Istanbul could be split in two, says Turkish prime minister

[alp227]

Source: The Guardian

Istanbul is renown as the place where east meets west, the only city in the world to straddle Europe and Asia. But it may soon lose this unique status if the Turkish government goes ahead with a plan to divide it in two.

The prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a former Istanbul mayor, has announced what he described as a "wild project" to split the city into European and Asian sides to make it easier to govern.

"We will build two new cities in Istanbul due to high population," Erdogan said, announcing his party's manifesto for June elections.. "One on the European side and one on the Anatolian side."

Istanbul's official population is soon expected to reach 17 million, with thousands more unregistered people living in the city.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/18/istanbul-split-turkish-prime-minister

[damntexdem]

1. If you've a date in Constantinople, she'll be waiting in Instanbul.

The place just keeps getting renamed. ;-)

[christx30]

3. Maybe they should

call one of them Constantinople... just to piss off Jimmy Kennedy for no reason.
I kid. Great song.

[kentauros]

5. Istanbul - They Might Be Giants

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeQ-wjDH4F4

:D

[Deep13]

2. That's a pretty big town. nt

[iandhr]

4. i don't know

it seems cool to have a city on two continents.

[Tesha]

6. Eastanbul and Westanbul is Istanbul? (NT)

[Thurifer]

7. Free Constantinople!

Free Constantinople! 500 years of occupation is enough!

[Odin2005]

8. Name the western half Contantinople!

:evilgrin:

[WatsonT]

9. 17 million is pretty unmanagable

But this does remind me of the east/west roman empire, also split to be easier to manage.

I guess it worked out better for one half than the other.

[Javaman]

10. Istanbul is not Constantinople, but may not be Istanbul for much longer. nt

Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night

Every gal in Constantinople
Lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople
So if you've a date in Constantinople
She'll be waiting in Istanbul

Even old New York was once New Amsterdam
Why they changed it I can't say
People just liked it better that way

So take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks

Istanbul (Istanbul)
Istanbul (Istanbul)

Even old New York was once New Amsterdam
Why they changed it I can't say
People just liked it better that way

Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks

So take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks

Istanbul

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

11. How about Constantinople and Byzantium

Or Byzantion?

Bring back the old names.

This makes as much sense as splitting Buda from Pest.

:hi:

[Confusious]

12. They never called themselves byzantium

that was a name placed on them by the historians. They alwys thought of themselves as romans, albeit greek speaking romans.