What is "kartal"

Kartal is a district of Istanbul, Turkey, located on the Asian side of the city, on the coast of the Marmara Sea between Maltepe and Pendik.

Despite being far from the city centre, Kartal is heavily populated (total population of 541,209) (2008 census). The total land area is 147,000 m² which includes some countryside areas inland. Her neighbours are Maltepe the west, Sultanbeyli and Sancaktepe the north and Pendik the east.

It was the neighbour of Gebze (1923–1987), Şile (1923–1987), Beykoz (1928–1987), Üsküdar (1923–1987), Ümraniye (1987–2009) and Kadıköy (1928–1992 and 2004–2009). It was a neighbour again with Kadıköy from the northwest due to Ferhatpaşa quarter passed from Maltepe to Samandıra in 2004. However, this neighbourhood was ended with Ataşehir's separation from Kadıköy and Samandıra's separation (joined to Sancaktepe) from Kartal in 2009.