A transcontinental city is a city occupying portions of more than one continent. Such a city may be transcontinental by virtue of crossing a continental boundary on land or of including islands associated with a continent other than that where the city is based. Due to the nebulous nature of the boundaries between Europe and Asia, Istanbul in Turkey is the only naturally occurring transcontinental city. Since the Ural River is usually, but not always, considered the boundary between Europe and Asia, two cities on that river can be considered transcontinental. A fourth city straddles the Suez Canal, the boundary between Africa and Asia, but this particular boundary is man-made. The following are examples of transcontinental cities:

• Istanbul, the largest city of Turkey and best-known example. The Bosphorus strait separates its continental European and Asian portions. It is coterminous with Istanbul Province, with 65% of its residents in the 19 districts of the continental European portion and 35% in the 12 districts of the Asian portion.
• Çanakkale, an Asian and European city in Turkey with the Dardanelles Strait separating its Asian and European portions. It is closer to mid-division than Istanbul.
• Atyrau, a city in western Kazakhstan divided by the mouth of the Ural River. Almost all of it lies in Asia, but a small portion extends into Europe.
• Orenburg, a Russian city on the Ural River. Most of it is considered in Europe, but part of its south side crosses the Ural into Asia.
• Magnitogorsk, a Russian city on the Ural River.
• Suez, an Egyptian city on the Suez Canal and coterminous with the Suez Governorate. Almost all of it is considered part of Africa, but a small portion extends eastward into Asia.