Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Marmara Üniversitesi Siyasal Bilimler Dergisi, cilt.11, sa.2, ss.371-393, 2023 (Hakemli Dergi)
Sister cities were initially intended to create post-war friendships and cultural linkages. During this
period, sister city relationships were mostly formed based on similarities such as names, cultural
or historical links. In the 1970s, there was an increase in mutual understanding aimed at sister city
relations, as well as a shift in the pattern of friendly relations. Relations are based on the availability of
mutually beneficial advantages for a wide range of goals, including trade, investment, economy, tourism,
health, and the environment. Issues of trade, economy, and development, which have recently become
increasingly essential for cities, have begun to be debated in the context of sister city connections. As
a result, municipal cooperation decisions in sister city connections have become increasingly crucial.
Especially in the choice of partnership, political or emotional decisions prevent effective cooperation.
The purpose of the study is to determine the pattern of municipal sister city relationships in Turkey. This
study examined 2051 sister city relationships between 486 municipalities in Turkey at the international
level, as well as the effects of population size and geographical distance on the selection of a sister
city. According to the study’s findings, geographic proximity and situations requiring the exchange of
information and experience appear to be determining factors in city pairings with different population
sizes. Cross-border cooperation, which refers to cities that are geographically close to one another by
land or sea, is uncommon in Turkey; however, sister city relations are generally strengthened with cities
in geographically close countries, especially due to historical and cultural factors. This study’s findings
could apply to future research examining the mutual benefits of sister city relationships between cities.