Which Province Did Yalova Separate From? Its Years as Part of Istanbul

Standing on Yalova’s waterfront and looking towards Istanbul, you might be surprised to learn that the ground beneath your feet once belonged to the same province. The Sea of Marmara lay between them, yet for decades, both shores shared an administrative boundary.

Yalova separated from Istanbul Province. Previously a district of Istanbul, it became a province in its own right under Decree-Law No. 550, published in the Official Gazette on 6 June 1995.

When Did Yalova Become Part of Istanbul?

Yalova became a district of Istanbul in 1930 and remained one until 1995. For roughly 65 years, someone living in Yalova would have written “Istanbul” in the province line of their address.

The connection between these two places went beyond ferry crossings. Places we now think of as separate provinces once belonged to the same local administration.

Why Is Yalova’s Licence Plate Code 77?

When Yalova gained provincial status, it received the vehicle registration code 77. Those two digits remain one of the most visible everyday reminders of that change.

But Yalova’s history didn’t begin in 1995. That date marks its establishment as a province, rather than the founding of the settlement. Its hot springs, coastal life and historic buildings belong to a much longer story.

The next time you stand on Yalova’s shore and look across the water towards Istanbul, remember: the journey between them once took travellers from one part of the same province to another.