In the Marmara region, Istanbul is the most prominent population center. This year, Istanbul is the European Capital of Culture, not to mention the cultural center of Turkey. Much of the Turkish enternatinment industry is located and set in Istanbul and the dialect spoken in the city is considered modern standard Turkish. Outside of Istanbul, Thrace has a multitude of culture that is truly representative of the crossroads between Europe and Asia. In Edirne, for example there is a significant Roma population that contributes Gypsy music to Turkey. Iznik, to the East of Turkey, is the center of production for tiles, popularized in the Ottoman times.
The Aegean region has been historially populated by Greeks, Romans and others. There are many ancient ruins, such as Ephesus, Pergamum, and Hierapolis. Besides the penchant of young males for hair gel and European glamor-fashion, the easiest way for one to recognize an inhabatant of the Aegean region is the use of the word "be" (pronounced like 'bay') at the end of sentences. There is no real pattern of situations in which it is used, but is safest to use it for emphasis at the end of short expressions. f
Finally, the Mediterranean region is renowned for its resorts. While the Aegean beaches are most frequently visited by Turkish vacationers, the Mediterranean is often full of Europeans. Some time ago, there were mostly small towns and villages along the coast. Currently, however, the region is inundated with tourists. English is often spoken. In the very eastern part of the region, the language sounds more similar to Arabic than most other places in the country, as Hatay province is so close to Syria (Syria still claims Hatay as its own city). In this way, the Mediterranean region is very cosmopolitan, but in a much different way than Istanbul. Linguistically, it is a wide mix.
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