Terme is a district in Samsun Province which is located 3-5 km. from the sea in the Central Black Sea Section of the Black Sea Region. Terme is a district that is located in the east of Samsun province. It is bordered by Çarşamba district to the west, Ünye district to the east, Salıpazarı and Akkuş districts to the south. There lies coastal plains to the north and Canik Mountains to the south. Highest point of the mountains is 450 meters. Terme River rises through the Kara Forest and flows into the Black Sea by dividing the district in two.  The mayor is Şenol Kul.

According to the recent data, population of Terme is 73.615. Terme is located on the Black Sea Coastal Road and at a distance of 20 km to Çarşamba district and 57 km to the Samsun City Center. It is located at a distance of 32 km to the Ünye district of Ordu Province.

Ancient name of the district is Termisus. The ancient name of the modern Terme River is Thermodon River. It is know that the ancient city of Themiscyra was found on this river. It is also believed that the name of the district derives from those words. The history of Terme dates back to B.C. 1000.  Former historians even claimed that back in B.C. 1200 Amazons, the legendary female warriors, had lived along the coast of the Terme River.

It is believed that the name “Terme” derives from the Thermedon (modern Terme River) on which the Amazons found the ancient city of Themiscyra.    It is believed that the oldest community that had lived in the district is Kaskians. Kaskians were a semi-nomadic and aggressive community which had lived by the Black Sea Coast. When Hittites extended up to Samsun, they reigned over the Kaskians.  

Hittites, Phrygians, Persians and Romans ruled over the Terme until 11th century when Turkish people began ruling over the Anatolia. Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine) ruled over Terme as from the year 395. During Kayqubad I’s reign (1219-1236) whole Black Sea coast, including Terme, were ruled over by the Anatolian Seljuqs. Turkish Beyliks started to be found in the territory belonging to Seljuq Dynasty having collapsed because of the Mongolian invasions.
During this period, Beylik of Eratna was found in a region extending between Amasya, Samsun, Tokat, Sivas, Kayseri. When Kadi Burhan Al-Din conquered the Beylik of Eratna in 1381, Terme was annexed to his region. Meanwhile, Beylik of Canik was established in the region. In 1398, Bayezid I annexed all the beyliks in Amasya and along the Black Sea coasts to Ottoman Empire. Thereby,Terme also entered under the rule of Ottoman Empire at the same year. During the Ottoman period, Terme was ruled under the Mutassarrifate of Canik. During the First World War, Terme and Miliç were bombed by Russian ships in 1916.
During the War of Independence, Greek and Armenian gangs intended to devastate the district but despite suffering heavy losses, Muslim population of Terme successfully fought against those armed gangs. Hacı Kuzu Fevzi Efendi of Terme was one of the people who welcomed Mustafa Kemal when he arrived in Samsun in 1919 in order to start the War of Independence.

In proportion to Black Sea Region, there is a rapid population growth in the center of the district. According to the population of center of the Terme district, it is the third largest district in the Samsun Province. Total population of Terme is over 73.615 with its center and neighborhoods. Official language is Turkish.
Literacy rate of Terme is higher than the rate overall Turkey. Literacy rate of the district is %99.2. People of Terme is open to education and training. There are 12 high schools, 9 secondary schools, 8 primary/secondary schools, 13 primary schools, 2 preschools and 1 public education center in Terme district. Terme District Library has put into service in 1981 and has 7500 registered books. 18000 students study and approximately 800 teachers work in the schools of Terme.
The river, that flows across the district, divides it in two sides. The number of districts, where the number of people per square kilometre is high, is low. Therefore the district is always crowded and busy. It is one of the adorable and beautiful districts of Black Sea Region. As the district is densely rainy and has a climate of Black Sea, it has rain showers. Therefore, the district is suitable for agriculture.

Terme has a climate of Black Region that is always rainy in every season. It is mild in the winter and cool in the summer. Its natural vegetation is forest as based on its climate. However as a result of a rapid population increase in last 30 years, deforested areas turned into agricultural lands.  Despite this, the area is very important for the poplar tree farming and the poplar planting in the area behind the lake is one of the rarest poplar wood area in the world. In the southern rugged terrain, forests have been replaced by hazelnut groves and the rest of the forests  are fragmental and as coppice forests.

Largest river is the Terme River. Other larger rivers of the district are Akçay River and Miliç River. Especially the Miliç River is a very rich river in terms of freshwater fishing and water products. Moreover, Karaboğaz Stream lies in the west part of the district. The largest rivers of the district are Simenit, Akgöl and Silindir.
Terme is a beautiful and quiet district that has partly solved its infrastructure problems and has its own parks. It is one of the rare districts that have Sewage Treatment Plants in Black Sea. Terme district consists of 67 neighborhoods. We have numerous talented youths in every field of sports in Terme. Wrestling is very popular in the district, and lots of people are interested in this branch of sports. Wrestling is an irreplaceable activity for the festivals in the district.  A considerable amount of wrestlers are from this district in Turkey. Because of its natural habitat, the district is famous for Horse Breeding and Races. There are Amateur Football Clubs in the district.  The oldest and most established of them is Termespor that was founded in 1953. The logo of the club is Bull and the colors are yellow and black.

MİLİÇ Hothouse and Beaches extending from Yalı quarter to Akçay are both recreation areas and natural beaches with their clean sea and sands. Blue sea meets with the greenness of the pines in this place that should be definitely visited. The special days of Terme are as follows: traditional Hıdırellez Festivals and horse races that are organized in the Sakarlı Neighborhood. Miliç is within a distance of 5 KM to the city center, and has transportation opportunities passing every 10 minutes. Other touristic areas can be listed as following:

-Places where the Amazons once had lived are defined as the coasts of Black Sea in written sources. It is especially known that they established Themiskyra on Thermodon (Terme River). It is believed that this city was located between Terme and Ünye.
-There are bathhouse ruins and Aqueducts in Sarayköy. Rumour has it that these artefacts were passed down from the Amazons.

-Çobanyatağı and Kumcağız Beaches
-Simenit and Akgöl lakes, which are identified as “Wildlife Protection Area” by the General Directorate for National Parks, are wetland areas that are connected by natural channels and have hundreds of wild bird species.
-Historical Pazar Mosque. The mosque, which is believed to be built around 1840s, has the characteristics of the Ottoman architecture. There is a 350-year-old plane tree in the garden of the mosque.

-Ziyaretgah called Cuneyd-i Bağdadi Mausoleum and its environment is swarming with visitors on Saturdays. A commander named Cuneyd Bey of Kubatoğulları rests in the Mausoleum.

-Terme Harbor and shipyard, power plant, integrated wood facilities,
-Karacalı Village Cemetary Mosque: It is a wooden mosque located in a large cemetery, it understood from a writing scratched on the wall that the mosque was built in 1311.  

-Aşağı Söğütlü Mosque The mosque speculated to have been built in 19th century has two floors and is made from wood.
Trade has a significant role in the economy of the district. The most alive day of the week in terms of the economy is Monday. Having a tradition of trade dating back to ancient times, Terme is a city for tradesmen. According to the Ottoman data, Hazelnut had been cleared through customs and exported from Ottoman Territories to a foreign country (an European country) from Terme Harbor by merchants of Terme for the first time. There are lots of Hazelnut and Rice (Paddy) Factories in the district. Those are the factories which process the paddy and hazelnut that grows in Terme.
Poplar culture is widespread in the district. For example, world’s second largest Poplar Forest is in Terme. In addition, fishery and hunting of other marine products can be counted among the means of living since it is a coastal town. Economical activities such as stockbreeding and beekeeping have an important place in the district.

There are Food Industry and Industrial Plants based on corn agriculture in Terme. Poplar cultivation is widespread in the district. World’s second largest Poplar Forest is in Terme. It is the second hand purchase and sale center of “Ford Transit” vehicles in Turkey. There are around 68 Auto Showroom in the district. Since Terme District is located on the Samsun-Sarp Highway, there are lots of Recreational Facilities and Gas Stations within the district.
In terms of industry, it is known that industry exists in Terme since the first years of the foundation of the republic. The industry, which was based on agriculture in the first years of the foundation of the republic, has improved because of the agricultural machineries prepared and their assembly. Hazelnut Processing Machine has been invented by Industrialists Aslan Akdoğan and Mustafa Şahane from Terme. Hazelnut Processing Machines that are currently manufactured in Turkey are inventions of the Terme Industry and industrialists. Terme industry is number one in producing in tractor-trailer.

Terme has a respectable position in timbering industry in Turkey. Numerous Furnishing Workshops are active within the Terme Industry. There is a Metal Industry that produces in Manufacturing Industry. Production area is aluminium profile manufacturing. Large scale industrial investments overwhelm the capacity of the district. Non-governmental organizations are not active. A couple of large scale investments may change the face of Terme.

As a large scale industrial enterprise in terms of employment in the district, there is an Entegre Particle Board Plant. Particle boards are produced from wooden raw material that are supplied from the area in the plant. The plant makes an economic contribution to the district by its trading volume.