The greater city of Istanbul is one of the most crowded cities of the world. Metropolitan Istanbul consists of 32 counties and 1 Greater City Municipality and is located on 2 continents: Asia and Europe.

One of the world’s busiest straits, the Bosporus, separates the two continents. The straits is a very busy waterway and provides the only water passage between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

European side is basically considered to be the commercial district while Asian side is basically residential. The city covers 5.712 sqkm.

Istanbul is an attractive location for any business and a catalyst for Turkish economy with its workforce, accessibility and inciting market. Istanbul serves as a transportation hub and infrastructure of the metropolitan is one of her greatest strengths.

Istanbul boasts to have 2 international airports: Ataturk International airport on the European side of the city and Sabiha Gokcen on the Asian side.

There are 2 express roads circling the city. The older one called E-5 is mostly used for inner city traffic while the more recent TEM highway is mostly used by intercity or intercontinental traffic. Bosphorus Bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge respectively, provide the Bosporus Strait passes for these two highways.

The central business district of Istanbul lies along the northbound Buyukdere Road between Mecidiyekoy and Maslak on the European side of the city. Other suburban business districts are Altunizade, Kavacik and Kozyatagi on the Asian side and Yenibosna neighborhood (West End) near Ataturk International airport.

The original industrial zones of the city used to concentrate around the E-5 highway.

Retail business concentrates in the shopping malls such as Akmerkez, Galleria, Carousel, CarrefourIcerenkoy, Capitol, Migros Beylikduzu, Olivium, Nautilus, Metrocity, Flyinn and Profilo. However high streets of Rumeli Caddesi, Abdi Ipekci and Bagdat Road will maintain their attraction.

Istanbul is and will continue serving as the national and regional hometown of multinational companies from all sectors. The city offers attractive residential, accommodation, transportation facilities to all companies that want to be operational in Turkey, Balkans, Middle East and other Turkish speaking states. The restructuring of the city continues in terms of both economy and infrastructure.

Istanbul, though not the administrative capital of Turkey, is the economic and cultural heartland of the modern Republic of Turkey. Projects that open Istanbul towards the world are candidacy for Olympic Games in 2012, hosting the Eurovision Song Contest 2004, Nato Summit in 2004 and opening of the Formula One race track in 2005.