Turkey, or the former Eastern Roman Empire, is a country that occupies a unique geographical position, partly in Asia and partly in Europe. Throughout its history, it has been a bridge between two continents, but also a barrier between two worlds. Turkey is located at the crossroads of the Balkans, the Caucasus, the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean. The area of Turkey is larger than the area of any other European country, and the number of inhabitants exceeded 85 million in 2022. In the north, Turkey is surrounded by the Black Sea, in the northeast it borders with Georgia and Armenia, in the east with Azerbaijan and Iran, in the southeast with Iraq and Syria, in the southwest and west it borders the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea. The capital is Ankara, and its largest city and seaport is Istanbul with 15 million inhabitants.
No city in the world can be said to straddle two continents, except for Istanbul. This imposing city with 15 million inhabitants, washed by the mighty Bosphorus from the east, and the Sea of Marmara from the south, represents the fearless capital of the former Eastern Roman Empire, then the Ottoman Empire, and later the state of Turkey. The city also includes groups of islands in the Sea of Marmara, which are better known as the Prince's Islands. As it spans two continents, the city itself can be divided into old Istanbul, which is located in the Asian part, and modern Istanbul, which belongs to Europe.
