Trifter

History

The first human settlement in what today is Istanbul is believed to have dated back to 5500 B.C.  The land was then controlled by the Greeks until it was attacked by Constantine in the battle of Chrysopolis on September 18th 324.  In the year 330 the city was renamed Constantinople and became the capital of Rome.  Following the split of the Roman Empire the city became the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire.  On May 29th 1453 the city was captured by Sultan Mehmed II after a fifty three day siege and became the capital of the Ottoman Empire.  When the Republic of Turkey was founded the capital city moved from Istanbul to Ankara.

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Earthquakes

Istanbul is located right along the North Anatolian fault line which runs all the way from Anatolia to the Marmara Sea.  These two plates pushing together have caused many earthquakes in the region responsible for thousands of deaths.  In 1509 an earthquake caused a tsunami which broke over the city walls killing over 10,000 people and destroyed 100 mosques.  An earthquake on august 17th 1999 left over 18,000 people dead.

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Climate

Istanbul has a temperate climate.  The summers are hot and humid with the average summer temperature reaching 82 degrees Fahrenheit.  The winter temperatures are cold with the average temperature around 42 degrees Fahrenheit.  The average precipitation is 27.2 inches with most of it coming during the winter months.  The city is also very windy with average wind speeds of 11 mph.

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Demographics

The population of Istanbul has more than tripled between the years of 1980 through 2005.  However due to high unemployment in southeastern turkey many people in that area come to Istanbul in order to find work.  They often build small houses at the outskirts of town which are later developed into neighborhoods and integrated in the city.    The city had a population of 11,372,613 according to the latest count in 2007.

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Economy

The population of Istanbul has more than tripled between the years of 1980 through 2005.  However due to high unemployment in southeastern turkey many people in that area come to Istanbul in order to find work.  They often build small houses at the outskirts of town which are later developed into neighborhoods and integrated in the city.    The city had a population of 11,372,613 according to the latest count in 2007.

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