Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, has historically served as the capital of the Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires due to its strategic location between Europe and Asia. As the only city located on two continents, Istanbul has experienced a long history of conquests and rebuilding efforts. Today, Istanbul remains Turkey's cultural and economic center, though the capital was moved to Ankara in 1923, and over 13 million people call it home, making it one of the largest cities in Europe.

1. INTRODUCTION
Istanbul historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul
metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of
Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and Moscow. The
city in its administrative limits had 8.8 million residents counted in the latest Turkish census from
2000. Istanbul is a megacity, as well as the cultural, economic, and financial centre of Turkey. It is
located on the Bosporus Strait and encompasses the natural harbor known as the Golden Horn, in
the northwest of the country. It extends both on the European (Thrace) and on the Asian (Anatolia)
sides of the Bosporus, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world that is situated on
two continents. Istanbul is a designated alpha world city.
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 Republic of Turkey was proclaimed on 29 October
1923, Ankara, which had previously served as the headquarters of the Turkish national
movement during the Turkish War of Independence, was chosen as the new Turkish State's capital.
Istanbul was chosen as a joint European Capital of Culture for 2010 and the European Capital of
Sports for 2012. Istanbul is currently bidding to host the2020 Summer Olympics. The historic areas
of the city were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985. The city covers 39 districts of
the Istanbul province.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF ISTAMBUL
It's thought that people inhabited the area now known as Istanbul from 3000 BC, but the city's real
history began in 658 BC, with the appearance of Byzas from Megara. The Greek King founded a
great city, calling it Byzantion, meaning 'The City of Byzas'. Thanks to its location and climate, the
city grew rapidly and its people made a living from fishing.
Byzantion's power and position quickly gained the city enemies. The citizens spent years fending off
the Thracian barbarians, and in 196 AD Byzantion was captured by the Roman Emperor Septimus
Severus, who made many improvements to the city - after sacking it first.
In 330, Constantine the Great declared the city as the capital of the Roman Empire, and named it
after himself: Constantinople. He undertook huge construction works to make the city truly
magnificent and reminiscent of Rome.
The city prospered under Roman rule until 395 when the sons of emperor Theodosius I divided the
empire after his death. Constantinople became the new capital of the Byzantine Empire, and the city
took on a Greek flavour. In its position at the centre of two continents, it had huge influence in trade,
culture and politics, and became very wealthy.
Over hundreds of years the great city was attacked by troops from all over the Middle East, and was
for a short time even ruled by the members of the Fourth Crusade, becoming the centre of the
Catholic Latin Empire. Caught between the Byzantine and the Latin empires, the city began to suffer
economically, and its population dwindled and became vulnerable to more attacks. During this time
the city was captured by the Byzantine Emperor.
At the same time, the Ottoman Turks began capturing the cities around Constantinople, rendering it
cut off from its neighbours. Eventually, the Ottomans captured the besieged and weakened city,
which became the capital of the Ottoman Empire and was renamed Istanbul.

2. The Ottoman leader Sultan Mehmet began to rebuild the city. He created the Grand Bazaar, built
several significant structures, opened schools, hospitals, mosques and public baths. He also
encouraged a mixed population, and Muslim, Christian and Jewish populations lived peacefully
together in the city.
The Ottoman Empire ruled Istanbul until it was occupied by the allies in World War I.
Istanbul became part of the Turkish Republic in 1923, but Ankara became the capital, and investors
focussed on the central city, overlooking Istanbul. However, in the 1940s and 1950s, Istanbul began
to blossom once more, with new squares, boulevards and avenues built.
Since the 1970s, Istanbul's population has grown rapidly, and the city has spread outwards, creating
a huge and prosperous metropolis. In 1985 the city's historical monuments and areas were added to
the UNESCO World Heritage list. And this year, in recognition of the city's huge cultural influence
and spectacular history, Istanbul has been named the European Capital of Culture by the European
Union.
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION AND STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE
Istanbul is located in northwestern Turkey within the Marmara Region on a total area of 5,343
square kilometers (2,063 sq mi). The Bosphorus, which connects the Sea of Marmara to the Black
Sea, divides the city into a European side, comprising the historic and economic centers, and an
Asian, Anatolian side; as such, Istanbul is one of the two bi-continental cities in Turkey, along
with Çanakkale. The city is further divided by the Golden Horn, a natural harbor bounding the
peninsula where the former Byzantium and Constantinople were founded. In the late-19th century, a
wharf was constructed in Galata at the mouth of the Golden Horn, replacing a sandy beach that
once formed part of the inlet's coastline. The confluence of the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus, and
the Golden Horn at the heart of present-day Istanbul has deterred attacking forces for thousands of
years and still remains a prominent feature of the city's landscape.
The historic peninsula is said to be built on seven hills, each topped by an imperial mosque,
surrounded by 22 kilometers (14 mi) of city walls; the largest of these hills is the site of Topkapı
Palace on the Sarayburnu. Rising from the opposite side of the Golden Horn is another, conical hill,
where the modern Beyoğlu district is situated. Because of the topography, buildings were once
constructed with the help of terraced retaining walls (some of which are still visible in older parts of
the city), and roads in Beyoğlu were laid out in the form of steps. Üsküdar on the Asian side exhibits
similarly hilly characteristics, with the terrain gradually extending down to the Bosphorus coast, but
the landscape in Şemsipaşa and Ayazma is more abrupt, akin to a promontory. The highest point in
Istanbul is Çamlıca Hill (also on the Asian side), with an altitude of 288 meters (945 ft).
Istanbul is situated near the North Anatolian Fault on the boundary between
the African and Eurasian plates. This fault zone, which runs from northern Anatolia to the Sea of
Marmara, has been responsible for several deadly earthquakes throughout the city's history. Among
the most devastating of these seismic events was the 1509 earthquake, which caused a tsunami
that broke over the walls of the city, destroyed over 100 mosques, and killed more than 10,000
people. More recently, in 1999, an earthquake with its epicenter in nearby Izmir left 17,000 people
dead, including 1,000 people in Istanbul's suburbs. The people of Istanbul remain concerned that an
even more catastrophic seismic event may be in Istanbul's near future, as thousands of structures
recently built to accommodate the city's rapidly increasing population may not have been

3. constructed properly. Seismologists say the risk of a 7.6-magnitude earthquake striking Istanbul by
2030 is greater than sixty percent.
CLIMATE
There is no definite climate type for the whole Istanbul Province. Because of its geographic location
and physical geographic features, it carries different climate features than the ones in the same
latitudes.
Being in the low-pressure and high-pressure zones which repeats twice in order, starting from
equator on the earth, Istanbul (41 degree north latitude and 29 degree east longitude, Istanbul is in
the borders of subtropical high pressure zone and cold-warm part of low-pressure zone; or
terrestrial (dry) alize winds and west winds (humid and rainy) of sea. With the movement of earth,
various climate conditions are experienced in winter and summer.
Throughout the year, three types of weather are dominant in Istanbul. One is coming from north and
south and the other is more calm weather type. Weather types of east-west direction bound are
insignificant. Among these three types of weather, highest frequency (most frequent blowing) one
comes along when the northern winds are dominant. There are four phases according to the
seasons; two transition phases of one short and one long with hot and cold periods.
Works Cited
A Brief History Of Istanbul. (n.d.). Retrieved 12 8, 2011, from PROPERTY TURKEY FOR SALE:
http://www.propertyturkeyforsale.com/a-brief-history-of-istanbul-t-382.html
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION AND STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE. (n.d.). Retrieved 12 8, 2011, from
ISTAMBUL2010: http://www.ibb.gov.tr/sites/ks/en-US/0-Exploring-The-
City/Location/Pages/GeographicalandStrategicPosition.aspx
Highlights of Istanbul. (2001, DECEMBER). Retrieved 12 8, 2011, from THE FLYING KIWI:
http://www.richard-seaman.com/Travel/Turkey/Istanbul/index.html
Quick History of Istanbul. (n.d.). Retrieved 12 8, 2011, from TWARP:
http://www.twarp.com/istanbul/history.htm

4. REPUBLIC OF TURKEY. (n.d.). Retrieved 12 8, 2011, from The Changes Brought by the Republic :
http://www.kultur.gov.tr/EN/belge/2-14857/the-changes-brought-by-the-republic.html

5. PRESENTATION
POLITICAL SCIENCE#7
POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY
GEOPOLITICS OF ISTAMBUL
PRESENTED BY:
1. FARAH AKRAM
PRESNTED TO:
MS KHUSHBOO
KINNAIRD COLLEGE FOR WOMEN LAHORE