The first census after the foundation of the
Turkish Republic
was conducted in 1927 showing a figure of
13.7 million inhabitants. The second was conducted
in 1935 showing a figure of 17.5 million inhabitants.
Since then the census has been conducted every
five years (except in 1997). Because of the
demographic outburst of the last thirty years
the population increased from 28 million in
1960 to 57 million in 1990 and 63 million
inhabitants in 1997. A last census in 2000
shows a population of 68 million inhabitants.
The birth rate is different according to the
regions, depending on the education of people
and socio-economic conditions. The rate is
higher in the rural and eastern areas compared
to the urban and western areas of the country.
The population distribution is closely related
to topographic conditions, soil and precipitations.
Settlements are most heavily concentrated
in the European part of Turkey (Thrace) and
in the fertiles areas of the Marmara, Aegean
and Black Sea.
By
1997 more than 40% of the population lived
in cities. The population density in the main
cities is very high due to intensive internal
migration. About 40% of the current population
of Istanbul and
60% of Ankara
or Izmir are
native or were born in these cities which
are now over-populated.
In the 60s and the 70s, because Europe needed
workers, an emigration phenomena appeared
towards werstern European countries, then
towards the Arab countries. The number of
emigrants is around 2.5 to 3 million.
