Istanbul : is the largest city in Turkey and the second largest city in the world in terms of population, where it is the largest city in Turkey and the second most populous city in the world. Inhabited by 13.4 million people.
Istanbul is also a "big city" and is seen as Turkey's cultural, economic and financial center. The city covers 39 provinces comprising the province of Istanbul. [6] Istanbul is located on the Bosphorus and encircles the natural harbor known as the Golden Horn (in Turkish: Haliç or Altın Boynuz) in the northwest. The city extends along the European side of the Bosporus Strait, known as "Thrace", the Asian side or "Anatolia, making it among a group of cities located on two continents.
It was the capital of a number of countries and empires throughout its long history. It was the capital of the Roman Empire (330-395), the Byzantine Empire (from 395 until 1204 and from 1261 until 1453), the Latin Empire (1204-1261), the Ottoman Empire (1453-1922). [7] In most of these stages, the city was surrounded by a halo of holiness, which was of great religious importance to its inhabitants and the inhabitants of the neighboring countries. It was an important city for Christians after the Byzantine Empire converted to Christianity, before it became the capital of the Islamic Caliphate from 1517 until the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire 1924.
Istanbul was chosen as the joint capital of European culture for 2010, and its historical monuments were added in 1985 to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Istanbul is located in the northwestern part of the Marmara region of Turkey. It is divided into two sections separated by the Bosporus. This city is located on two continents at the same time, the western part of which is located in Europe, while the eastern part is located in Asia. The city limits occupy 1,830.93 square kilometers (707 square miles), while the urban area or the province of Istanbul occupies an area of 6,220 square kilometers (2,402 square miles).
Istanbul is characterized by its temperate climate, although it occurs in a climate change zone, [58] between the areas where the climate prevails and the areas where the Mediterranean climate prevails. Summer in Istanbul is often hot and humidity is high, and temperatures in July and August are around 28 ° C (82 ° F). The winter is cold and humid and often snowy, and the average temperature in this season is 5 ° C (41 ° F). In the spring and autumn, the weather modifies and some sporadic rains fall. However, the climate in this period remains somewhat unstable during the day. It can change from cold to warm day to day, while nights are always cold.
Sometimes the humidity in the city is high, which makes one feel that the air is heavy on your breath. Annual humidity in Istanbul is 72%, as it is located in the second most humid area of Turkey. [59] [60] The annual rainfall is 843.9 mm (33 inches), [61] and the number of rainy days is 152 days. [60] Summer is the most dry season of the year, but it can be punctuated by some rainy days, and summer rains are scattered but often abundant.
Snow falls in this city almost annually, between December and March, and the annual average snowfall is about 19 days. However, the average number of days of snow varies from year to year, and the snow cover often lasts for only a few days After each fall.
The fog prevails throughout the year, especially in the morning, but it quickly clears before noon. In rare cases, fog remains throughout the day, in winter, spring, and autumn. [60] Thunderstorms are unusual, usually in late spring, summer, and early autumn, with an annual average of 22 days and rare throughout the rest of the year, even negligible throughout the winter. [60] Winds are constantly blowing in the city, with an average wind speed of 18 kilometers per hour (11 miles per hour).
The maximum temperature documented in Istanbul reached 40.5 ° C (105 ° F) on 12 July 2000, and the lowest recorded temperatures were -16.1 ° C (3 ° F) On 15 February of 1927. [63] Some areas of Istanbul are characterized by local climates that differ from those of some neighboring regions because of their size, topography, and the impact of marine air currents.
The urban landscape of Istanbul has been, and still is, in constant change. In the time of the Greeks, the Romans and the Byzantines, the city was mostly composed of the peninsula of Constantinople; the city of Galata was bordered to the north, and the cities of Ascodar and Chalcedon bordered eastward across the Bosphorus. All these cities were independent urban states. The present city of Istanbul includes the historical peninsula and all the surrounding cities, as well as many of the surrounding areas that were not inhabited until the 19th century, when the inhabitants were building new houses around the city, later living districts and districts.
The walls of the Venetian city of Venice were still standing until the early 19th century. These old fortifications, except for the Galata Tower and some parts of the wall that still remain today, were later destroyed to make way for the expansion of the city to the north, where the districts of Bashktash, Shishli, Mahami and beyond are now located.
In recent decades, many high-rise buildings have been built around the city to accommodate the growing population, and the surrounding towns have become part of the city because of the rapid expansion and absorption of the latter. The highest residential and office buildings are located in the north of the European section, particularly in the financial and business districts of Al Sharq, Masalak and Al Majidiyah Village, located between the Bosphorus Bridge and the Sultan Mehmet Al Fateh Bridge. In some neighborhoods, such as the East and the Hittite, luxury shopping centers such as Canyon, Metrosite, Ekimarz, Mayadrom and Mayadurum Al-Bukhari. The largest and most important Turkish companies and banks are located in this region.
A large section of the buildings on the outskirts of the city were built overnight, as a result of the rapid growth of Istanbul during the second half of the twentieth century. In the 1940s, the Turks invented a word for these random buildings: "Gecekondu" Overnight". Currently, many of these buildings are being demolished, removed and replaced by large housing complexes.
Throughout its long history, Istanbul has achieved a status as the melting point of different cultures and races. As a result, a number of mosques, churches, temples, palaces, castles and historic towers can be found in the city, which were built at different stages of time by various people and people. Some of these attractions attract millions of tourists to Istanbul every year and have become an important symbol of the city
the landmarks of the city
Aya Sofia
Sultan Ahmed mosque
Obstacle of Ttmus III
The new mosque
Palace of the High Gate
Museum of Chora
Fethiye Mosque
Palace of Tolmeh Baagge
Tower of Galata
Ortakoy Mosque
Romley siege siege
Sultan Mohamed El Fateh Bridge
Kegxo Palace
Gray Falcon Channel
Gray Falcon Channel
Palace of the Masters
Yildiz Palace
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Istanbul was the world's largest city in the Middle Ages. During its long history, it was considered one of the largest and most important cities in the world, except for the last years of the Byzantine Empire, when it suffered from many problems. The city has attracted many peoples and ethnic groups from all over Europe, Asia and Africa since ancient times. However, Greece and then the Turks absorbed all of these peoples who have historically been mixed with and mated, but the Turkish and Greek character has remained dominant.
The following tables show the city's population by year. As of 1914, the number can vary by 50% between each researcher. The numbers from 1927 to 2000 are the result of statistics, and the numbers in 2005 and 2006 are computer simulations. The reason for Istanbul's population between 1980 and 1985 is due to the natural increase of births and the expansion of the city's borders.
Transportation in Istanbul:
Istanbul has two international airports
Maritime navigation is vital for Istanbul, as the sea surrounds the city from all sides
Highways
Railways
Electric locomotives
Outstanding rail
Light Rail
Underground trains
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