Istanbul is in the north western part of the Marmara Region in Turkey. The southern Bosphorus is enclosed by it, and places the city on two continents. Istanbul’s western part is in Europe while its eastern part is in Asia. The city’s boundaries cover an area of 594 square miles or 1,539 square kilometres. The province of Istanbul encompasses 2,402 square miles or 6,220 square kilometres.

Istanbul has a Mediterranean climate. During the summer it is hot and humid while in the winter it is rainy and cold and often snows. It has a rather high humidity level and temperatures feel colder or warmer than they actually are. Istanbul averages over 640 millimetres of precipitation yearly. It is quite common to see snowfall in the winter season, it can be heavy but usually only lasts a week or so. Snow usually occurs somewhere between December and March.

Summer is somewhere around June and September bringing an average temperature of 28 degrees Celsius. July is considered to be the warmest month while January is the coldest. It becomes slightly cooler as the weather moves to eastern Istanbul.

Transportation

By Air

Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport opened as a civilian airport in 1912, and unlocked their doors to International air traffic in 1953. The airport has a total area of over 9,470 square meters. This includes a 62,000 square meter domestic terminal, 179,000 square meter International terminal and a new Terminal complex measuring over 186,000 square meters. This is Europe’s Largest Airport.

There are over 14 million International passengers and over 7 million travellers going through the airport each year. Other forms of transportations that connect the airport to multiple destinations in the city are also available. The airport has their own bus service known as Havas, as well. It is significantly cheaper than taking a taxi. It takes 40 minutes from Ataturk Airport to Taksim and to other parts of the city. The price varies depending on the person’s destination. The trip towards the airport is usually pummelled with heavy traffic, especially in rush hour. There is a coastal road that connects Aksaray and Bakurkoy to the airport that has less traffic. There is a metro rail system that offers a less expensive way to reach the airport.

By Road

Between Europe and Turkey, there are three main motorways, the Trans European Motorway, the E5 and E90. Istanbul’s motorway is developed well and is always being extended. The motorway to the west lead to Edirne while to the east is Ankara. 2 expressways are circling the city. The E5 is usually used for inner city traffic while the Trans European Motorway is used for intercontinental traffic.

By Sea

Istanbul is surrounded by the sea on all sides, so sea transport is very vital. Many work on the European side but live on the Asian side. Commuter ferries are the backbone of the daily alteration of the two parts of the city, more so than the two suspension bridges. They also form the connection between the city and the Prince’s island. Istanbul sea buses run between the European and Asian parts of Istanbul. It was created in 1987; it operates a high speed catamaran. They also connect to other destinations in the Sea of Marmara.

The most important industry in Istanbul is its harbour. The Golden Horn primarily serves as personal navigation. While the Galatan port Karakoy is for large cruise liners. Cruises as well as services exist in ports such as Dubrovnik, Marseille Piraeus and the Greek Islands, Naples, Venice, Haifa. Many marinas in Istanbul vary in sizes for harbouring yachts. Atakoy is the largest on the European side and Kalamis on the Asian. Its cargo port though is in the Harem district, within Uskudar, on the Asian side. In 2005, Istanbul accounts for 56.6% exports from Turkey while imports are rated at 60.2%. The main cargo of exports and imports were mad through the port of Harem.

Life in Istanbul

Istanbul has become one of the most important tourist spots in Turkey today. There are many hotels and tourist related industries in the city. Serving both holiday makers and visiting professionals alike.

A total of 23 million tourists visited Turkey in 2006, most of them entered through the sea and airports of Istanbul. In 2005, tourists have reached over 5 million a significant rise from 4 million the previous year. All of these holiday makers entered Turkey en route to Istanbul. It has become a popular choice for the leading international associations of the world for conferences.

Istanbul has three separate exhibition and conference areas: Istanbul Hilton Convention & Exhibition Centre, Military Museum Cultural Centre, Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall and the Istanbul Convention & Exhibition Centre, with a business and financial district. They have a combination of meeting facilities, accommodations and exhibition space which can be used individually or by group. They may also use the Metro for transportation. They can accommodate more than 10,000 participants in an event.

Istanbul has become more and more vivid in colour in terms of culture and commercial activities. Stadiums are now filled with audiences’ vying to watch opera, theatre and ballet. Famous orchestras, concerts, coral ensembles and jazz legends are also present during the seasonal festivals. One of the most important festivals in Europe is the Istanbul International Film Festival. Another major event in fine arts is the Istanbul Bicentennial.

There are wonderful places in the city for swimming. Like Sariyer Bosphuros and Bakirkoy.

There are many fine institutions for higher education in Istanbul, as well. There are more than 20 universities in the city. Most of the reputable universities are the public ones. But there have been a surge in private schools in recent years.

Sports like tennis, horse riding and golf have lately been gaining popularity with the citizens of Istanbul. There are also fitness clubs, body building and aerobics available. Two large clubs in Istanbul are practicing paintball which is quickly acquiring notoriety. Multiple motor sports events are held in Istanbul. Namely the Le Mans Series and MotoGP.

Commerce and tourism will be an important mainstay in the city. But traffic congestions, disorganized housing and demographic growth are challenging its advancement. Because of the shopping, commerce and entertainment, it is currently considered as Turkey’s Capital.