Samsun is a major port city located on the north coast of Turkey along the Black Sea. It serves as the capital of Samsun Province, which recorded a total population of 1,382,376. The urban area of the city itself had a recorded population of 738,692 in 2022.
The city is historically significant as the location where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk initiated the Turkish War of Independence in 1919. Modern infrastructure and amenities include Ondokuz Mayıs University, an opera house, several hospitals, three large shopping malls, and a modern manufacturing district. The city is also home to the Samsunspor football club.