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To meet our team contact us at: Tel: +90 212 437 8787 or email: [email protected] www.telecitygroup.com.tr Outstanding data centres. Expertise you ...
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To meet our team contact us at: Tel: +90 212 437 8787 or email: [email protected] www.telecitygroup.com.tr

Outstanding data centres. Expertise you can trust. TelecityGroup has been acquired by Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq:EQIX) the interconnection platform for the world’s leading businesses. www.telecitygroup.com

Sultan Ahmed Mosque Istanbul, Turkey

Equinix Telecities Helping you connect to:

ISTANBUL

Contents OVERVIEW 1 2 ISTANBUL: A BACKGROUND 4 ISTANBUL: BRIDGING CONTINENTS AND CONNECTING ECONOMIES 6 ISTANBUL’S DIGITAL BOOM 8 TRAVELLING TO ISTANBUL?

“ If the Earth was a single state, Istanbul would be its capital.” Napoleon Bonaparte, French military and political leader

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Equinix Telecities. Helping you connect to: Istanbul

OVERVIEW Formerly known as Constantinople, and before that as Byzantium, Istanbul was founded at a crossroad between Europe and Asia at around 660 BC. Known as “The City of Two Continents”, Istanbul is divided by the Bosphorus, a strait that forms part of the boundary between the two continents. The region’s modern day makeup has been shaped by foreign invasions and is unique in having been capital to consecutive Christian and Islamic empires. The city hosts a staggering wealth of attractions including the masterpiece Byzantine church, the Hagia Sofia, the formidable city walls, and the domes and minarets of the Ottoman mosques and palaces that dramatically dominate the city’s skyline. Did you know? With 14 million inhabitants, Istanbul is one of the world’s most populous cities.

9.5 million tourists visit Istanbul every year — 28% of all Turkish tourism.

4m +90 is the international dialing code for Turkey, 212 and 216 is the area code for Istanbul.

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Expected IT services spend in Turkey during 2013.

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Equinix Telecities. Helping you connect to: Istanbul

ISTANBUL: A BACKGROUND Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, and though it is not the capital, it is the leading industrial, commercial and cultural centre of the country. It is a rich and bustling metropolis with significant cultural and historical heritage.

Key stat Turkey is one of the world’s leading producers of agricultural products, with this sector accounting for around 25% of employment.

25% Did you know? Istanbul, which used to be known as Constantinople thanks to the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, is built on seven hills to match the seven hills of Rome.

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Equinix Telecities. Helping you connect to: Istanbul

Transport Istanbul is an easily accessible city with two international airports (and a 77 million square metre, 150 million passenger capacity third airport is under construction); two bridges that connect Asia and Europe (with a third one is also under construction); and two major rail stations. Marmaray’s undersea rail tunnel under the Bosphorus strait also connects Asia to Europe’s railways. Flying into Istanbul Atatürk Airport means a 30 minute journey into the city centre. Inter-city travel is best navigated by public transportation — Istanbul’s metro, tram, funicular and ferry systems are cheap, efficient and punctual and not affected by the city’s road congestion (which can be an issue if you’re in a rush). Economy Turkey has the world’s 17th largest nominal GDP, and 15th largest GDP by Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). The Turkish economy as a whole has grown rapidly, particularly as innovation in the region has risen. The economy has enjoyed consistently strong growth fuelled by trade and foreign investment and the country’s debt levels are considerably lower than comparable states. Key fact Istanbul is the only city in the world that straddles two continents: Asia and Europe. It’s an East meets West melting pot, and prides itself on tolerance of all cultures and religions.

WEST EAST

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Political landscape A Member of OECD, NATO, G20 and Council of Europe and also part of EU customs union, Turkey is a parliamentary democracy with a multi-party system. The President of Turkey is called the Cumhurbaşkanı, (which in English would be pronounced as ‘joomhoor-bashkanuh’), and is the ceremonial head of state of the Republic of Turkey. The 11th and current President, Abdullah Gül, undertook the position on August 28, 2007. Meanwhile, the current Prime Minister of Turkey is Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has been in office since 2003. Key exports Turkey is one of the world’s leading producers of agricultural products, with this sector accounting for around 25% of employment. However, Turkey’s largely free market economy is increasingly driven by its industry and service sectors — an aggressive privatisation programme is reducing state involvement in basic industry, banking, transport, and communications. This is particularly visible in Istanbul, where an emerging community of entrepreneurs is adding dynamism to the economy and expanding production beyond the traditional sectors. Ortakoy Mosque and Bosphorus Bridge — connecting Europe and Asia.

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Equinix Telecities. Helping you connect to: Istanbul

ISTANBUL: BRIDGING CONTINENTS AND CONNECTING ECONOMIES Istanbul is strategically located between the key markets of Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. As a city it is realising the full potential of its unique geography with ambitious business growth plans and the development of vast commercial districts. Key stat According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Turkey is expected to overtake India as the world’s second fastest growing economy by 2017.

2nd Did you know? In 2010 Istanbul was named a European City of Culture.

Equinix Telecities. Helping you connect to: Istanbul

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Growing business landscape Istanbul is a great location for international business because of its unique geographical location straddling Europe and Asia. This enables it to conveniently conduct business across multiple time zones and with many regions. Istanbul’s main business district is Levent, which is located on the European side of the city. This is the city’s traditional financial centre and home to the local headquarters of institutions including Citibank and JP Morgan. Additionally the Levent skyline is home to a number of commercial skyscrapers with the tallest being the 54 floor Sapphire, which stands at 261 metres including its spire. Istanbul is the preferred location for business services and foreign direct investment in Turkey, accounting for over 80% of the country’s total. To help accommodate this growing interest, a $2.6 billion investment is being made to develop a new financial district in Atasehir, on the edge of the city.

Workforce Turkey has a young, educated workforce with an average age of 28. Currently there are eight publicly run universities in Istanbul and at least four times as many private universities in the city. The government’s support of technology parks and universities, such as the Istanbul Technical University, is helping the young and developing workforce to focus on the innovation and technology that will continue to grow Istanbul’s digital hub.

Key fact Based in Istanbul Ataturk Airport, Turkish Airlines flies to 243 destinations in 105 countries.

Levent — Istanbul’s business disctrict, home to Citibank and JP Morgan.

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Large economy Although Turkey is still regarded as an emerging economy, it is the world’s 15th biggest economy by GDP and Europe’s 6th biggest economy by GDP. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Turkey is expected to overtake India as the world’s second fastest growing economy by 2017.

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Equinix Telecities. Helping you connect to: Istanbul

ISTANBUL’S DIGITAL BOOM Istanbul is making its mark on the digital landscape. With a growing entrepreneurial spirit and investment in infrastructure, the city is showing why it’s a contender in becoming the next big digital hub.

Key stat Turkish people spend the third-longest time online in Europe after the Netherlands and the UK.

3rd Did you know? The Turkish IT services market is expected to grow at a rate of 14% until 2016.

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Equinix Telecities. Helping you connect to: Istanbul

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Entrepreneurial Enthusiasm There is a growing spirit amongst Istanbul’s young population to make the most of a healthy economy and the number of start-up incubators reflects this. ‘The Start-Up Factory’, housed at the privately run Ozyegin University and sponsored by mobile giant Turkcell, provides space and services for start-ups, while the Silicon Valley-based Founder Institute has recently opened its doors in Istanbul. What’s more, venture capital funds are becoming more common and 212 is the largest early-stage VC dedicated to investing in internet and technology companies in Turkey.

Digital-savvy population Turkey has approximately 36.5 million internet users and it has the fifth largest digital population in Europe. Turkish consumers rack up more than 31 hours online every month, the second highest in Europe. This connected and interactive population is seeing demand for cloud, ecommerce and internet services rise across Turkey.

Key fact Istanbul is fifth on the Forbes list of billionaire cities — it is currently home to 37 billionaires.

Sultan Ahmed Mosque — also commonly referred to as the Blue Mosque.

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Infrastructure investment In addition to its strategic location and growing entrepreneurial population, Istanbul has also seen significant investment in its digital infrastructure in recent times. It particular, it is becoming a major hub of finance and telecoms between Europe and Asia, and as a result is attracting an increasing number of corporate companies from abroad including Microsoft, IBM and Coca Cola.

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Equinix Telecities. Helping you connect to: Istanbul

TRAVELLING TO ISTANBUL? Make the most out of your trip to Istanbul with these essential tips and map. Key stat Tipping in Turkish lira is best, but you can also tip in Euros or US dollars.

/€/$ Location Turkey borders Bulgaria and Greece to the west and Georgia and Armenia to the east.

Finland Ireland

Sweden UK

Istanbul Netherlands

Poland

Germany France Italy

Bulgaria

Georgia Armenia

Spain Greece

Turkey

Equinix Telecities. Helping you connect to: Istanbul

Visa requirements All visitors to Turkey will require a passport to enter the country while visas are required for a number of countries including those in the EU. A large number of countries are required to apply for visas in order to visit Turkey, so check on the Turkish government’s website to see if your country is listed. Separate work and study visas are issued by Embassies and Consulates. In 2013 e-Visas replaced sticker visas for tourists. To apply for an e-visa visit www.evisa.gov.tr. Tipping In Turkey, tipping is discretionary but expected — mostly in restaurants and hotels. Tipping in Turkish lira is best, but you can also tip in Euros or US dollars. It is, however, very rare to tip on a credit card.

Further information No vaccinations are required and the emergency number is 112.

Did you know? Opened in 1461, the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is the largest old covered bazaar in the world, with over 3,000 shops and 60 streets.

Equinix Telecity in Istanbul

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City Attractions

A The Blue Mosque B Levent

Bayrampaşa

C Taksim Square

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D Grand Bazaar E Topkapi Palace Museum Equinix Telecity Data Centers

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Beyoğlu

Güngören

(trading as Sadece Hosting) Istanbul Ataturk Airport

Turkey

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