Location of Turkey (credits: Wikipedia)
In September 2010 I spent a few days in Istanbul, the largest city of Turkey.
Turkey is located on two continents; part of the country is in the south-east of Europe and the rest is part of the Analotian peninsula in the west of Asia. The country has a population of about 72,5 million and welcomes around 30 million tourists a year. Most of the tourism is focused on Istanbul and the Turkish Riviera, along the shores of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas on the south-western coasts of the country.
Istanbul
Though not the capital city of the country, Istanbul is the cultural, economical and financial centre of the country. Istanbul is one of the largest cities in the world, having a population of nearly 13 million people. In addition, the city is visited by an estimated 7 million visitors each year. For comparison, Turkey’s capital Ankara has a population of just over 1,5 million and the total population of Turkey is about 72,5 million.
In addition to its huge population, Istanbul is also located on two continents. Istanbul is divided by the Bosphorus Strait, running from the Black Sea in the north to the Sea of Marmara south of Istanbul. On the eastern side of the Bosphorus you’ll find the Asian side, while the west side of the river is referred to as the European side. Most of the famous and historical sites are located on the southern part on the European side, in a district known as the Sultanahmet or Old City.
Districtsof Istanbul
