Istanbul (historically Byzantium and Constantinople) is the largest city of Turkey, home to a population of 13,483,052 in 2011. A megacity, it is the nation's cultural, economic, and financial center.
Located in the northwest of the country, it lies on the Bosphorus strait and encompasses the natural harbour known as the Golden Horn. Extending both on the European (Thrace) and Asian (Anatolia) sides of the strait, Istanbul is the only metropolis ...
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Istanbul (historically Byzantium and Constantinople) is the largest city of Turkey, home to a population of 13,483,052 in 2011. A megacity, it is the nation's cultural, economic, and financial center.
Located in the northwest of the country, it lies on the Bosphorus strait and encompasses the natural harbour known as the Golden Horn. Extending both on the European (Thrace) and Asian (Anatolia) sides of the strait, Istanbul is the only metropolis in the world situated on two continents. It covers 39 districts of Istanbul province. The greater Istanbul metropolitan area held 18% of Turkey's population in 2010. It ranks as the world’s 7th fastest growing metropolitan area in 2011.
During its long history, Istanbul has served as the capital of the Roman Empire (330–395), the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire (395–1204 and 1261–1453), the Latin Empire (1204–1261), and the Ottoman Empire (1453–1922). When the new Republic of Turkey was proclaimed in 1923, Ankara was chosen as its capital....
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