ABSTRACT
The Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), one of the major development projects in the world, will have a tremendous socio-economic impact both locally, in Southeastern Anatolia Region, and nationally. The Southeastern Anatolia Region is strongly underdeveloped notwithstanding its potential rich resources. Originally the GAP was set-up as an energy production and irrigation project. It was later, upon the completion of the GAP Master Plan in 1989, converted into an integrated regional development project. The basic development scenario adopted by the Master Plan is to transform the region into an industrialised agricultural based center (GAP Administration, 1991). The development envisaged under the GAP has the goal of creating opportunities for the people of the region, fully materialising their preferences and economic potentials. Other than dams, hydroelectric plants and irrigation schemes over the rivers of Euphrates and Tigris, the concept of Southeastern Anatolia Project is conceived as a regional development drive aiming the multifaceted and sustainable socio-economic development of the Region on the basis of a multi-sectoral and integrated approach, which covers such diverse areas as urban, rural and agricultural infrastructure, transportation, industry, education, health, housing, tourism and investments in many other fields (Acma, 2001).
