Turkey is not only a paradise for tourists, but also an industrial country with a rapidly developing economy. According to 2014 data, the state has nine millionaire cities. We will tell you about the five largest of them: Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Bursa and Adana.
Istanbul
The ancient and many-sided Istanbul with the population approaching 11 million heads the list of the largest cities in Turkey. Behind him are the millennia of history and the four great empires (Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman), of which he was the capital.
Now it is an industrial, cultural and commercial center of the country. Istanbul is located on the shores of the Bosphorus, which divides it into two parts - Asian and European - interconnected by bridges and metrotunnel. In terms of population, the city is the largest not only in Turkey, but throughout Europe. According to statistics, every fifth Turk lives in it.
Istanbul, like a kaleidoscope, combines the traditions of all the peoples who once lived on this territory. Mosques and churches, cathedrals and synagogues, modern theaters and remnants of Roman buildings, Egyptian obelisks and the German fountain, palaces and fortresses, oriental bazaars and modern shopping centers - it seems that it has everything.
Ankara
Ankara is the capital and largest city of Turkey, whose population is approaching 5 million people (currently 4.9 million). It is located at an altitude of about 938 m above sea level on the Anatolian Plateau. The city has been known since ancient times. Having a favorable position at the crossroads of trade routes connecting Asia and Europe, it has become one of the centers of Asia Minor.
Ankara is the second most important and level of economic potential city of Turkey after Istanbul. Its rapid development has determined a favorable position on transport routes. Numerous industrial facilities, trading companies, banks, educational institutions and proximity to mineral deposits have made the city attractive to investors.
Like other major cities in Turkey, Ankara attracts tourists with its developed infrastructure and rich history. Almost a billion people a year host its international airport.
Izmir
The Mediterranean Turkish city of Izmir (the center of the province of the same name) closes the top three. Its population is about 2.8 million people. By tradition, Izmir is considered the most liberal city in Turkey. Its existence has been known since ancient times. Up to the sad famous massacre of 1922, the city was inhabited mainly by Greeks, it was Christian.
One of the largest cities in Turkey has an excellent geographical position on the shores of the Izmir Bay, surrounded by low hills. Picturesque views and a temperate Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers make it attractive for tourists.
Izmir launched the production of trucks and buses of the BMC Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Å brand. and one of the leading Turkish higher education institutions - Izmir Institute of Technology.
Bursa
The large administrative center of Bursa is located in the north-west of Anatolia. It rightly bears the status of one of the largest cities in Turkey by population, as the number of people living in it exceeds 1.5 million.
It is believed that Bursa was founded in 202 BC. and at different times belonged to the Byzantine and Ottoman empires, moreover, the city was the capital from 1326 to 1365. Now it is famous for the ski resorts on Uludag Mountain, the Green Mosque and the mausoleum. The city has a subway and a developed tram network.
Adana
Adana, which is the administrative center of the region of the same name, closes the list of major cities in Turkey . The village is located just 50 km from the Mediterranean coast, on the Seyhan River. It is characterized by a typical Mediterranean climate with dry and hot summers. According to the latest data, the population of Adana is more than 1.5 million people.
The city has an ancient history and at different times was under the auspices of Great Armenia, the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, the Cilician Armenian kingdom. Due to its advantageous geographical position, it was called the key to the Taurus passages. In the old days, it was famous for its trade.
Currently, it is a large city in Turkey, which is an industrial center with a developed chemical, textile and food industries.