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Istanbul

geographical name Is·tan·bul \ ˌis-tən-ˈbül , -ˌtan- , -ˌtän- , -ˈbu̇l , ˈis-tən-ˌ , or with m for n \
variants: or formerly Constantinople play \ˌkän-ˌstan-tə-ˈnō-pəl\ or ancient Byzantium play \bə-ˈzan-tē-əm, -ˈzan-sh(ē-)əm\
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Definition of Istanbul

city in northwestern Turkey partly in Europe and partly in Asia on the Bosporus and the Sea of Marmara; capital of Turkey before its independence in 1923 and earlier capital of the Ottoman Empire population 12,500,000

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