Geography
Location: Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulg…
CIA 2026
Data as of May 5, 2026
Turkey
EuropeGlobal Leader
Turkey claims the 3rd spot worldwide for university enrollment. How well do you really know Turkey?
Turkey claims the 3rd spot worldwide for university enrollment. That 127.6 figure is hard to beat. How well do you really know Turkey?
39.0, 35.0 - Europe
Area
784K km²
Pop.
84.63M
Stats
186
Reality brief
Turkey is a country in Europe with a population of 84.63M and an area of 783,562 km². Life expectancy is 77.2 years.
Short factual summary generated from the same country data used in game rounds.
Core numbers
Stats worth knowing
Fast scan first, deep dive later.
University Enrollment Rate
127.58%#3globally
Total university and college enrollment as a percentage of the typical college-age population.
Land Area
769.6K km²#36globally
Total land area in square kilometers, excluding lakes, rivers, and territorial waters.
CO2 Per Capita
5.9 t/person/yr#55globally
Annual carbon dioxide emissions in tonnes per person, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Human Development Index
0.85#51globally
Composite 0-1 index of life expectancy, education, and income, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
$45,122.93#57globally
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
Country briefing
Grounded facts about Turkey
A quick real-world briefing before you dive deeper into rankings, surprises, and matchups.
Culture
Major languages include Turkish (official), Kurdish, other minority languages.
CIA 2026
Identity
Formal name: Republic of Turkey.
CIA 2026
Cities
Cities in Turkey
Browse this country's cities before City Detective asks you to guess.
İzmir
Izmir Province, Turkey
Famous78/100
Open city guide
Ankara
Turkey
Famous100/100
Open city guide
Istanbul
Turkey
Famous100/100
Open city guide
Bursa
Bursa Province, Turkey
Famous78/100
Open city guide
Adana
Turkey
Famous76/100
Open city guide
Konya
Turkey
Famous75/100
Open city guide
Gaziantep
Turkey
Famous71/100
Open city guide
Antalya
Turkey
Famous69/100
Open city guide
Top stats
Where They Stand Out
The strongest source-backed stats before the deeper data table.
Air Passengers
125.94M#5globallyTop stat
Total passengers carried by airlines registered in that country, regardless of where flights originated or ended.
Inflation Rate
58.5%#8globallyTop stat
How much prices increased over the year, based on the cost of everyday goods and services.
Irrigated Land
52.1K km²#11globallyTop stat
Irrigated land area from CIA World Factbook.
Road Deaths
7.7 per 100k#3globallyTop stat
Road traffic deaths per 100,000 people, from OECD How's Life / Well-Being.
Armed Forces Personnel
512.0K#13globallyTop stat
Total armed forces personnel from the World Bank latest available country value.
Reality checks
Did You Know?
The stats that tend to surprise players in real rounds.
Only ranks #38 in employment rate (%)
#3859.24% of adults 25-64Employment Rate (%)
Share of adults aged 25-64 who are employed, from OECD How's Life / Well-Being.
Only ranks #35 in life satisfaction
#355.8 ptsLife Satisfaction
Average self-reported life satisfaction on a 0-10 scale, from OECD How's Life / Well-Being.
Ranks #9 globally in tourist arrivals
#915.97MTourist Arrivals
How many international tourists visit the country each year.
Has one of the highest total co2 emissions figures
#14460.03 Mt CO2eTotal CO2 Emissions
Total carbon dioxide emissions excluding LULUCF from the World Bank latest available country value.
Ranks #16 globally in electric generating capacity
#16106.28M kWElectric Generating Capacity
Installed electricity generating capacity in kilowatts from the frozen public-domain CIA World Factbook snapshot.
Compared with the region
How Turkey Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
Turkey
Europe avg
World avg
GDP per Capita
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
- Country
- $45,122.93
- Region avg
- $57,483.02
- World avg
- $31,844.55
Turkey$45,122.93
Europe$57,483.02
World$31,844.55
+42% above worldWB 2023
Life Expectancy
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
- Country
- 77.2 years
- Region avg
- 80.0 years
- World avg
- 73.7 years
Turkey77.2 years
Europe80.0 years
World73.7 years
+5% above worldWB 2023
Human Development Index
Composite 0-1 index of life expectancy, education, and income, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
- Country
- 0.85
- Region avg
- 0.89
- World avg
- 0.74
Turkey0.85
Europe0.89
World0.74
+15% above worldOWID 2023
Internet Users
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
- Country
- 87%
- Region avg
- 90.13%
- World avg
- 70.29%
Turkey87%
Europe90.13%
World70.29%
+24% above worldWB 2023
Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Play this countryFactbook notes
About Turkey
Country briefing
Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the remnants of the Ottoman Empire by reformer and national hero Mustafa KEMAL, known as Ataturk or "Father of the Turks." One-party rule ended in 1950, and periods of instability and military coups have since fractured the multiparty democracy, in 1960, 1971, 1980, 1997, and 2016.
Read the full Factbook note
Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the remnants of the Ottoman Empire by reformer and national hero Mustafa KEMAL, known as Ataturk or "Father of the Turks." One-party rule ended in 1950, and periods of instability and military coups have since fractured the multiparty democracy, in 1960, 1971, 1980, 1997, and 2016.
Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and NATO in 1952. In 1963, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community; it began accession talks with the EU in 2005. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," which only Turkey recognizes. The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a US-designated terrorist organization, began a separatist insurgency in Turkey in 1984, and the struggle has long dominated the attention of Turkish security forces. In 2013, the Turkish Government and the PKK conducted negotiations aimed at ending the violence, but intense fighting resumed in 2015.
The Turkish Government conducted a referendum in 2017 in which voters approved constitutional amendments changing Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential system.
Geography & Climate6 facts
- Location
- 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
- Climate
- temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior
- Terrain
- high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several mountain ranges
- Natural Resources
- coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone, magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable land, hydropower
- Natural Hazards
- severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van; landslides; flooding volcanism: limited volcanic activity; the three historically active volcanoes (Ararat, Nemrut Dagi, and Tendurek Dagi) have not erupted since the 19th century or earlier
- Size Comparison
- slightly larger than Texas
People & Culture4 facts
- Languages
- Turkish (official), Kurdish, other minority languages
- Religions
- Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)
- Ethnic Groups
- Turkish 70-75%, Kurdish 19%, other minorities 6-11% (2016 est.)
- Major Cities
- 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)
Government & History10 facts
- Government Type
- presidential republic
- Capital
- Ankara
- Capital Coordinates
- 39 56 N, 32 52 E
- Capital Timezone
- UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Republic of Turkey
- Name Origin
- the name means "Land of the Turks"
- Independence
- 29 October 1923 (republic proclaimed, succeeding the Ottoman Empire)
- National Symbols
- vertical crescent moon with adjacent five-pointed star
- National Anthem
- "Istiklal Marsi" (The March of Independence)
- UNESCO Heritage
- 22 (20 cultural, 2 mixed)
Economy & Trade7 facts
- Overview
- upper-middle-income, diversified Middle Eastern economy; industrializing economy that maintains large agricultural base; key energy, tourism, and construction sectors; high inflation, interest rates, and foreign debt pose risk to financial stability
- Industries
- textiles, food processing, automobiles, electronics, mining (coal, chromate, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper
- Agricultural Products
- sugar beets, wheat, milk, tomatoes, barley, maize, potatoes, apples, grapes, watermelons (2023)
- Export Partners
- Germany 9%, USA 6%, UK 6%, UAE 5%, Iraq 5% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- garments, cars, gold, refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories (2023)
- Import Partners
- China 13%, Russia 9%, Germany 9%, Switzerland 6%, USA 5% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- gold, refined petroleum, cars, plastics, natural gas (2023)
Infrastructure & Defense5 facts
- Military Forces
- Turkish Armed Forces (TAF; Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri, TSK): Turkish Land Forces (Türk Kara Kuvvetleri), Turkish Naval Forces (Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri; includes naval air and naval infantry), Turkish Air Forces (Türk Hava Kuvvetleri) Ministry of Interior: Gendarmerie General Command (aka Gendarmerie of the Turkish Republic), Turkish Coast Guard Command, General Directorate of Security (National Police) (2025)
- Military Service
- military service is compulsory for Turkish men 20-41 for a period of 6-12 months; men and women may volunteer (2025)
- Energy Mix
- fossil fuels: 57.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 6.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); wind: 10.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 19.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); geothermal: 2.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); biomass and waste: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Broadcast Media
- Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) operates multiple TV and radio networks and stations; multiple privately owned national TV stations and 567 private regional and local TV stations; multi-channel cable TV available; 1,007 private radio stations (2019)
- Space Program
- has an ambitious national space program with a focus on satellites, satellite components, satellite launch capabilities, software development, ground station technologies, and building up the country's space industries; manufactures and operates remote sensing and telecommunications satellites; in recent years has initiated a satellite/space launch vehicle (SLV) program with the goal of independently placing satellites into orbit and a probe on the Moon; works with more than 25 foreign space agencies and corporations, including those of Azerbaijan, China, France, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Russia, South Korea, Ukraine, and the US, as well as the ESA; has state-owned rocket and satellite development companies, including some under the Ministry of Defense; has a growing private space-industry sector, and the Turkish Government has pledged to increase the country's share of the global space market (2025)
Source:World Factbook archive 2026
Data vault
Deep Dive
Every tracked stat, grouped for fast scanning.
Education & Future8 statsBest: #3
University Enrollment Rate
Domestic Patents
Human Development Index
R&D Spending (% GDP)
Foreign Patents
Education Spending (% GDP)
Leisure Time
Life Expectancy
Society & Equality6 statsBest: #3
Lifestyle5 statsBest: #5
Wealth & Economy13 statsBest: #8
Inflation Rate
GDP (Nominal)
Long-Term Unemployment
Unemployment Rate
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
GDP Per Capita
Youth Unemployment Rate
GDP Growth Rate
Gender Pay Gap (%)
High-Tech Exports (%)
FDI Inflows (% GDP)
Government Debt (% GDP)
Employment Rate (%)
Environment9 statsBest: #11
Irrigated Land
52.1K km²#11
Total CO2 Emissions
Forest Area
CO2 Per Capita
Renewable Energy (%)
Air Pollution (PM2.5)
Forest Coverage (%)
Electricity Access (%)
Protected Land (%)
Military & Defense2 statsBest: #13
Energy1 statsBest: #16
Electric Generating Capacity
106.28M kW#16
Demographics12 statsBest: #18
Population
Urban Population (%)
Land Area
Elderly Population (%)
Population Density
Median Age
Birth Rate
Fertility Rate
Youth Population (%)
Death Rate
Teen Birth Rate
Dependency Ratio
Land & Sea4 statsBest: #19
Coastline Length
7.2K km#19
Highest Elevation
5.1K m#24
Land Border Length
2.8K km#69
Lowest Elevation
0 m#189
Infrastructure3 statsBest: #21
Health & Survival9 statsBest: #27
Smoking Rate
Obesity Rate
Life Expectancy
Hospital Beds (per 1,000)
Doctors (per 1,000)
Child Mortality
Infant Mortality
Health Spending (% GDP)
Suicide Rate
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Turkey
#3 in University Enrollment Rate
Total university and college enrollment as a percentage of the typical college-age population.
Top 5% globally
127.58%
Frequently Asked Questions about Turkey
What is the population of Turkey?
Turkey has a population of 84.63M, ranking #18 globally by population.
What continent is Turkey in?
Turkey is located in Europe. It has an area of 783,562 km².
What is the life expectancy in Turkey?
Life expectancy in Turkey is 77.2 years, ranking #81 globally.
What is the GDP per capita of Turkey?
Turkey's GDP per capita (PPP) is $45,122.93, ranking #57 globally.
What is Turkey known for in global statistics?
Turkey ranks particularly high in University Enrollment Rate (#3), Population (#18), Land Area (#36).
What is Turkey's Human Development Index?
Turkey has an HDI of 0.853, ranking #51 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
How densely populated is Turkey?
Turkey has a population density of 110.9 people per km², ranking #95 globally.