Istanbul.. A Paradise for Foreign Investors in Turkey

Out of the total 30,507 firms operating in Turkey with international capital over half are based in Istanbul. There is at least one foreign-partnered firm for every 243 employees in the mega metropolis.

According to calculations based on data from the Ministry of Economy on direct international investments, as of July, 2012, there were 30,507 firms with international capital in Turkey.

Istanbul is at the top of the list for provinces with the highest number of foreign-partnered firms at 17,305. Following in second is Antalya with 3,580 firms, Ankara trails in third with 2,023 firms. Izmir came in fourth and Bodrum in fifth with 1,743 and 1,432 firms respectively. Bursa was sixth with 576 firms, while the number of foreign invested firms in remaining provinces throughout Turkey total 2,213.

Istanbul is not only the top province in terms of the number of foreign firms in operation but also in the ratio of highest number of foreign firms to numbers of employees. With a total 4,211,000 people employed in Istanbul, there are 2,434 employees to every one firm with foreign partners.

During the same timeframe in Ankara, where a total 1,545,000 people are employed, there was one foreign-partnered firm to every 763 employees. In Izmir, where there are a total 1,410,000 employees, there is one foreign firm to every 808 employees. As for Turkey on a whole, out of the total 24,110,000 workforce, there is one foreign-partnered firm to every 790 people. In addition, during the January to July, 2012 period, there were 113 investment projects documented, totaling one billion, 686.6 million dollars.

Wholesale and retail lead

Out of the total foreign-partnered firms in Istanbul, 6,319 trades in wholesale and retail, 2,808 are in the manufacturing industry and 2,673 are in real estate, rentals and in business activities.

22.09.2012
SOURCE: SABAH ENGLISH