Istanbul
geographical name
-ˌstan-, -ˌstän-, -ˈbu̇l, ˈi-stən-ˌbül, -ˌbu̇l, or with m for n\
\
or ancient
Byzantium
\ bə-ˈzan-tē-əm ,
-ˈzan-sh(ē-)əm
\
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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