Turkey Case Study
Belle
, Location
- Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey (in terms of area)
- Is over 5000 km2 and has a population density of over 2000
people per km2
- Capital of three major empires:
- Eastern Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, Ottoman Empire
- On either side of the Bosphorus Strait which separates Europe and
Asia
- Makes the city a gateway between east and west, north and Turkey at a National Scale
south
Turkey on a World Map
- One of the largest ports of trade between North Africa, Asia and
Europe
- Is both a megacity and a world city
- Grew from a population of 1 million in 1950 to 15 million today
- Most populated city in Europe and the fastest growing city in the
world
, Migration
- One of the largest immigrant populations of any country
- In 2017, over 400,000 people migrated to Turkey
- Had an estimated population of 15 million in 2019
↳ Is a significant destination for migrants looking for work
- Most migration before the last decade had been urbanisation (rural to urban areas)
↳ Many migrants end up doing informal work (not formally signed / no proper contract with employer)
because of the overwhelming number of migrants
- Less than 30% of Istanbul’s population were born in Istanbul
↳ Made up of Kurdish, Greek, Armenian, American and Jewish communities
- Rapid migration has caused Istanbul’s population to shift towards the suburbs from the center (sub-
urbanisation)
↳ Many jobs and services have moved to the suburbs, causing many people to therefore moved to the
suburbs as well
Belle
, Location
- Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey (in terms of area)
- Is over 5000 km2 and has a population density of over 2000
people per km2
- Capital of three major empires:
- Eastern Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, Ottoman Empire
- On either side of the Bosphorus Strait which separates Europe and
Asia
- Makes the city a gateway between east and west, north and Turkey at a National Scale
south
Turkey on a World Map
- One of the largest ports of trade between North Africa, Asia and
Europe
- Is both a megacity and a world city
- Grew from a population of 1 million in 1950 to 15 million today
- Most populated city in Europe and the fastest growing city in the
world
, Migration
- One of the largest immigrant populations of any country
- In 2017, over 400,000 people migrated to Turkey
- Had an estimated population of 15 million in 2019
↳ Is a significant destination for migrants looking for work
- Most migration before the last decade had been urbanisation (rural to urban areas)
↳ Many migrants end up doing informal work (not formally signed / no proper contract with employer)
because of the overwhelming number of migrants
- Less than 30% of Istanbul’s population were born in Istanbul
↳ Made up of Kurdish, Greek, Armenian, American and Jewish communities
- Rapid migration has caused Istanbul’s population to shift towards the suburbs from the center (sub-
urbanisation)
↳ Many jobs and services have moved to the suburbs, causing many people to therefore moved to the
suburbs as well
