikmen is the smallest district of Sinop province in terms of population. There is migration from the district to larger urban centres and to big cities within the country. Since the 1980s the district has remained predominantly rural in population, and the rates of population growth, both urban and rural, have been steadily declining.
Economy
The district’s economy is based mainly on agriculture and livestock farming. Because most of the land is mountainous and rugged, cereal cultivation is very limited. Wheat, barley, oats and maize are grown where cultivation takes place, and nearly every kind of fruit and vegetable that can grow in the Black Sea Region is grown in the district. In the mountain villages, beef cattle, dairy and pasture livestock farming and beekeeping are practised; because of its forested areas, forestry is also an important source of livelihood. In the district there are four fish meal and fish oil factories set up in the Güzelceçay area, and 35 per cent of the fish meal and oil produced across Türkiye is manufactured in these factories.
History and Culture
Dikmen became a municipality in 1989 when the villages of Çorak and Dumanlı were included in it. The settlement, a town attached to Gerze, gained district status in 1990.
Highlights
The main reason Dikmen was chosen as a settlement centre is a mosque that came into service in 1789. At that time the people of the region began coming to the centre, called Yeni Cuma, to meet their Friday needs, and it became a centre for 30 surrounding villages.
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