12.03.2026 12:25
The data published by TÜİK has validated President Erdoğan's frequent warnings such as "Turkey is aging, we are experiencing a disaster." The population aged 65 and over in Turkey has increased by 20.5% in five years, reaching 9 million 583 thousand 59 by 2025, while the proportion of the elderly population within the total population has become 11.1%. The oldest city is Sinop.
The Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) announced the results of the "Statistics on the Elderly" study for the year 2025.
Accordingly, the population aged 65 and over, which was 7 million 953 thousand 555 in 2020, increased by 20.5% over five years, reaching 9 million 583 thousand 59 in 2025. The proportion of the elderly population within the total population rose from 9.5% in 2020 to 11.1% in 2025.
NOTABLE FIGURES IN POPULATION PROJECTION
In 2025, 44.7% of the elderly population will be men, while 55.3% will be women. It is projected that the elderly population ratio will be 13.5% in 2030, 17.9% in 2040, 27% in 2060, 33.4% in 2080, and 33.6% in 2100.
According to a low scenario that assumes the continued rapid decline in fertility indicators, it is estimated that the elderly population ratio will be 13.5% in 2030, 18.2% in 2040, 28.8% in 2060, 38.5% in 2080, and 42.8% in 2100.
According to a high scenario that assumes effective measures to increase fertility, it is calculated that the elderly population ratio will be 13.4% in 2030, 17.5% in 2040, 25.5% in 2060, 29.8% in 2080, and 28.2% in 2100.
When examining the elderly population by age group, it was observed that in 2020, 63.8% of this group was in the 65-74 age group, 27.9% in the 75-84 age group, and 8.4% in the 85 and older age group. In 2025, it was determined that 62.9% would be in the 65-74 age group, 29.3% in the 75-84 age group, and 7.8% in the 85 and older age group.
The number of people aged 100 and over, constituting 0.1% of the elderly population, reached 8 thousand 290 in 2025.
THE AGE STRUCTURE OF THE TURKISH POPULATION HAS CHANGED
The fact that the proportion of the elderly population within the total population exceeds 10% is considered an indicator of population aging. In Turkey, the elderly population has increased at a higher rate compared to other age groups.
In Turkey, which is undergoing a "demographic transformation" process referred to as global aging, the decrease in fertility and mortality rates, along with advancements in health, has reshaped the age structure of the population with an increase in living standards, welfare levels, and life expectancy at birth. While the proportion of children and youth in the total population has decreased, the proportion of the elderly has increased. Although Turkey still has a relatively young population structure compared to countries with a high proportion of elderly, the number of elderly is quite large.
The "median age," one of the indicators providing information about population aging, was 32.7 in 2020 and increased to 34.9 in 2025. The median age in 2025 is calculated to be 34.2 for men and 35.7 for women.
It is projected that the median age will be 37.1 in 2030, 41.4 in 2040, 48 in 2060, 51.5 in 2080, and 52.2 in 2100.
The "elderly dependency ratio," which expresses the number of elderly per 100 working-age individuals, was 14.1% in 2020 and increased to 16.2% in 2025.
According to population projections, it is anticipated that the elderly dependency ratio will be 19.5% in 2030, 26.5% in 2040, 45.5% in 2060, 61.9% in 2080, and 61.6% in 2100.
TURKEY RANKS 75TH AMONG 194 COUNTRIES IN ELDERLY POPULATION
According to population estimates, the world population will reach 8 billion 231 million 613 thousand 70 in 2025, while the elderly population will be 856 million 880 thousand 405. Accordingly, the elderly population constitutes 10.4% of the world population.
The top three countries with the highest elderly population ratios are Monaco with 36%, Japan with 30%, and Italy with 25.1%. In this regard, Turkey ranks 75th among 194 countries.
PROVINCES WITH THE HIGHEST ELDERLY POPULATION RATIOS
The province with the highest elderly population ratio in 2025 is determined to be Sinop with 21.7%. This is followed by Kastamonu with 21.1% and Giresun with 20%. The province with the lowest elderly population ratio is Şırnak with 3.8%, followed by Şanlıurfa with 4.5% and Hakkari with 4.7%.
The number of provinces where the proportion of the elderly population within the total population is 10% or more was recorded as 62 in 2025.
ALMOST ONE IN FOUR HOUSEHOLDS HAS AT LEAST ONE ELDERLY PERSON
In Turkey, it was determined that in 2025, out of 26 million 977 thousand 795 households, 7 million 46 thousand 560 had at least one individual aged 65 and over, defined as the elderly population. In other words, it was observed that 26.1% of households had at least one elderly member.
Out of the 7 million 46 thousand 560 households with at least one elderly member, 1 million 836 thousand 496 had elderly individuals living alone. In 73.5% of these households, there are elderly women, while 26.5% have elderly men.
The province with the highest rate of single-person elderly households in 2025 is Balıkesir with 34.3%. This is followed by Çanakkale with 34.1% and Burdur with 33.7%. The province with the lowest rate is Hakkari with 8.3%, followed by Batman with 13.8% and Van with 15%.
37.9% OF ELDERLY PEOPLE LIVE AT THE SAME ADDRESS AS THEIR CHILDREN
When examining the proximity of elderly individuals to their children aged 15 and over, and considering the residence of the closest child for elderly individuals with multiple children, it was found that in 2025, 37.9% of elderly individuals lived at the same address as at least one of their children, 5.9% lived in the same building as their child, 6.8% lived on the same street, 8.3% lived in the same village or neighborhood, 15% lived in the same district, and 9.3% lived in a different district within the same province as their child.
It was recorded that 9.9% of elderly individuals did not have a child living in the same province, and 1.7% did not have a child living in Turkey.
When examining elderly individuals by age group, it was determined that 36.4% of those aged 75 and over, 39.9% of those aged 85 and over, and 43% of those aged 90 and over lived at the same address as at least one of their children.
In 2025, it was found that 10.1% of elderly individuals living alone resided in the same building as at least one of their children, 12.8% lived on the same street, 13.3% lived in the same village or neighborhood, 22.8% lived in the same district, and 14.2% lived in a different district within the same province as their child.
It was observed that 14.3% of elderly individuals living alone did not have a child residing in the same province, and 2.7% did not have a child living in Turkey.
The province with the highest rate of elderly individuals living alone without a child residing in the same province in 2025 is Çankırı with 40.9%. This is followed by Kastamonu with 39.8% and Sinop with 39.3%.
The province with the lowest rate of elderly individuals living alone without a child residing in the same province is Istanbul with 4.1%. This is followed by Gaziantep with 4.8%, Şırnak with 5.2%, and Şanlıurfa.
ERDOĞAN SAID "WE ARE EXPERIENCING A DISASTER"
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, at the "Family and Culture-Art Symposium" held last November, drew attention to the low population growth rate, stating, "According to the data announced by TÜİK, the total fertility rate measured last year was 1.48.
We are currently experiencing a disaster. Alarm bells are ringing loudly for our future. No one who cares about the future of this country can remain indifferent to this.