Şile

Şile
district
Panoramic view on Şile
Location of Şile in Istanbul
Şile Location of Şile in Istanbul
Coordinates: 41°10′35″N 29°36′46″E / 41.17639°N 29.61278°E / 41.17639; 29.61278Coordinates: 41°10′35″N 29°36′46″E / 41.17639°N 29.61278°E / 41.17639; 29.61278
Country	Turkey
City	Istanbul
Government
• Mayor	Can Tabakoğlu (AKP)
• Governor	Şükrü Görücü
Area
• District	915.58 km2 (353.51 sq mi)
Population (2012)
• Urban	13,260
• District	30,218
• District density	33/km2 (85/sq mi)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Area code(s)	0-216
Website	www.sile.bel.tr www.sile.gov.tr

Şile is a city and district in Istanbul, Turkey. According to the 2007 census, the population of the district was 25,169, of which 9,831 lived in the city of Şile, 2,096 in the nearby town of Ağva (Yeşilçay) and 13,242 in surrounding villages. However, between June and September, the population rapidly increases because of the many residents of Istanbul who have summer houses in Şile.

The district of Şile is part of the province () of Istanbul, and the municipality of Şile is part of the metropolitan government () of Istanbul. Bordering Şile is the province of Kocaeli (districts of Gebze, Körfez, Derince, Kandıra) to the east and south, and Istanbul districts of Pendik to the south, Çekmeköy to the southwest, and Beykoz to the west. The boundaries of Şile were expanded by the addition of the village of Esenceli from Beykoz district in 1987. Şile consists of Şile, Yeşilvadi and Teke subdistricts, and 58 villages. The mayor is Can Tabakoğlu (AKP). Popular resort Ağva is also a part of Şile.

The word şile means marjoram in Turkish. The word's etymology is said to be Greek.

There has been a fishing village here since 700 BC and a lighthouse since the Ottoman period. Today, Şile is a beach resort, popular with people who want a resort atmosphere without the expense of travelling to the Mediterranean Sea. Şile is about an hour's drive from the city and was always a retreat from the city. During Turkey's economic boom of the 1990s, a great many summer homes and holiday villages were built for the city's middle class, especially after the 1999 earthquake damaged the Marmara coast. There is a small but sandy beach, a little harbour of fishing boats, dense forest behind and a quiet pleasant atmosphere during the week. At weekends though, and especially on a hot summer Sunday, Şile is crowded with day-trippers from the poorer districts of the city, who come packed into minibuses and vans to picnic and play football. There are a number of bars and restaurants with sea views, especially in the little park around the lighthouse.