The main stones of the economical structure of Antalya is tourism, agriculture, commerce and industry. In the city which has a wide range of agricultural production from citriculture to forcing vegetables, from cotton to flower growth, most of the people earn their income from tourism and agriculture. (Specially famous with its Orange and Banana)

Main growth and development of Antalya started in the Republic era. Its nature, suitable climate conditions increased the migration to the city. While the town population was 17.635 in 1927, 27.515 in 1950, 50.908 in 1960, it reached 95.616 in 1970. The population which was 258.139 in 1980, reached 1.719.751 in the year 2000. While the migrations caused new districts in the city, it fastened the construction sector. The agriculture sector which showed development parallel with tourism, it caused transportation sector to be developed with itself. Antalya City is a sub-regional centre controlling mainly commercial, agricultural economic activities in its hinterland.

The province of Antalya is located between the north latitudes of 36,07° - 37,29° and east longitudes of 29,20° - 32,35°. Since the area is closed to the cold northerly winds, it is characterized by the typical Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and moderately warm and rainy winters. In the area with sunny weather for 10 months a year the temperature climbs up to 45°C in July and August. The sea breeze and the northeasterly winds blowing from inland relieve the area under this temperature.

Antalya city is younger as compared to the other ancient cities of the some region (Perge, Side, Aspendos, etc.) It was founded by the Pergamon king “Attalos” in 158 B.C. and was named after its founder (Attaleia). Its present name is the same, only with a slight change of pronunciation.

Antiokhos III., who was oen of the kings of the “Seleukos kingdom”, one of the kingdoms founded in the period called by the historians as “Hellenistic period”, was defeated in the battle against the Roman and Pergamon armies (Magnesia, 190 B.C.) and had to undersign the treaty of “Apameia” (188). Meanwhile, the Roman army (commanded bye the consul Manlius Vulso), who entered Anatolia to punish the rebellious “Galatians, had turned this into a campaign of collecting the tribute. He collected money from the cities in Antalya region, made agreements with those and provided them the guarantee of Rome for independence.

In 158 B.C., the Pergamon king “Attalos II.” partially captured Antalya region, but the guarantee of independence provided to the cities by Rome, the ally of Pergamon kingdom, was making him unable to do anything.

Having realized that he would not be able to make use of the sea ports on the shores of Pamphylia, Attalos founded the sea port city of “Attaleia” (today’s Antalya) in his own name.

When the sovereign Pergamon king left his kingdom to Rome by his will in 133 B.C., Antalya region was taken under the sovereignty of Rome.

Antalya would live under the Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman sovereignties, and while the other sea port cities disappeared one by one in time, this city would develop parallel to the socio-economical competition, and become the most prominent city of the region.