The Republic of Turkey was created following the dismemberment of the old Othoman Empire of 1918 to 1923. Turkey is located for its major part (96 %) in Asia (Minor Asia), where its capital, Ankara is, but a part of the country is in Europe (Thrace). The principal city, Istanbul (which was called before Byzance then Constantinople), is located at the border between Europe and Asia, the two parts of the city being separated by the Strait of the Bosphorus. It is the only city in the world overlapping two continents.