Balıkesir is a city located in the Marmara region of Turkey. It serves as the administrative seat of Balıkesir Province, which functions as a metropolitan municipality.
As of 2022, the population of Balıkesir Province was recorded at 1,257,590, with 314,958 residents living within the city proper. Historically, the city served as the capital of Karasi between the years 1341 and 1922.