Last Call For Istanbul Link | 10000+ PRO |

But today, a different phrase is circulating among expats, travelers, and local residents alike:

is not a metaphor. The taps in the Asian side of the city have run dry for days at a time in recent memory. The lush, green hills that once surrounded the Bosphorus are turning brown. The Great Exodus: Do Locals Still Want to Stay? Perhaps the most telling sign of "Last Call" is the human one. For the first time in modern history, there is a net exodus from Istanbul. More people are leaving the city than moving in. Last Call for Istanbul

For centuries, Istanbul has been a city of intoxicating duality. It is the only metropolis in the world that straddles two continents—Europe and Asia. It is a place where the call to prayer echoes from minarets built by emperors, while stock traders shout orders on the Galata Bridge. It is a city of hüzün (a melancholic longing for the past) and hyper-modern ambition. But today, a different phrase is circulating among

The population has dropped by nearly one million people in the last two years. The Great Exodus: Do Locals Still Want to Stay

Furthermore, the city is running out of water. In recent summers, reservoirs in the forests near the Black Sea have dropped to record lows. Climate scientists warn that the Mediterranean basin, including Istanbul, is becoming a hot spot for desertification.

Hundreds of thousands of buildings in Istanbul are not earthquake-proof. Many were built illegally with cheap concrete during the construction booms of the 1990s and 2000s.

Have you experienced the changing face of Istanbul? Share your stories in the comments below. Are we being dramatic, or is the end of an era truly here?