Turkey’s population grew by 292,567 people last year to exceed 85.6 million for the first time in history, according to the latest population census released today by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), showing that the population growth rate rose from 1.1 to 3.4 per thousand inhabitants, with the percentage of men (50.02%) slightly higher than that of women (49.98%).
According to the report presented by TÜİK, the population of Istanbul – the country’s commercial, financial and cultural centre – added 45,678 inhabitants in 2024 to increase to 15.7 million people, representing 18.3% of the country’s total population. The second largest city was the Turkish capital Ankara with 5.8 million inhabitants, followed in the ranking by Izmir (4.5 million), Bursa (3.2 million) and Antalya (2.7 million).
On the opposite side, Bayburt ranked as the least populated province in Turkey, with only 83,676 inhabitants living in its 3652 km² area. As for the foreign population residing in the country, it decreased last year by 89,996 individuals to 1.48 million people.
Nevertheless, Turkey’s population continues to age – for the first time in its history, in 2024, 10% of Turkey’s inhabitants are over 65 years old – and the average age of the Turkish population rose from 34 years in 2023 to 34.4 years in 2024, while the dependency ratio – which measures the ratio of the dependent population (children, elderly) to the active population – reached 46.1% last year.
Precisely in an attempt to reverse the progressive ageing of its population, the Turkish president announced last January an ambitious programme of incentives for young couples, families and children aimed at encouraging the birth rate and the conciliation of work and family life, especially for women.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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