Istanbul, this year’s European Capital of Culture, straddles two continents, creating a multicultural and geo-political convergence that is without parallel.
Istanbul’s opulent heritage dates back some 8,000 years to Neolithic settlements. Later called Byzantium and then Constantinople, Istanbul became the seat of power for the Ottomans. By the Twenties, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk almost singlehandedly ended 600 years of Ottoman rule when he created the modern and secular Turkish Republic through political, legal, social and economic reforms.
Today, Turkey is seen as a burgeoning economic powerhouse, ranked by the IMF as the world’s 16th largest economy. Per capita income alone has more than trebled over the past decade. Though there remain socio-economic hurdles, including the gulf between rich and poor, the government is making great strides.
Istanbul with its skyline of palaces, towering minarets, and modern skyscrapers, is undergoing a massive urban transformation, ranging from expanding public transport through to large housing initiatives that typically require developers to include schools, pools, shops and sports facilities.
The city is Turkey’s leading centre for commerce, culture, finance and industry – and its largest port. The Bosphorus Strait between the Aegean and the Black Sea, that divides Istanbul between Asia and Europe, is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
This piece was originally published in the Telegraph weekly world edition
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