ZEMCH 2015 - International Conference Proceedings | Page 381

Figure 1: Conceptual framework
Social Forces
Rapid Population Growth
Istanbul has grown very quickly over the past one hundred years, although it has always had a
large population. In 500AD, Istanbul had a population between 400k and 500k superior in Rome
as the leading ever capital in the world at the time. In 2014, the population of Istanbul has an
estimated of 14.2 million. High rates of urbanization had led to main problems of urban disease,
insufficient housing, traffic blocking and inadequate infrastructure, with broken footpaths and
narrow roads. Evidence of messy urban planning and redevelopment appears piecemeal because
of the pattern of ownership of land (Fig.1).

Figure 2: Istanbul population growth from (1927-2007) (PRB 2013)
Refugees
The first Syrian refugees began to cross into Turkey in April 2011. The number of Syrian refugees
in camps and residing in the city of Kilis has, for example, almost surpassed the population of the
city itself with all the challenges that come with it. Major cities of Western Turk ey such as Ankara,
Antalya, Izmir, Istanbul, Konya and Mersin have also attracted large numbers of Syrian refugees
(Fig.3).

Istanbul towards social sustainability: Istanbul’s social conditions and developments

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