Capital

Türkei

name: Ankara

geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 32 52 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: Ankara has been linked with a second millennium B.C. Hittite cult center of Ankuwash, although this connection is uncertain; in classical and medieval times, the city was known as Ankyra (meaning "anchor" in Greek and reflecting the city's position as a junction for multiple trade and military routes); by about the 13th century the city began to be referred to as Angora; following the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, the city's name became Ankara

Citizenship

Türkei

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Turkey

dual citizenship recognized: yes, but requires prior permission from the government

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Legal system

Türkei

civil law system based on various European legal systems, notably the Swiss civil code

Suffrage

Türkei

18 years of age; universal

Area

Türkei

total: 783,562 sq km

land: 769,632 sq km

water: 13,930 sq km

Land use

Türkei

agricultural land: 49.7% (2018 est.)

arable land: 26.7% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 4% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 19% (2018 est.)

forest: 14.9% (2018 est.)

other: 35.4% (2018 est.)

Location

Türkei

Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria

Age structure

Türkei

0-14 years: 22.12% (male 9,459,277/female 9,029,296)

15-64 years: 68.58% (male 29,023,477/female 28,301,263)

65 years and over: 9.31% (2023 est.) (male 3,512,598/female 4,267,572)

Birth rate

Türkei

14 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Türkei

6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Türkei

Turkish (official), Kurdish, other minority languages

major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, temel bilgi edinmek için vazgeçilmez bir kaynak. (Turkish)

ڕاستییەکانی جیهان، باشترین سەرچاوەیە بۆ زانیارییە بنەڕەتییەکان (Kurdish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

Türkei

total population: 76.5 years (2023 est.)

male: 74.1 years

female: 78.9 years

Major urban areas - population

Türkei

15.848 million Istanbul, 5.397 million ANKARA (capital), 3.088 million Izmir, 2.086 million Bursa, 1.836 million Adana, 1.805 million Gaziantep (2023)

Median age

Türkei

total: 33.6 years (2023 est.)

male: 33 years

female: 34.1 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Türkei

26.6 years (2020 est.)

Net migration rate

Türkei

-1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Türkei

the most densely populated area is found around the Bosporus in the northwest where 20% of the population lives in Istanbul; with the exception of Ankara, urban centers remain small and scattered throughout the interior of Anatolia; an overall pattern of peripheral development exists, particularly along the Aegean Sea coast in the west, and the Tigris and Euphrates River systems in the southeast

Population growth rate

Türkei

0.64% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Türkei

1.91 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Türkei

urban population: 77.5% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Türkei

3.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Türkei

total: 18 years

male: 19 years

female: 18 years (2020)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Türkei

-1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Türkei

12.46% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Türkei

32.554 million (2021 est.)

note: this number is for the domestic labor force only; number does not include about 1.2 million Turks working abroad, nor refugees

Population below poverty line

Türkei

14.4% (2018 est.)

Unemployment rate

Türkei

13.39% (2021 est.)

13.11% (2020 est.)

13.67% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Türkei

41.97% of GDP (2020 est.)

34.13% of GDP (2019 est.)

29.41% of GDP (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Türkei

19.6% (2021 est.)

12.28% (2020 est.)

15.18% (2019 est.)

Exports

Türkei

$282.851 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$203.816 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$244.941 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - partners

Türkei

Germany 9%, United Kingdom 6%, Iraq 5%, Italy 5%, United States 5% (2019)

Imports

Türkei

$285.578 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$230.141 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$227.638 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - partners

Türkei

Germany 11%, China 9%, Russia 9%, United States 5%, Italy 5% (2019)

Airports

Türkei

98 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Türkei

total: 16,734,853 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Türkei

total: 68.85 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 81% (2021 est.)

Railways

Türkei

total: 11,497 km (2018)

standard gauge: 11,497 km (2018) 1.435-m gauge (1.435 km high speed train)

Roadways

Türkei

total: 67,333 km (2018)

paved: 24,082 km (2018) (includes 2,159 km of expressways)

unpaved: 43,251 km (2018)

Telephones - fixed lines

Türkei

total subscriptions: 12 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Türkei

total subscriptions: 86 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Türkei

1,200 km (2010)

Disputes - international

Türkei

Turkey-Armenia: in 2009, Swiss mediators facilitated an accord reestablishing diplomatic ties between Armenia and Turkey, but neither side has ratified the agreement and the rapprochement effort has faltered;  in early 2022, the two countries held talks twice aimed at normalizing relations, which could lead to the opening of their land border, shut since 1993; in 2000, Turkish authorities complained to UNESCO that blasting from quarries in Armenia was damaging the medieval ruins of Ani, on the other side of the Arpacay valley

Turkey-Azerbaijan: none identified

Turkey-Bulgaria: none identified

Turkey-Cyprus: status of northern Cyprus question remains

Turkey-Georgia: none identified

Turkey-Greece: complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in the Aegean Sea, including rights to explore oil and gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean and illegal migrants transiting from Turkey into Greece; the Aegean Maritime Boundary is complicated by the close proximity of Greek islands to the western shores of the Turkish Anatolian peninsula, representing the primary source of conflict between the two countries

Turkey-Iran: none identified

Turkey-Iraq: Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in Iraq

Turkey-Syria: Turkey completed building a wall along its border with Syria in 2018 to prevent illegal border crossings and smuggling