Provinces of Turkey 34 ISTANBUL

Located in the Marmara Region, the city is one of the 81 provinces of the Republic of Turkey. It is the country's largest and most populated province in terms of population. It is one of the leading cities in terms of economic, historical and socio-cultural aspects. It ranks 34th in the world in terms of economic size. It ranks first in Europe and sixth in the world, according to the ranking made by considering the municipal boundaries in the list of cities by population.

Istanbul was established in the northwest of Turkey, along the Marmara coast and the Bosphorus, surrounding the Golden Horn. Istanbul is a transcontinental city, the European part is called the European Side or the Rumeli Side, and the Asian part is called the Anatolian Side or the Asian Side. For the first time in history, the western border of Istanbul, which was founded on a peninsula surrounded by the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn, was forming the Istanbul Walls. During the development and growth process, the city has 39 districts, which were expanded 4 times with the construction of the city walls, each time moving further to the west. Within its borders, there are a total of 40 municipalities including the metropolitan municipality.

Istanbul, one of the oldest cities in the world, was the Roman Empire between 330-395, the Byzantine Empire between 395-1204, the Latin Empire between 1204-1261, the Byzantine Empire again between 1261-1453 and finally the Ottoman Empire between 1453-1922. He was the capital of . In addition, Istanbul became the center of the Islamic world from 1517, when the Caliphate passed to the Ottoman Empire, until 1924, when it was abolished.

Istanbul is a world city located at the intersection of the continents of Europe and Asia, with a history of 8500 years, an urban history of approximately 3,000, and a capital of 1600 years, in line with the harbor found during the excavations in Yenikapı, the settlement date of which was last done. Istanbul was used as the capital during the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods. The city has hosted different civilizations and cultures throughout the ages, preserved its cosmopolitan and metropolitan structure where people from various religions, languages and races lived together for centuries, and became a unique mosaic in the historical process. Istanbul, one of the rare settlements in the world that has managed to become a center and stay in power for long periods of time, has been a world capital from past to present.

The geopolitical importance of Istanbul is quite high, as it hosts the Bosphorus, which connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara and separates Asia and Europe. The main streams are Riva, Kağıthane and Alibey streams. The province's lands are less rough and its highest point is Aydos Hill in Kartal district. The main natural lakes in the province are Büyükçekmece, Küçükçekmece and Durusu lakes. Transition characteristics between Black Sea and Mediterranean macro climates are observed in the province and its surroundings. Air temperatures and precipitation averages are irregular; vegetation is unstable.

Trade is the sector that has the largest share in Istanbul's income. Bosphorus bridges and highways stretching between centers such as Asia and Europe have a great contribution to the development of this sector in the province. Likewise, its connection to Asia and Europe by rail and its large ports are also effective in this regard. Istanbul trade sector constitutes 27% of the country's total. In terms of imports and exports, Istanbul ranks first in Turkey. Almost all of the private banks serving in Turkey, national newspapers, television channels, transportation companies and publishing houses have their headquarters in Istanbul. As a matter of fact, the transportation-communication sector, together with banking, has a share of more than 15% in the Istanbul economy.

The headquarters and factories of many of Turkey's major industrial establishments are located in Istanbul. Hardware, machinery, automotive, shipbuilding, chemistry, weaving, ready-made food, glass, porcelain and cement industries are developed in the province. Industry, whose share was close to 30% at the beginning of the 2000s, is the second largest sector in the province after trade.