Population of Turkey

Let's talk about the population of Turkey

In 2022, Turkey's population was 85,279,553. The population slightly increased to 85.4 million individuals in 2023.

Turkey has a population density of 112 individuals per square kilometer (289 per square mile). The population is increasing by 0.8% annually. Projections estimate Turkey's population to reach 100,331,233 in 2040, and is anticipated to peak at 107,664,079 in 2069.

Approximately 99% of the population, as per government classification, is identified as Muslim, encompassing Alevis. Public opinion surveys conducted in 2021 by KONDA Research and Consultancy indicate that around 88% identify as Sunni Muslims, 6% as nonbelievers, 4% as Alevi, and the remaining 2% fall into the "other" category. Alevi foundation leaders estimate the Alevi Muslim population to be between 25% and 31%, while the Shia Jafari community suggests its members constitute 4% of the population.

During the Muslim conquests of the 7th and early 8th centuries, Arab armies established the Islamic Empire. The Islamic Golden Age began in the mid-8th century with the rise of the Abbasid Caliphate and the relocation of the capital from Damascus to Baghdad.

In subsequent years, there were territorial shifts, with the Byzantine Empire regaining control of certain regions. The Seljuk Turks emerged as influential rulers after aligning with the Abbasids, ultimately succeeding them. In 1071, the Seljuks, led by Alp Arslan, scored a significant victory at the Battle of Manzikert, expanding their influence into Anatolia.

As the Seljuk dynasty disintegrated, smaller Turkic kingdoms like the Sultanate of Rum and the Danishmends vied for control during the Crusades. This period set the stage for the Ottoman Empire's rise, which gained prominence in the 14th and 15th centuries.

New waves of Turkic migrants, particularly those associated with Sufi orders, arrived in the 12th century. The Safaviyya, originally Sunni and non-political, later shifted to Shi'a Islam in northwest Iran. The Ottomans faced competition from Safavids and other Sufi orders, such as the Bektaşi, in eastern Anatolia. The Ottomans, under Mehmed II, captured Constantinople in 1453, solidifying their rule over Anatolia and Thrace.

The Ottoman Empire experienced significant changes during its secularization era. Under Atatürk's leadership, reforms were implemented, including the abolition of the caliphate, reduction of religious authorities' power, nationalization of religious foundations, and restrictions on religious education. Dervish brotherhoods, once influential, were also suppressed during this period.

Christianity has deep historical roots in Turkey, tracing back to the 1st century AD in Asia Minor. Over the years, the Christian population has significantly declined, dropping from 20-25% in 1914 to 3-5.5% in 1927 and further decreasing to 0.3-0.4%, approximately 200,000-320,000 followers. Multiple factors contributed to this decline, including the late Ottoman genocides (Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian), the population exchange with Greece, emigration of Christians in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and events like the 1942 Varlık Vergisi tax and the 1955 Istanbul pogrom against Greek and Armenian Christians. Estimating precise numbers is challenging due to the concealed Christian faith of some former Muslim converts, fearing familial pressure, religious discrimination, and persecution.

Over a span of 2400 years, Jews have had a presence in what is now Turkey. Beginning in the common era, Anatolia housed Jewish communities, mainly Greek-speaking Romaniote Jews, along with scattered Karaite groups. In the late 15th and early 16th centuries, the Ottoman Empire welcomed many Sephardic Jews expelled from Spain, Portugal, and South Italy due to the Alhambra Decree.

By the late 16th century, the Ottoman Empire had a Jewish population of 150,000, surpassing combined Jewish populations in Poland and Ukraine (75,000) and becoming the world's largest Jewish community. This influx significantly influenced the predominant identity of Ottoman Jews.

Currently, Jews are officially recognized as one of Turkey's four ethnic minorities, alongside Armenians, Greeks, and Bulgarians. Although the majority of Turkish Jews reside in Israel, Turkey still maintains a modest Jewish population, with the majority in Istanbul and the rest in İzmir.

Approximately 14,500 Jews reside in Turkey in 2024

As per the latest data from the Turkish Presidency of Migration Management (PMM), Turkey hosts over 5.1 million foreign nationals, with 3.8 million seeking international protection. The majority, around 3.4 million, are Syrians granted temporary protection. Other international protection holders from countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran also contribute to this demographic. According to UNHCR, Turkey accommodates 318,903 refugees and asylum-seekers as of mid-2022.

In 2022, PMM reported 33,246 international protection applicants in Turkey. Additionally, there are 1,334,150 foreign nationals with residence permits, reflecting a decrease of 67,699 individuals compared to March 2022.

The Kurds form the largest ethnic minority in Turkey, making up around 15% to 20% of the nation's population according to various assessments. While Kurds are spread across various provinces in Turkey, their main concentration is in the eastern and southeastern regions, acknowledged by Kurds as Turkish Kurdistan.

The Greek community in Turkey, known as Rumlar in Turkish, consists of a small population of Greek and Greek-speaking Eastern Orthodox Christians primarily residing in Istanbul, as well as on the islands of Imbros and Tenedos at the western entrance to the Dardanelles (Gökçeada and Bozcaada in Turkish). Recognized as one of Turkey's officially acknowledged ethnic minorities under the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, alongside Jews, Armenians, and Bulgarians, the Greek population in Turkey is estimated to be between 3,000 and 5,000, constituting approximately 0.006% of the overall population. The significant regions with Greek communities include Istanbul, Izmir, and Çanakkale (Gökçeada and Bozcaada). The majority speaks Greek as their first language, while Turkish serves as the first language for a minority or as a second language. The predominant religion among the Greeks in Turkey is Greek Orthodoxy.

The Syrian community in Turkey encompasses Turkish citizens with Syrian roots, Syrian refugees, and other Syrian residents. As of January 2024, over 3,200,000 registered refugees from the Syrian Civil War seek refuge in Turkey, making it the largest refugee population globally. Additionally, around 80,000 Syrian nationals hold residence permits in Turkey. In December 2023, 238,055 Syrian individuals were granted Turkish citizenship, expanding the Syrian presence in the country.

Armenians, an indigenous people of Turkey, currently number between 50,000 to 70,000, a significant decline from the over 2 million Armenians present between 1914 and 1921. Today, the majority of Turkish Armenians reside in Istanbul, maintaining their own newspapers, churches, and schools. Most Turkish Armenians adhere to the Armenian Apostolic faith, while a minority are affiliated with the Armenian Catholic Church or the Armenian Evangelical Church. Unlike the Armenian Diaspora, Turkish Armenians have lived in their historical homeland for over four thousand years.

Russians residing in Turkey currently number at 240,715, with notable concentrations in Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, and Izmir. They communicate in both Russian and Turkish, and their religious affiliations include Russian Orthodoxy, Islam, and other belief systems.

Afro-Turks, known as Afrikalı Türkler in Turkish, are individuals of Turkish descent with roots tracing back to the Ottoman slave trade, similar to the Afro-Abkhazians. The estimated population of Afro-Turks ranges from 5,000 to 20,000 people. It's important to note that Afro-Turks are distinguishable from African immigrants in Turkey, who amount to approximately 1.5 million individuals.

Istanbul has a population of 14,804,116, followed by Ankara with 3,517,182 residents and Izmir with 2,500,603. Bursa has a population of 1,412,701, Adana 1,248,988, and Gaziantep 1,065,975. Konya has 875,530 inhabitants, Cankaya 792,189, Antalya 758,188, and Bagcilar 724,270.