Turkey is one of the most frequently chosen holiday destinations for Europeans, though not everyone takes much care in learning the basics of the country they’re treating like a faceless beach resort. As such, to go over the most basic of basics, what’s the capital of Turkey?
Is Istanbul the capital of Turkey?
Istanbul, formerly known as Constantinople, is the largest city in Turkey and one of the largest and most populous cities in the whole world. Its geographical location also makes it one of the rare transcontinental cities. So you’d expect Istanbul to be the perfect candidate for a capital of Turkey, right? Well, it is not.
Which city is the capital of Turkey?
Since 1923, the capital of Turkey has been Ankara. It is the second largest city in all of Turkey. It is located in central Anatolia, the Asian part of the Turkish state. It is here that the seat of the Turkish government is located. In Ankara you will also find all the embassies of countries with which Turkey has diplomatic relations. Ankara has a population of around 5,7mln. Even though that’s slightly below three times smaller than Istanbul, it’s still a massive city in reality and not undeserving of the title of a capital.
In conclusion, though many may instinctively assume so, Istanbul is not the capital of Turkey. The capital of Turkey is the much smaller Ankara, located in the dominant part of Turkey in Asia.
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