Türkiye makes up 1 pct of global population, UN data shows

ANKARA

Türkiye represented 1 percent of the global population last year, ranking 18th among 194 countries with 85.7 million people, according to United Nations estimates released on the occasion of World Population Day, observed annually on July 11.

The figures show Türkiye continues to stand out in the region with a higher share of both children and youth compared to European Union member states, while maintaining a relatively low elderly population, according to the country’s official statistics office (TÜİK).

In 2024, children under the age of 15 made up 25.5 percent of Türkiye’s population, a higher rate than any of the 27 EU countries. Ireland had the highest share of children in the EU, with 22.7 percent.   

The proportion of the young population, aged between 15 and 24, stood at 14.9 percent, higher than the EU average. Ireland again led the EU in this category with 13.3 percent.

Meanwhile, the share of elderly people aged 65 and over in Türkiye was 10.6 percent, significantly below the EU average.

In comparison, Italy, Portugal, and Greece all had elderly population rates above 23 percent.

World Population Day is marked annually to raise awareness of population issues. The date was inspired by July 11, 1987, when the global population reached 5 billion.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) uses the occasion to highlight demographic trends and development challenges.

According to UN projections, the most populous country was India with approximately 1.45 billion people in 2024, followed by China with 1.42 billion and the United States with 345 million.

Together, these three countries made up 39.4 percent of the global population.

Last year, the global youth population represented 15.6 percent of the world, the data said, with Syria having the highest share of youth.