{{Infobox Turkey place | type = metro district | name = Kırıkhan | image_skyline = | image_caption = | image_logo = Kırıkhan Belediyesi logo.png | image_map = Hatay location Kırıkhan.png | map_caption = Map showing Kırıkhan District in Hatay Province | coordinates = {{coord|36|29|51|N|36|21|39|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | province = Hatay | leader_party = AKP | leader_name = Ömer Erdal Çelik | leader_name1 = | area_total_km2 = 715 | elevation_m = 151 | population_footnotes = <ref name=tuik/> | population_total = 121028 | population_as_of = 2022 | postal_code = 31440 | area_code = 0326 | website = {{URL|http://www.kirikhan.bel.tr/}} }} '''Kırıkhan''' is a municipality and district of Hatay Province, Turkey.<ref>[https://www.e-icisleri.gov.tr/Anasayfa/MulkiIdariBolumleri.aspx Büyükşehir İlçe Belediyesi] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230306001414/https://www.e-icisleri.gov.tr/Anasayfa/MulkiIdariBolumleri.aspx |date=2023-03-06 }}, Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 19 September 2023.</ref> Its area is 715&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.harita.gov.tr/uploads/files-folder/il_ilce_alanlari.xlsx|title=İl ve İlçe Yüz ölçümleri|publisher=General Directorate of Mapping|access-date=19 September 2023}}</ref> and its population is 121,028 (2022).<ref name=tuik>{{Cite web |title=Address-based population registration system (ADNKS) results dated 31 December 2022, Favorite Reports|url=https://biruni.tuik.gov.tr/medas/?kn=95&locale=en |access-date=19 September 2023|publisher=TÜİK|language=en|format=XLS}}</ref> The town stands at the intersection of the route between İskenderun and Aleppo, and the major north-south road between Antakya and Kahramanmaraş. As of 2014, over 35,000 Syrians live in Kırıkhan,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Working with Adult Education in refugee camps – it is all about building bridges |url=https://www.dvv-international.de/en/adult-education-and-development/editions/number-81/articles/working-with-adult-education-in-refugee-camps-it-is-all-about-building-bridges |access-date=2025-11-27 |website=TEXT |language=en}}</ref> an increase from the May 2013 number of 30,000.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-05-23 |title=UNHCR Turkey Syrian Refugee Daily Sitrep 22 May 2013 - Türkiye {{!}} ReliefWeb |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/turkey/unhcr-turkey-syrian-refugee-daily-sitrep-22-may-2013 |access-date=2025-11-27 |website=reliefweb.int |language=en}}</ref>

The district’s major religious and touristic site is the Beyazid-i Bestami Külliyesi (Complex) on Darb-ı Sak Castle at Alabeyli village, which contains the tomb or maqam of Bayazid Bastami.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kırıkhan'da Darb-ı Sak Kalesi üzerine inşa edilmiş Beyazid-i Bestami Külliyesi |url=https://www.dunyabizim.com/gezi-mekan/kirikhanda-darb-i-sak-kalesi-uzerine-insa-edilmis-beyazid-i-bestami-kulliyesi-h39303.html |access-date=2021-09-12 |website=www.dunyabizim.com/ |language=tr}}</ref> The ruined medieval Crusader castle Trapessac is situated near Kırıkhan.

== Name == The name ''Kırıkhan'' means "broken inn" in the Turkish language, perhaps a reference to one of the many lodgings that once lined the road. In Levantine Arabic, karakhane can refer either to a silk factory or a whorehouse.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Team |first=Almaany |title=تعريف و شرح و معنى كرخانة بالعربي في معاجم اللغة العربية معجم المعاني الجامع، المعجم الوسيط ،اللغة العربية المعاصر ،الرائد ،لسان العرب ،القاموس المحيط - معجم عربي عربي صفحة 1 |url=https://www.almaany.com/ar/dict/ar-ar/%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%AE%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%A9/ |access-date=2025-11-27 |website=www.almaany.com |language=en}}</ref>

== History == In the 1200s BC, the Kingdom of Hattena was established with its center in Kanula (modern day Çatalhöyük, near Kırıkhan).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://antakyatarihikentmerkezi.ktb.gov.tr/EN-348066/history.html |access-date=2025-11-27 |website=antakyatarihikentmerkezi.ktb.gov.tr}}</ref>

English traveller Mark Sykes recorded Kırıkhan as a town inhabited by Turkmen in early 20th century.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sykes |first1=Mark |title=Dar-ul-Islam: A Record of a Journey Through Ten of the Asiatic Provinces of Turkey |date=1904 |publisher=Bickers & Son |page=261}}</ref>

During the Ottoman Era, the town was part of the district of Belen. However, under the French Mandate, Kırıkhan became one of the three districts of Liwa' Iskenderun (alongside Antakya and Iskenderun).

The Battle of Boklukaya, which took place between Kırıkhan and Hassa in September 1920, between regular and reinforced French troops and Turkish gangs with military reinforcements, resulted in the victory of the Turkish groups.<ref name=":0" />

In 1909, violence against Armenians spread to the area northwest of Aleppo as part of the Adana Massacres.<ref name=":0" />

In 1938, Kırıkhan was annexed to Turkey with the rest of Liwa' Iskenderun, with Turkish troops entering on the 6th of July. This was only made official on the 29th of June, 1939.

Kırıkhan was heavily damaged by powerful earthquakes in February 2023 and subsequent aftershocks.<ref>{{cite web |date=2023-04-08 |title=Hatay'da ağır yıkımın bilançosu... |trans-title=The result of the heavy destruction in Hatay... |url=https://www.iskenderun.org/hatayda-agir-yikimin-bilancosu |publisher=Iskenderun.org |language=tr}}</ref>

== Agriculture == Kırıkhan, as an agricultural region, relies heavily on agriculture for the population’s income. While livestock farming was the primary source of income before the 1980s, the fertile lands reclaimed from the draining of Lake Amik have led farmers to turn to growing crops such as cotton, wheat, and corn.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=HATAY/KIRIKHAN – Özova Group |url=https://ozovagroup.com/en/hatay-kirikhan-2/ |access-date=2025-11-27 |language=en-US}}</ref>

Kırıkhan boasts the largest land area in the province, as well as the largest irrigable land area. Rich in nutrients and suitable for all types of agriculture, these agricultural lands are primarily cultivated for cotton, wheat, and corn. Furthermore, thanks to the District Directorate of Agriculture’s extension efforts, in recent years, Kırıkhan farmers have embraced tunnel and open-field melon farming, open-field vegetable farming, and second-crop corn farming. Their economic importance has led to their widespread and increasing cultivation.<ref name=":1" />

== Climate == Its average summer temperature is 32.3&nbsp;°C, and its average winter temperature is 7.3&nbsp;°C.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}} Its climate is typically Mediterranean, with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers.<ref name=":1" />

==Composition== There are 73 neighbourhoods in Kırıkhan District:<ref>[https://www.e-icisleri.gov.tr/Anasayfa/MulkiIdariBolumleri.aspx Mahalle] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230306001414/https://www.e-icisleri.gov.tr/Anasayfa/MulkiIdariBolumleri.aspx |date=2023-03-06 }}, Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 19 September 2023.</ref> {{div col|colwidth=12em}} * 408 Evler * Abalaklı * Adalar * Aktutan * Alaybeyli * Alibeyçağıllı * Alparslan * Alsancak * Arkıtça * Aydınlı * Aygırgölü * Bahçelievler * Balarmudu * Baldıran * Barbaros * Başpınar * Bektaşlı * Çamsarı * Çamseki * Camuzkışlası * Çankaya * Çataltepe * Ceylanlı * Çiloğlanhüyüğü * Cumhuriyet * Danaahmetli * Dedeçınar * Delibekirli * Demirkonak * Fatih * Gazi * Gölbaşı * Gültepe * Gündüz * Güventaşı * Güzelce * İçada * Ilıkpınar * İncirli * Kaletepe * Kamberlikaya * Kamışlar * Kangallar * Karaçağıl * Karadurmuşlu * Karaelmaslı * Karamağara * Karamankaşı * Karataş * Kazkeli * Kızılkaya * Kodallı * Kurtlusarımazı * Kurtlusoğuksu * Kurtuluş * Mahmutlu * Menderes * Mimarsinan * Muratpaşa * Narlıhopur * Özkızılkaya * Özsoğuksu * Özyörük * Reşatlı * Saylak * Söğütlüöz * Sucuköy * Taşoluk * Topboğazı * Torun * Yalangoz * Yeni * Yılanlı {{div col end}}

== Notable people == * Nerses Pozapalian, senior bishop of the Armenian Apostolic Church

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Districts of Turkey|provname=Hatay|sortkey=Kirikhan}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirikhan}} Category:Populated places in Hatay Province Category:Districts of Hatay Province Category:Metropolitan district municipalities in Turkey