30.05.2024 15:01
According to the 2023 data in Turkey, the elderly population rate has reached 10.2 percent. Thus, in Turkey, where the population has increased sixfold since 1927, the elderly population rate has reached double digits for the first time in the history of the republic. President Erdogan, who drew attention to the decrease in the number of newborn babies in recent days, said, "We are below the replacement level of 2.1, which is the threshold for population renewal. This is an existential threat, a disaster for Turkey."
Since the first census in 1927, the population of Turkey, which has increased sixfold, has reached a rate of 10.2% for the elderly population. The elderly population rate reached double digits for the first time in the history of the republic, while the child population, which constitutes 26% of the Turkish population, became the lowest data since the first statistics were recorded in 1935.
The population of Turkey, which was 13,648,270 in the first census conducted in 1927 during the Republic of Turkey period, reached 85,372,377 last year. In 2023, when the 100th anniversary of the republic is celebrated, the rate of the elderly population in the total population reached 10.2% and saw double digits for the first time in the history of the republic. Since the first census, the population of Turkey, which has increased by approximately 6 times, recorded an elderly population rate of 3.9% in 1935, when the first statistics were recorded.
TURKEY IN "VERY OLD POPULATION" STATUS
With the elderly population aged 65 and over reaching 8,722,806 at the end of last year, Turkey has started to be classified as a "very old population" country according to the United Nations criteria. In Turkey, where the population growth rate is declining and the population is rapidly aging, according to population projections; it is predicted that the rate of the elderly population in the total population will be 12.9% in 2030, 16.3% in 2040, and 22.6% in 2060.
DECREASE IN CHILD POPULATION
While the proportion of the elderly in the total population increased and the proportion of children decreased in Turkey, which underwent a change in its age structure. As of the end of 2023, children constituted 22,206,034 of the Turkish population. The child population, which constitutes 26% of the Turkish population, became the lowest data since 1935.
MEDIAN AGE INCREASED TO 34 IN 2023
When compared with the European Union (EU) member states with an average child population rate of 18%, in Turkey, where the average rate is 26%, it is predicted that this rate will be 25.6% in 2030, 23.3% in 2040, 20.4% in 2060, and 19% in 2080. When the ages of the individuals who make up the population from newborns to the oldest are arranged from youngest to oldest, the median age, which represents the age of the person in the middle, increased to 34 in 2023. The median age in 1935 was recorded as 21.2.
PROVINCES WITH THE HIGHEST ELDERLY AND CHILD POPULATION
The province with the highest elderly population rate was Sinop with 20%, while the province with the lowest rate was Şırnak with 3.5%. The province with the highest child population rate was Şanlıurfa with 44.4%, while the province with the lowest rate was Tunceli with 16.5%.
While the annual population growth rate was 21.1 per thousand in 1935, it increased to 21.7 per thousand in 1950 and 18.3 per thousand in 2000. The growth rate decreased to 14.7 in 2018, 7.1 per thousand in 2022, and 1.1 per thousand in 2023.
"THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR CALL FOR AT LEAST 3 CHILDREN IS UNDERSTOOD BETTER TODAY"
In his speech a few days ago, President Erdogan drew attention to the fact that our country is below the renewal threshold of 2.1 for the population and said, "I openly say that this is an existential threat, a disaster for Turkey. We have been constantly advising to have at least 3 children because we saw this picture. Unfortunately, time proved us right. The importance of our call for at least 3 children is understood better today. The population is our greatest strength as a nation, and we must protect it. We will be more determined in these matters in the coming period," he said.