Istanbul is the most populous city in Turkey and the country’s economic, cultural and historic center. Istanbul is a transcontinental city in Eurasia, straddling the Bosporus strait (which separates Europe and Asia) between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea.
Its commercial and historical center lies on the European side and about a third of its population lives in suburbs on the Asian side of the Bosporus. With a total population of around 15 million residents in its metropolitan area, Istanbul is one of the world’s largest cities, ranking as the world’s fifth-largest city proper and the largest city in Europe.
The city is the administrative center of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.
The city held the strategic position between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. It was also on the historic Silk Road. It controlled rail networks between the Balkans and the Middle East and was the only sea route between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.
Over 12 million foreign visitors came to Istanbul in 2015, five years after it was named a European Capital of Culture, making the city the world’s fifth most popular tourist destination.
Country Turkey
Region Marmara
Province Istanbul
Districts 39
Urban 2,576.85 km2 (994.93 sq mi)
Metro 5,343.22 km2 (2,063.03 sq mi)
Elevation 39 m (128 ft)
Population (31 December 2019)
Metropolitan municipality 15,519,267
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