Quick facts
Samsun overview
Samsun (orange) and the other large cities of Turkey
Samsun lies in Turkey at 41.28°N, 36.34°E, about 64 m above sea level. The local time zone is Europe/Istanbul (UTC+3); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Antakya (399,045) and larger than Kahramanmaraş (384,953). The largest city in Turkey is Istanbul with 15,701,602 people; the capital, Ankara, has 3,517,182.
The national capital, Ankara, is about 331 km away; the nearest large city is Amasya, 81 km from Samsun.
Turkey as a whole has a live population of 88,006,552 (+0.3% a year) and ranks #18 of 238 countries — see the Turkey population page for the full statistics and the Turkey atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Samsun
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Amasya Amasya | 81 km | 114,921 |
| Tokat Tokat Province | 109 km | 129,702 |
| Ordu Ordu | 134 km | 229,214 |
| Çorum Çorum | 142 km | 269,595 |
| Giresun Giresun | 177 km | 125,682 |
| Sivas Sivas | 180 km | 264,022 |
Largest cities in Turkey
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Samsun?
Samsun has about 394,050 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Samsun the capital of Turkey?
No. The capital of Turkey is Ankara (3,517,182 people), about 331 km away. Samsun is the 20th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Samsun compared with the rest of Turkey?
Its 394,050 residents are 0.4% of the 88,006,552 people living in Turkey today. Istanbul is larger with 15,701,602 people.
Where is Samsun?
In Turkey, at latitude 41.28 and longitude 36.34, 64 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Amasya (81 km), Tokat (109 km), Ordu (134 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Samsun Population 2026 — Turkey. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/turkey/samsun/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/turkey/samsun/">Samsun Population 2026 — Turkey</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.