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'''Mardin Province''' ({{lang-ku|[[kurd]] ''Mêrdîn}}'', [[Syriacllengua languagesiríaca|Syriacsiríac]]: ܡܶܪܕܺܝܢ "Mardin" in related Semitic language [[Arabic language|Arabicàrab]]: ماردين , ''Mardīn'') is a province of [[Turkey]] with a population of 737,852.<ref>{{cite web|author=Turkish Statistical Institute|authorlink=Turkish Statistical Institute|publisher=Turkish Statistical Institute|url= http://www.tuik.gov.tr/jsp/duyuru/upload/adnks_Harita_TR/HaritaTR.html|title=2007 Census, population by provinces and districts|accessdate=2007-12-26|date = 2007}}</ref> The population was 835,173 in 2000.<ref>[http://www.mardin.gov.tr/turkce/nufus.htm/ Population of Mardin province]</ref> The capital of the Mardin Province is Mardin. Located near the traditional boundary of [[AnatoliaAnatòlia]] and [[MesopotamiaMesopotàmia]], it has a diverse population with an [[Arab people|ArabÀrabs]] minority{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}} in districts Mardin, Midyat, Yeşilli, Savur, Ömerli and minorities of Kurds, [[Turkish people|TurksTurcs]] and [[Arameans|Arameans (Syriacs)Arameus]] }[[Image:View from Mardin to the Mesopotamian plains.jpg|left|thumb|200px|View from Mardin to the Mesopotamian plains]]
The local [[Arameans|Arameans (Syriacs)Arameus]], while much reduced due to the results of the [[Arameangenocidi Genocideassiri]], supports two of the oldest monasteries in the world, [[Dayro d-Mor Hananyo]] (Turkish ''Deyrülzafaran'', English ''Saffron Monastery'') and [[Deyrulumur Monastery]]. The Christian community is concentrated on the [[Tur Abdin]] plateau and in the town of [[Midyat]], with a smaller community (approximately 100) in the provincial capital.
Politically, the area is competitive between the governing [[JusticePartit andde Developmentla PartyJustícia (Turkey)|Justicei and Developmentel PartyDesenvolupament]] and Kurdish [[DemocraticPartit People'sDemocràtic Party (Turkey)|Democratic People's PartyPopular]], and the [[TruePartit Path PartyDemocràtic (TurkeyTurquia)|True Path Party]] has some strength, especially in rural parts of the province.<ref>[http://www.yerelsecim.com/Detays.asp?ID=47 Local election results, 2004]</ref>
[[Image:Midyat church.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The old town of [[Midyat]], second city of the province]]
Unemployment and poverty are serious problems{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}}, and there has been considerable out migration to western and southern Turkey, although the reduction in political violence{{Clarify|date=November 2010}}, coupled with infrastructure improvements such as a new civil airport at the provincial capital and improvements to the [[Ankara]]-[[Baghdad]] highway are helping ameliorate matters{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}}.
Mardin is an [[AramaicArameu]] word (ܡܶܪܕܺܝܢ) and means "fortresses"{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}}.
== Districts ==
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