Samsun represents a topographic structure composed of low plateaus and
mountains.
Within the borders of the city, there are two mountain ranges extending in
the eastern-western direction. These are the Canik Mountains at the south
and Çangal Mountains at the west. The highest point of the city is Akdağ of
2062 m. The other mauntains are Kunduz, Sırçalı and Yurd.
The plateaus of Samsun extend within a wide range of area and cover 37.2 %
of the city lands. Plains constitute 17.9% of the city lands. Valleys formed
by the rivers and the places where rivers reach the sea, host debris plains.
The most important valleys of the city are the Kızılırmak and Yeşilırmak
valleys, Bafra and Çarşamba plains and Samsun plain in the middle represent
the most considerable plains of the city. The main means of subsistence in
all these plains is agriculture.
Samsun is rich in terms of natural vegetation. At 1000-1200 m Height, there
are hornbeam trees, oak trees, lime trees, chestnut trees, beech trees and
ash trees, and at 1200-1800 m altitude there are conferae. Getting closer to
the coast and especially across the rivers, there are willow and poplar
trees.
The largest forest areas are in Çarşamba, Alaçam, Kavak and Vezirköprü
Districts. The climate of Samsun displays different characteristics at
coastal areas and hinterland. At coastal areas, effects of the Black Sea
climate and in hinterland the effect of Akdağ and Canik Mountains are
observed. The climatic characteristics of Samsun do not resemble those of
Eastern and Western Black Sea in terms of temperature and precipitation.
Kızılırmak and Yeşilırmak which are two of the longest rivers of Turkey
reach the sea in Samsun.
The other rivers of Samsun are the Tersakan, Mert, Terme, Karaboğaz, Kürtün
and Abdal. Samsun is very rich in terms of water resources. It has ponds and
dam reservairs apart from the natural lakes. Most of the natural lakes are
constituted by the delta rivers in Çarşamba and Bafra.
Bafra lakes were formed as a result of filling of the depressions at each
side of Kızılırmak which passes through Bafra Plain. The main examples of
the said lakes are Karaboğaz, Balık, Liman, Dutdibi, Hayırlı, İnce, Çernek
and Tombul. Most of these lakes are rich in terms of aquaculture and have
economic significance. This region has also national importance in terms of
the variety of its birds. Çarşamba Lakes were also formed as a result of
filling of the depressions in the plain. Simenlik Lake and Akgöl, which were
formed as a result of change of the Terme River bed are very rich in fish.
Ladik Lake, which was formed in depressions east of Ladik Plain which is 10
km to Ladik District is fed by the runoff from Akdağ.
Among the dam lakes, Altınkaya and Derbent are on Kızılırmak and Hasan and
Suat Uğurlu Lakes are on Yeşilırmak.
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