2. Istanbul is located in the north-west Marmara Region of Turkey. It encloses the southern Bosphorus which places the city on two continents. The city boundaries cover a surface area of 1,830.92 square kilometres.

3. ISTANBUL is the cultural and financial center of TURKEY. It is the second largest metropolitan area in Europe and fourth largest city proper in the world with a population of 12.6 million.

4. Istanbul has a history of over 2,500 years. It has been the capital of three great empires, the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires.

7. Istanbul holds some of the finest institutions of higher education in Turkey, including more than 20 public and private universities. Most of the reputable universities are public, but in recent years there has also been an upsurge in the number of private universities.