As of 2022, the population of Balıkesir Province is 1,257,590,[2] of which 314,958 in the city proper (the urban part of the districts Altıeylül and Karesi).

Close to modern Balıkesir was the Roman town of Hadrianutherae, founded, as its name commemorates, by the emperor Hadrian.

[3] Hadrian came to the region in 124 A.D., as a result of a successful bear hunting he had established a city called his name here.

During the Byzantine period, the small town which had become increasingly neglected was known as Palaiokastron (Greek: Παλαιόκαστρον) meaning Old Castle.

At the beginning of June, many young Greeks were forced by the authorities to convert to Islam at Government headquarters.

According to another opinion, it was caused by the gnawing of the firecrackers of child guns by rats and this fire spread to the electrical contact.

The tents were set up by the Turkish Red Crescent and food aid was provided for a long time.

The biggest industrial enterprises are Arı-Turyağ, Limak-Set Çimento, BEST, Mar-Tük, İşbir, Kula, Tellioğlu, Bu Piliç and Yarış Kabin which are among the first thousand factories in Turkey as of 2008.

Wheat, sunflowers, sugar beets, and other vegetables in a front tomato and bean plantations have dense products.

It is also a popular destination for both domestic and foreign tourists, who use it as a base to explore the near countryside which is renowned for its beauty, especially nearby Mount Ida (Kaz Dağı).

The largest global borax deposits known, many still untapped, are in Central and Western Turkey, including the provinces of Eskişehir, Kütahya and Balıkesir.

The central of Balıkesir province with 300,000 population is the fourth crowded city in the Marmara Region.

Aygören, Karaoğlan, Dumlupınar, Kasaplar, Hisariçi, Karesi, Kızpınar, Hacıilbey are the first settlements of the city.

The squares of the city: Ali Hikmet Pasha, Republica, Wrestler Kurtdereli Mehmet and Karesi.

Tülü Tabaklar which had designed similarly the cannibals in order to frighten the enemies is a special event of the festival.

The Remembrance Day of Local Combat is called Kuvayi Milliye Haftası in Turkish which is organized between 16 and 23 May.

The great success with 41 Balıkesirer people met at Alaca Mescit and they have managed the region such as a state and gained a military victory in 1922.

Balıkesir's local cheese, called Kelle Peyniri, is known in European countries and exported France, Germany and Britain.

Many old Turkmen dishes (like keşkek, güveç, tirit, mantı, kaymaklı) are composed of Balıkesir cuisine.

Akpınar, Mendili Oyaladım, Karyolamın Demiri are some ballads sing by women surround Balikesir city.

Balıkesir's local dance came to first in Nice folk festival joined 21 countries at 1958 be of value by European academical folklore authorities.

[14] The foundation of Balıkesir University trace back to Karesi Teacher School established in 1910.

One of the most known is Selman Akbulut the Turkish mathematician, specializing in research in topology, and geometry and which is a student of Robion Kirby.

Balıkesirspor is the football team played in the Süper Lig after achieving promotion having finished as runners-up of the TFF First League in 2013–14.

Edremit, Burhaniye, Gömeç and Ayvalık are districts which are popular for their beaches, located in the Aegean coast of Balıkesir; Marmara Island, Erdek, Gönen and Bandırma are districts which are located in the Marmara coast of Balıkesir.

13 km southeast of Bandırma in Karacabey, horse farms breed magnificent specimens of this majestic animal.

Balıkesir and its districts, besides the wealth of thermal resources, have healing waters with high quality of physical and chemical compositions.

Some of these thermal resources located in; Pamukçu, Kiraz, Edremit-Güre, Edremit-Bostancı, Edremit-Derman, Gönen, Gönen-Ekşidere, Manyas-Kızık Köy, Susurluk-Kepekler, Balya-Dağ, Bigadiç-Hisarköy, Sındırgı-Hisaralan, Sındırgı-Emendere and Dursunbey-Aşağımusalar Village.

It is easy to reach from major cities such as Ankara, İstanbul, Bursa and İzmir by motorway or railway.

Winters are cool and wet with frequent frosts and occasional snowfall, while summers are hot and dry.