According to the latest data, Türkiye’s population increased by 427 thousand 224 people, reaching 86 million 92 thousand 168. The latest data announced by the Turkish Statistical Institute once again revealed the transformation in the country’s population structure. According to the latest figures, the male population was recorded as 43 million 59 thousand 434 and the female population was 43 million 32 thousand 734. The fact that the difference between men and women decreased to only thousands revealed that the gender balance in the population structure was almost completely equal. According to experts, Türkiye’s most important agenda topics in the next 20 to 30 years will be ‘protecting qualified human resources’, ‘adaptation to the aging population’ and ‘urban planning’. So, what is reflected in the latest population data?
THE VILLAGE POPULATION IS BEING EXHAUSTED!
According to data from TUIK, Türkiye is now a largely urbanized country. While the rate of people living in provincial and district centers increased to 93.6 percent, the rate of people living in towns and villages decreased to 6.4 percent.. This data shows that almost the entire population is concentrated in urban areas. The decline in the share of the rural population clearly reveals how the demographic distribution changes spatially. While cities are growing, villages are shrinking; While the centers become denser, the surrounding areas become sparser.
FLOOR OF PEOPLE IN ISTANBUL
The number of people per square kilometer in Türkiye was calculated as 112. However, this average value hides large differences between provinces. While Istanbul ranks first in population density with 2,943 people per square kilometer, Tunceli is the city with the lowest density with only 11 people per square kilometer. The hometown distribution of those living in three metropolitan cities also provides interesting data. People from Sivas live the most in Istanbul, followed by people from Kastamonu and Ordu. The populations of Çorum, Yozgat and Çankırı stand out in Ankara. In Izmir, the population of Manisa, Mardin and Erzurum are in the first three places.
ESENYURT IS AS MUCH AS THE COUNTRY!
According to the latest numerical data, the current population of Istanbul was determined as 15 million 754 thousand. This figure reveals that approximately one fifth of Türkiye’s population lives in a single city. The most striking example of this greatness is Esenyurt. The population of Esenyurt, the most populous district of Istanbul, was recorded as 1 million 3 thousand 905. This number exceeds the total population of many independent countries. The population of Luxembourg is 684 thousand 770, Montenegro is 627 thousand 568, Malta is 548 thousand 210, Iceland is 400 thousand 877, and Greenland is 55 thousand 679. Esenyurt alone hosts more people than all of these countries.
THE RICHEST ÇANKAYA
On the other hand, the demographic picture is not limited to just the increase in numbers. The distribution of wealth between districts also became clear for the first time. According to the general ranking, among the districts with the highest socioeconomic level are Ankara’s Çankaya district and Istanbul’s Kadıköy and Beşiktaş districts. These districts were positioned at the top of the list in terms of welfare indicators. Against this The districts with the lowest socioeconomic levels were listed as Çamoluk (Giresun), Derebucak (Konya), Doğanşar (Sivas), Felahiye (Kayseri), Dikmen (Sinop), Pınarbaşı (Kastamonu) and Bayramören (Çankırı).
WE ARE GETTING OLD
Türkiye’s median age has reached 34 according to the latest data. The fact that the median age, which was 28 in 2007, has increased by approximately 6 years in the last 16 years shows that the population is gradually aging. While the share of the 0-14 age group in the total population decreased to 21 percent, the proportion of the population aged 65 and over has increased to over 10 percent. The rate of the 15-64 age group in the working age group is around 68 percent.
BIRTH RATE HAS DECREASED
The population, whose total fertility rate is 2.1, has fallen below the renewal threshold. While the fertility rate throughout Türkiye has decreased to 1.5, this rate has dropped below 1.3 in metropolitan cities. Birth rates approaching the European average in some metropolises are noteworthy. This table shows that population growth is now based on the current age structure rather than natural increase; It shows that growth may slow down in the long run.
“RURAL LIFE IS ENDING”
While commenting on the emerging picture, Public Opinion Researcher Volan Tebrizcik brings the following warnings to the agenda: “Türkiye has exceeded 86 million. Urbanization reached 93.6 percent and the number of people per square kilometer was 112. Latest data reveal that there is also a change in internal migration dynamics. Post-earthquake population movements tend to intensify, especially in the Marmara region. Istanbul, Ankara and Antalya stand out among the provinces that receive the most immigration; Some Black Sea and Eastern Anatolian provinces continue to lose population. Türkiye is moving towards a demographic structure that is reshaped spatially, socially and economically. “As the density of cities increases, rural areas are emptied, while fertility decreases, the average age increases.”
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