15.03.2025 14:40
In 2023, the population of 10 provinces decreased, while in 2024, this number rose to 40. Regardless of geographical region, the provinces experiencing population loss signal a significant transformation in Turkey's demographic structure. President Erdoğan frequently describes the decline in the fertility rate as "an existential threat, a disaster."
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The population data for the year 2024 reveals a striking reality. While only 10 provinces experienced a decrease in population in 2023, this number rose to 40 in 2024. The fact that these provinces are from every geographical region shows how dynamic and widespread the demographic transformation and movement in Turkey is.
THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN POPULATION GROWTH RATE
The population data for 2024 was announced by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) on February 6. The population of Turkey increased by 292,567 people compared to the previous year, reaching 85 million 664 thousand 944. The annual population growth rate, which was 1.1 per thousand in 2023, became 3.4 per thousand in 2024. In 2024, 937,369 babies were born. In 2023, however, there were 958,408 births. Accordingly, by the end of 2024, there were 21,039 fewer births.
FURTHER DECREASE IS EXPECTED
According to the birth statistics published by TÜİK in May of the previous year, the total fertility rate, which was 1.51, is expected to be at a lower level for 2024... Another parameter to understand the status of the total population is known as the foreign population. The foreign population, which was on a downward trend in 2023, continued to decline in 2024 as well.
THE NUMBER OF PROVINCES WITH DECREASING POPULATION HAS REACHED 40
The population data for 2024 reveals a striking fact. While 10 provinces experienced a decrease in population in 2023, the number of provinces with a declining population rose to 40 in 2024. Among the main reasons for the decrease in population in these 40 provinces compared to the previous year are the mobility and declining fertility rates in the provinces.
ERDOĞAN HAD WARNED OF THE DANGER
President Erdoğan, in a statement he made a few months ago regarding the issue, said, "We are below the renewal threshold of 2.1 for the population. This, I say openly, is an existential threat for Turkey, a disaster. The current situation has become intolerable for our country. We have been continuously recommending three children because we saw this picture. We have faced criticism many times because of our recommendation. Unfortunately, time has proven us right in our predictions. The importance of our call for at least three children is now better understood. We need to realize that population is our greatest strength as a nation, and we must protect it."
Here are the 40 provinces with decreasing populations by geographical regions;
- Burdur
2022: 273,799
2023: 277,452
2024: 275,826
Difference: -1,626
- Isparta
2022: 445,325
2023: 449,777
2024: 446,409
Difference: -3,368
- Tunceli
2022: 84,366
2023: 89,317
2024: 86,612
Difference: -2,705
- Ağrı
2022: 510,626
2023: 511,238
2024: 499,801
Difference: -11,437
- Hakkâri
2022: 275,333
2023: 287,625
2024: 282,191
Difference: -5,434
- Bingöl
2022: 282,556
2023: 285,655
2024: 283,276
Difference: -2,379
- Elazığ
2022: 591,497
2023: 604,411
2024: 603,941
Difference: -470
- Erzincan
2022: 239,223
2023: 243,399
2024: 241,239
Difference: -2,160
- Erzurum
2022: 749,754
2023: 749,993
2024: 745,005
Difference: -4,988
- Kars
2022: 274,829
2023: 278,335
2024: 272,300
Difference: -6,035
- Muş
2022: 399,202
2023: 399,879
2024: 392,301
Difference: -7,578
- Van
2022: 1,128,749
2023: 1,127,612
2024: 1,118,087
Difference: -9,525
- Iğdır
2022: 203,594
2023: 209,738
2024: 206,857
Difference: -2,881
- Ardahan
2022: 92,481
2023: 92,819
2024: 91,354
Difference: -1,465
- Afyonkarahisar
2022: 747,555
2023: 751,344
2024: 750,193
Difference: -1,151
- Kütahya
2022: 580,701
2023: 575,674
2024: 571,078
Difference: -4,596
- Manisa
2022: 1,468,279
2023: 1,475,716
2024: 1,475,353
Difference: -363
- Uşak
2022: 375,454
2023: 377,001
2024: 375,310
Difference: -1,691
- Siirt
2022: 331,311
2023: 347,412
2024: 336,453
Difference: -10,959
- Çankırı
2022: 195,766
2023: 205,501
2024: 199,981
Difference: -5,520
- Kırşehir
2022: 244,519
2023: 247,179
2024: 244,546
Difference: -2,633
- Niğde
2022: 365,419
2023: 377,080
2024: 372,708
Difference: -4,372
- Sivas
2022: 634,924
2023: 650,401
2024: 637,007
Difference: -13,394
- Sinop
2022: 220,799
2023: 229,716
2024: 226,957
Difference: -2,759
- Kırıkkale
2022: 277,046
2023: 285,744
2024: 283,053
Difference: -2,691
- Yozgat
2022: 418,442
2023: 420,699
2024: 413,161
Difference: -7,538
- Karaman
2022: 260,838
2023: 263,960
2024: 262,791
Difference: -1,169
- Artvin
2022: 169,403
2023: 172,356
2024: 169,280
Difference: -3,076
- Çorum
2022: 524,130
2023: 528,351
2024: 521,335
Difference: -7,016
- Giresun
2022: 450,862
2023: 461,712
2024: 455,922
Difference: -5,790
- Gümüşhane
2022: 144,544
2023: 148,539
2024: 142,617
Difference: -5,922
- Kastamonu
2022: 378,115
2023: 388,990
2024: 381,991
Difference: -6,999
- Ordu
2022: 763,190
2023: 775,800
2024: 770,711
Difference: -5,089
- Rize
2022: 344,016
2023: 350,506
2024: 346,977
Difference: -3,529
- Trabzon
2022: 818,023
2023: 824,352
2024: 822,270
Difference: -2,082
- Zonguldak
2022: 588,510
2023: 591,492
2024: 586,802
Difference: -4,690
- Bayburt
2022: 84,241
2023: 86,047
2024: 83,676
Difference: -2,371
- Bartın
2022: 203,351
2023: 207,238
2024: 206,715
Difference: -5,023
- Karabük
2022: 252,058
2023: 255,242
2024: 250,478
Difference: -4,764
- Çanakkale
2022: 559,383
2023: 570,499
2024: 568,966
Difference: -1,533
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