The districts of Çorum bring together two climates and two cultural textures. We look at the rhythm of life, place attachment and mood in the north and south.
Someone setting off from Osmancık towards Sungurlu does not just travel from one district to another. They pass from the green slopes of the Kızılırmak valley to the steppe, with its wide horizons and wheat fields. The way people speak changes a little, the dishes on the table differ, and winter snow and summer heat feel different. In this respect the districts of Çorum contain two separate geographies within a single provincial boundary. According to the 2021 Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Plan (İRAP) of the Çorum Governorship and AFAD (Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority), the province officially falls both within the Central Black Sea section of the Black Sea Region and within the Central Kızılırmak section of the Central Anatolia Region. In this article we look at the differences between the northern and southern districts through the data, and then take a psychological look at how the place we live affects our mood, our identity and our daily rhythm.
Districts of Çorum: What Do the Figures and Geography Say?
According to İRAP, the province is divided in two in terms of climate:
- Northern districts (Kargı, Osmancık, İskilip, Laçin, Dodurga, Oğuzlar, Bayat): a Black Sea transitional climate
- Central and southern districts (Merkez, Sungurlu, Alaca, Boğazkale, Ortaköy, Mecitözü, Uğurludağ): a Central Anatolian continental climate
According to İRAP tables based on meteorological data, the average annual temperature in the provincial centre is 10.7 °C. The January average is −0.2 °C, and the average minimum temperature stays below zero for four months, from December to March. Average daily sunshine is 5.7 hours, but this average hides a large seasonal difference: there are on average 2 hours of sunshine a day in December and 9.4 hours in July. Annual rainfall is 446.8 mm, with an average of 112.9 days of precipitation.
Climate is not the only thing that separates the districts:
- Earthquake risk: The North Anatolian Fault (KAF) passes through Osmancık and Kargı in the north of the province. According to İRAP, the fault runs for about 60 km within the provincial boundary. Peak ground acceleration values expected to be exceeded once in 475 years range from 0.181 g to 0.672 g within the province. In other words, the earthquake hazard varies markedly from district to district.
- Landslides: İRAP notes that the 1,295 mapped landslides are concentrated in Osmancık, Bayat, Kargı, Sungurlu and the central district.
- Dialect: In Karahan's (1996) classification, the dialects of Çorum belong to the Western Group. The northern districts (İskilip, Kargı, Bayat, Osmancık) are in the same sub-group as Çankırı, Tosya and Boyabat, while the central and southern districts are in another sub-group.
- Transport: The Samsun–Ankara road passes through the provincial centre, and the Samsun–Istanbul road through Osmancık.
- Culture and heritage: Hattusa in Boğazkale has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1986. In the north, İskilip dolma is among the products with geographical indication status. According to news reports, the number of registered products from İskilip has reached 10.
According to the Ministry of Health's Health Statistics Yearbook 2023, the rural share of Çorum's population is 39.2 per cent, compared with 11.2 per cent in Turkey. This suggests that nature and climate shape daily life in the districts more directly than in city centres.
The Limits of the Data
The climate figures are based on measurements in the provincial centre. This source does not contain separate sunshine and temperature data for the northern districts. There is also no comparative study at provincial level on mental health or life satisfaction in the districts, nor a survey measuring which region people in Çorum feel they belong to. The interpretations below are therefore not definitive findings but readings based on the general relationship between geography and psychology.
Two Climates, Two Rhythms: A Sociological Reading
Geography shapes what people do for a living, how they come together and how they use their time. Differences of this kind can also be considered between the north and south of Çorum.
The form of farming and labour. Climate differences also affect the form farming takes. The more humid northern valleys and the continental steppe of the south suit different crops and different working calendars. This difference also affects which months of the year are busiest and which are spent mostly at home.
Roads and connections. In districts close to major transport routes, contact with the outside world is more frequent. While trade and movement increase in districts on the main roads, loneliness can be felt more sharply in winter in villages far from them.
Identity and belonging. The fact that the province is placed in two regions at once in an official document is reflected in daily life. Someone living in the north may feel close to the Black Sea, while someone in the south may see themselves as part of Central Anatolia. This sense of being "in between" can be a source of richness on the one hand, and of the question "who are we?" on the other.
An ageing countryside and distance. In a province with a high rural population, access to health services, social activities and family visits for older people living in districts and villages is directly linked to distance. Where roads become difficult in winter and snow lingers for a long time, social contact can decrease. This can increase the risk of loneliness, especially for older people living alone. Where neighbourly and family networks are strong, however, these networks work as an important protective factor.
These differences do not make any one district "better" than another. Every geography brings its own opportunities and challenges.
Place and Mood: The Psychology of Geography
Environmental psychology studies how the place we live affects our emotions, behaviour and identity. The differences between the districts of Çorum can be read through a few key concepts from this field.
Seasons and Energy
Two hours of sunshine a day on average in December, 9.4 hours in July... This difference is not just about the weather. Daylight affects the sleep–wake rhythm, energy levels and mood. In the winter months many people may feel more tired, less active and more withdrawn. In some people this change can turn into a more marked picture known as seasonal depression. The long, cold winters of a continental climate can strengthen this effect by reducing time spent outdoors and social contact.
Place Attachment
Scannell and Gifford's (2010) model of place attachment defines a person's attachment to a place in three dimensions: person, process and place. The person dimension covers memories of the place and identity; the process dimension covers the feelings and behaviours directed towards it; and the place dimension covers the physical and social characteristics of the setting. For someone who grew up on the banks of the Kızılırmak, the river becomes part of their identity; for someone who grew up on the steppe, the wide horizon does. People with strong place attachment may feel a deep longing when they move away, but the same bond can also be a source of strength in hard times.
Risk Perception and Anxiety
Living close to a fault line can mean that every earthquake in the news is felt more closely. For people in the northern districts, historical events such as the 1943 Tosya-Ladik earthquake may have become part of family stories. Our article on earthquake anxiety in Osmancık and Kargı, which covers this subject in detail, discusses the difference between realistic preparation and anxiety. On the other hand, for people in the south, the thought that "earthquakes don't happen here" does not fully match the data either. One of the scenarios in İRAP concerns Sungurlu, and another the Merzifon-Esençay fault.
The place we live is not just our address. From daylight to the way we speak, it is a silent partner in our mood.
Reflections in Daily Life
Imagine a young teacher who grew up on the steppe being appointed to a northern district for her first post. At first the narrow green landscape of the valley gives her a sense of space; later, on winter evenings that darken early and in the damp cold, she may feel hemmed in. Or the opposite: someone who grew up on the banks of the Kızılırmak may feel lonely amid the wide, treeless horizon when they move south.
These experiences show that even moves within the province require a process of adjustment. Similarly, families moving from a district to the provincial centre do not only change house. They also change their neighbourly relationships, their contact with nature and their habits. During these transitions, a sense of loss, longing and temporary strangeness may be felt.
Cultural differences are reflected in daily life too. A joke, an expression or a custom at the table that is common in one district may seem odd in another. When met with humour and curiosity, these small differences create richness; when met with prejudice, they create distance. Being labelled from the outside as "Black Sea or Central Anatolian?" can be tiring for some people. What matters is how a person defines themselves. Seen in the right light, this diversity among the districts of Çorum can be regarded not as division but as different colours of the same province.
Building Connections Across the Districts of Çorum: Practical Suggestions
We cannot change geography, but we can find ways of living in better harmony with it:
- Make use of daylight. In winter, going outside in the morning or at midday, even briefly, is good for energy and mood. Working near a window helps too.
- Plan a routine for winter. In the cold, dark months, plan indoor exercise, regular sleep times and social get-togethers to reduce inactivity.
- Separate preparation from anxiety. If you live in a district close to a fault line, take concrete steps such as a family emergency plan, an earthquake kit and checking the safety of your home. Concrete preparation reduces vague anxiety.
- Nurture your bond with the place. Explore the history, nature and cuisine of the district you live in. Visiting places such as Hattusa or the Kızılırmak valley strengthens a sense of belonging to where you are.
- Give yourself time when you move. Even if it is within the province, if you have moved to a new district, accept that feeling like a stranger is natural. Take small steps to get to know your new neighbours.
- Approach differences with curiosity. Asking and listening, rather than judging the customs or speech of someone from another district, is the easiest way to build a connection.
For the general psychology of belonging to a place, you may also want to read our article on the need to belong.
When Should You Seek Professional Support?
Seasonal changes, moves and risk perception affect everyone from time to time. However, it may be helpful to see a specialist in the following situations:
- If every winter you feel markedly low, drained and unmotivated, and this disrupts your daily tasks
- If difficulties with sleep, appetite and concentration persist for a long time after earthquake news or minor tremors
- If months after moving to a new district you still feel intense loneliness and strangeness
- If anxiety, panic attacks or being constantly on edge are restricting your life
- If thoughts of hopelessness or that life is meaningless have intensified
Some of these signs may be linked both to seasonal changes and to other difficulties in life. A specialist assessment helps distinguish what stems from environmental factors and what from personal ones, and helps plan the right support.
If you have thoughts of harming yourself or there is any immediate risk, call 112 (emergency services) without delay. These signs do not in themselves amount to a diagnosis, but they may show that you need support.
How Are Seasonal Mood and Relocation Addressed in Therapy?
In work on depression and mood, the influence of the environment is an important topic.
Behavioural activation. Part of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), this approach aims to replan step by step the activities that tend to decline, especially in winter. Small, enjoyable and achievable activities support mood.
Working with thought patterns. Expectations such as "winter's here, I'm going to feel bad again" or helpless thoughts such as "if an earthquake happens there's nothing I can do" are weighed against more realistic and helpful thoughts.
Adjustment and loss. In experiences of moving or relocation, grief for what has been left behind and adjustment to the new place are addressed together.
Managing anxiety. With anxieties based on a real risk, such as earthquake anxiety, the aim is not to eliminate the anxiety entirely but to turn it into preparedness and prevent it from restricting life.
In Çorum, alongside face-to-face sessions, online sessions can also be an option for people living in districts from which it is hard to reach the centre, particularly in winter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does climate really affect mood?
Daylight hours, temperature and time spent outdoors can affect mood through sleep patterns and energy levels. The effect is not the same for everyone. Some people are more sensitive to seasonal changes and may experience a marked dip in the winter months.
Can moving within the same province also cause adjustment difficulties?
Yes, it can. Even if the distance is short, neighbourly relationships, nature, climate and habits change. Adjusting to these changes takes time, and a temporary sense of loneliness or longing is natural.
I feel neither like a Black Sea person nor a Central Anatolian. Is that a problem?
No. Identity is shaped more by a person's own experiences than by labels given from outside. Being between two different cultural textures can be seen not as a lack but as an opportunity to draw on two sources.
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Eda Erkan Alapala
Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.
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