Where are the best geographic locations to build a city?

[Tranzoria]

Istanbul is good, but then again, so is every coastal city in the Middle East.

I suppose that's true. Tyre, Sidon, Alexandria, Acre and many others have similar stories to Istanbul...

With the exception that they have been in much less defensible positions. Tyre was on an island, but then Alexander the Great reversed that one. And all of them were swept up by the Arab invasions in less time than it takes to sneeze. Istanbul meanwhile has been the target of war for centuries, and only rarely has an army even gotten close. Last time it was taken was in 1453, and we still never hear the end of that one- impressive for a place that powers have tried to nab even as recently as the First World War.

And then of course there's the political chokehold the place represents. The entire fate of Russia has on multiple occasions been decided not in Moscow, but by those in Istanbul. As recently as 1918 basically all of the Middle East was ruled by those in Istanbul, as well as big chunks of the balkans.

In many ways in fact, the current time is a historical anomaly for it, in not being a capital. Small sting though, for a metropolis that has 3 times the populace of all 3 Baltic states put together, and still represents something like a quarter of Turkey's entire economy.

Now that I think about it, a lot of cities on the Mediterranean are good to have cities. Even though some could be flooded, it's good for building-wise.

[Occidens Praseodymia]

I suppose that's true. Tyre, Sidon, Alexandria, Acre and many others have similar stories to Istanbul...

With the exception that they have been in much less defensible positions. Tyre was on an island, but then Alexander the Great reversed that one. And all of them were swept up by the Arab invasions in less time than it takes to sneeze. Istanbul meanwhile has been the target of war for centuries, and only rarely has an army even gotten close. Last time it was taken was in 1453, and we still never hear the end of that one- impressive for a place that powers have tried to nab even as recently as the First World War.

And then of course there's the political chokehold the place represents. The entire fate of Russia has on multiple occasions been decided not in Moscow, but by those in Istanbul. As recently as 1918 basically all of the Middle East was ruled by those in Istanbul, as well as big chunks of the balkans.

In many ways in fact, the current time is a historical anomaly for it, in not being a capital. Small sting though, for a metropolis that has 3 times the populace of all 3 Baltic states put together, and still represents something like a quarter of Turkey's entire economy.

Now that I think about it, a lot of cities on the Mediterranean are good to have cities. Even though some could be flooded, it's good for building-wise.

And earthquakes

[Chan Island]

I suppose that's true. Tyre, Sidon, Alexandria, Acre and many others have similar stories to Istanbul...

With the exception that they have been in much less defensible positions. Tyre was on an island, but then Alexander the Great reversed that one. And all of them were swept up by the Arab invasions in less time than it takes to sneeze. Istanbul meanwhile has been the target of war for centuries, and only rarely has an army even gotten close. Last time it was taken was in 1453, and we still never hear the end of that one- impressive for a place that powers have tried to nab even as recently as the First World War.

And then of course there's the political chokehold the place represents. The entire fate of Russia has on multiple occasions been decided not in Moscow, but by those in Istanbul. As recently as 1918 basically all of the Middle East was ruled by those in Istanbul, as well as big chunks of the balkans.

In many ways in fact, the current time is a historical anomaly for it, in not being a capital. Small sting though, for a metropolis that has 3 times the populace of all 3 Baltic states put together, and still represents something like a quarter of Turkey's entire economy.

Now that I think about it, a lot of cities on the Mediterranean are good to have cities. Even though some could be flooded, it's good for building-wise.

Well, the Mediterranean has many features that makes it great for human habitation. In Roman times a quarter of all people in the world lived within something like 50 kilometers from that sea or less.

Now that I think about it, a lot of cities on the Mediterranean are good to have cities. Even though some could be flooded, it's good for building-wise.

And earthquakes

By world standards the med is a place of few and small earthquakes, though yes, it has had a fair share of them.

Of course the biggest disaster on civilisation that happens there has tended to be volcanos, notably Vesuvius and Santorini. Heck, even now if any one of those 2 really kicked off that would be a year defining disaster on epic proportions, with many millions displaced or worse.

[Tranzoria]

Now that I think about it, a lot of cities on the Mediterranean are good to have cities. Even though some could be flooded, it's good for building-wise.

Well, the Mediterranean has many features that makes it great for human habitation. In Roman times a quarter of all people in the world lived within something like 50 kilometers from that sea or less.

And earthquakes

By world standards the med is a place of few and small earthquakes, though yes, it has had a fair share of them.

Of course the biggest disaster on civilisation that happens there has tended to be volcanos, notably Vesuvius and Santorini. Heck, even now if any one of those 2 really kicked off that would be a year defining disaster on epic proportions, with many millions displaced or worse.

Biggest Volcano eruption would be in Crete, which people think was the inspiration for Plato's Writing on Atlantis.
Speaking of Crete, do you think the Greek Islands would be good for a city?

[The Archregimancy]

Istanbul is good, but then again, so is every coastal city in the Middle East.

I suppose that's true. Tyre, Sidon, Alexandria, Acre and many others have similar stories to Istanbul...

With the exception that they have been in much less defensible positions. Tyre was on an island, but then Alexander the Great reversed that one. And all of them were swept up by the Arab invasions in less time than it takes to sneeze. Istanbul meanwhile has been the target of war for centuries, and only rarely has an army even gotten close. Last time it was taken was in 1453, and we still never hear the end of that one- impressive for a place that powers have tried to nab even as recently as the First World War.

Not technically true.

If you mean 'last time the city was taken by force', then yes, 1453 was the last time Istanbul/Constantinople changed hands via a direct attack from an external enemy power.

However, the city was occupied by victorious former enemy powers from 1918-1923, with the first occupying troops arriving in November 1918 two weeks after the signing of an armistice between the Allies and the Ottoman Empire. Troops of the Turkish Republic then entered the city in October 1923. So that's twice that the city changed hands, from Ottoman Empire -> Western Allies -> Turkish Republic, in the five year period from 1918-1923.

[Tranzoria]

I suppose that's true. Tyre, Sidon, Alexandria, Acre and many others have similar stories to Istanbul...

With the exception that they have been in much less defensible positions. Tyre was on an island, but then Alexander the Great reversed that one. And all of them were swept up by the Arab invasions in less time than it takes to sneeze. Istanbul meanwhile has been the target of war for centuries, and only rarely has an army even gotten close. Last time it was taken was in 1453, and we still never hear the end of that one- impressive for a place that powers have tried to nab even as recently as the First World War.

Not technically true.

If you mean 'last time the city was taken by force', then yes, 1453 was the last time Istanbul/Constantinople changed hands via a direct attack from an external enemy power.

However, the city was occupied by victorious former enemy powers from 1918-1923, with the first occupying troops arriving in November 1918 two weeks after the signing of an armistice between the Allies and the Ottoman Empire. Troops of the Turkish Republic then entered the city in October 1923. So that's twice that the city changed hands, from Ottoman Empire -> Western Allies -> Turkish Republic, in the five year period from 1918-1923.

The city was occupied because it was a good position. Though, I see your point.
The city in natural terms was good too.

[Chan Island]

I suppose that's true. Tyre, Sidon, Alexandria, Acre and many others have similar stories to Istanbul...

With the exception that they have been in much less defensible positions. Tyre was on an island, but then Alexander the Great reversed that one. And all of them were swept up by the Arab invasions in less time than it takes to sneeze. Istanbul meanwhile has been the target of war for centuries, and only rarely has an army even gotten close. Last time it was taken was in 1453, and we still never hear the end of that one- impressive for a place that powers have tried to nab even as recently as the First World War.

Not technically true.

If you mean 'last time the city was taken by force', then yes, 1453 was the last time Istanbul/Constantinople changed hands via a direct attack from an external enemy power.

However, the city was occupied by victorious former enemy powers from 1918-1923, with the first occupying troops arriving in November 1918 two weeks after the signing of an armistice between the Allies and the Ottoman Empire. Troops of the Turkish Republic then entered the city in October 1923. So that's twice that the city changed hands, from Ottoman Empire -> Western Allies -> Turkish Republic, in the five year period from 1918-1923.

I did mean by force, yes. I should have specified that though, sorry about that.

[Neutraligon]

Well, the Mediterranean has many features that makes it great for human habitation. In Roman times a quarter of all people in the world lived within something like 50 kilometers from that sea or less.



By world standards the med is a place of few and small earthquakes, though yes, it has had a fair share of them.

Of course the biggest disaster on civilisation that happens there has tended to be volcanos, notably Vesuvius and Santorini. Heck, even now if any one of those 2 really kicked off that would be a year defining disaster on epic proportions, with many millions displaced or worse.

Biggest Volcano eruption would be in Crete, which people think was the inspiration for Plato's Writing on Atlantis.
Speaking of Crete, do you think the Greek Islands would be good for a city?

Not looking forward to whenever the volcano under Yellowstone decides to go.

[San Lumen]

Biggest Volcano eruption would be in Crete, which people think was the inspiration for Plato's Writing on Atlantis.
Speaking of Crete, do you think the Greek Islands would be good for a city?

Not looking forward to whenever the volcano under Yellowstone decides to go.

It will be the end of the world as we know it.

[Tranzoria]

Biggest Volcano eruption would be in Crete, which people think was the inspiration for Plato's Writing on Atlantis.
Speaking of Crete, do you think the Greek Islands would be good for a city?

Not looking forward to whenever the volcano under Yellowstone decides to go.

Time for another thread....
jk

[Occidens Praseodymia]

Not looking forward to whenever the volcano under Yellowstone decides to go.

Perhaps because of that threat, a location as far away from North America as possible would be good.
It will be the end of the world as we know it.

So a city as far away from North America as possible would be preferable.

[Venusian Vatican Fardelshufflestein]

But then there's Krakatoa to think about or that one in New Zealand that nearly made humans extinct.

[San Lumen]

But then there's Krakatoa to think about or that one in New Zealand that nearly made humans extinct.

Volcanoes are along most coasts.

[Lunarpunk]

But then there's Krakatoa to think about or that one in New Zealand that nearly made humans extinct.

Volcanoes are along most coasts.

Yellowstone isn't.

What about Australia? They don't have volcanoes.

[San Lumen]

Volcanoes are along most coasts.

Yellowstone isn't.

What about Australia? They don't have volcanoes.

Yellowstone is a special kind of a volcano and how it formed remains an enigma.

Hence why I said most coast. The majority are concentrated around the Ring of Fire.

[Lunarpunk]

Yellowstone isn't.

What about Australia? They don't have volcanoes.

Yellowstone is a special called of a volcano and how it formed remains an enigma.

Hence why I said most coast. The majority are concentrated around the Ring of Fire.

Ah ok.

[Chan Island]

Yellowstone is a special called of a volcano and how it formed remains an enigma.

Hence why I said most coast. The majority are concentrated around the Ring of Fire.

Ah ok.

Volcanos are also one of the reasons why the Med tends to be good for cities. That place only gets relatively small tame things (excepting Santorini) which fertilise fields big time.

[San Lumen]

Ah ok.

Volcanos are also one of the reasons why the Med tends to be good for cities. That place only gets relatively small tame things (excepting Santorini) which fertilise fields big time.

It is but you do have a few volcanoes in the med one of them is Santorini which in 1600 BC erupted on such a massive scale it wiped out the Minoan civilization and is believed to have been the inspiration for Atlantis. Its one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history.

It also produced another very large eruption in 535 AD. It last erupted in 1950.

[Trollzyn the Infinite]

On the graves of your enemies.

The mouth of a river is also a good spot.

[Tranzoria]

On the graves of your enemies.

The mouth of a river is also a good spot.

Fertile Soil

[Hetus]

How about the complete opposite of Point Nemo? It's somewhere in far eastern Inner Mongolia, almost next to Heilongjiang Province. It's located on the eastern edge of Greater Khingan Range, and close to Nen River.
Similarly, the Eurasian Continental Point of Inaccessibility in Xinjiang would also be great. Imagine living in the desert of Junggar Basin, with few water and plants.
/just joking

[Borderlands of Rojava]

Near an oil field. Gotta keep those fossil fuels nearby.

[San Lumen]

Near an oil field. Gotta keep those fossil fuels nearby.

That's happened in North Dakota. Cities like Williston have grown exponentially in recent years.

[Twicetagram and JYPe]

On the graves of your enemies.

Can't wait for the urban myths to start forming

[Ibakobit Xhepn]

What about floating cities?