Located in the centre of the Old World, Istanbul is a very important megapolis with its historical monuments and magnificent natural landscapes. It is the only city on two continents where Asia and Europe are separated by a narrow sea passage and the only city in the world with a sea passing through it. With a history of more than 2500 years, Istanbul has been an important trade centre following its establishment in this strategic region where the sea and land embrace. The historical city of Istanbul is located on a peninsula surrounded on three sides by the Marmara Sea, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. In addition to being the capital of three empires, Istanbul is one of the few cities that has always been an economic centre. Although the city was not the political capital of the new republic established in 1923, it has always maintained its position as an economic centre and has never lost its position in determining the fate of the country.

Istanbul has a central importance in both domestic and foreign trade. If we take a brief look at the city's economy and business life, today Istanbul's share in Turkey's GNP is approximately 23 per cent. In recent years, industry has been replaced by administrative centres and sectors such as finance, tourism, services and banking. In contrast to this situation in industry, the heart of money markets beats in Istanbul at an increasing pace. Due to its geographical location, the first 4 working hours of the day in Istanbul coincide with Asian countries and the other 4 hours with European countries. This makes Istanbul a natural financial centre. Istanbul, the country's air transport.