According to the data compiled from Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) and Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK), savings deposits in Turkey increased by 14.4 percent in 2017 compared to the previous year, reaching TL 930.3 billion ($244.60 billion). The average amount of savings per capita in Turkey, whose population exceeded 80.8 million last year, stood at TL 11,512.

In Turkey, 43 percent of the total savings deposits accumulated in Istanbul. Hosting more than 15 million people, which is larger than 129 countries population wise, Istanbul's savings deposits totaling TL 400.6 billion were collected last year, while the per capita savings reached TL 26,658.

In the amount of savings deposits per person, Istanbul was followed by Ankara with TL 16,974, Muğla with TL 16,958, Izmir with TL 15,905 and Antalya with TL 12,126. Thus, per capita savings deposits rose above the Turkey average in the five provinces.

Meanwhile, 13 cities cities exceeded TL 10,000 in per capita savings. They were Tunceli with TL 11,180, Yalova with TL 10,561, Uşak with TL 10,274, Kırklareli with TL 10,268, Edirne with TL 10,205, Balıkesir with TL 10,152, Denizli with TL 10,143 and Aydın with TL 10,124.

Also the amount of savings deposits per capita last year exceeded the TL 1,000 mark in all provinces of Turkey.

In this period, the city with the lowest savings deposit per capita was Muş with TL 1,341, followed by Hakkari with TL 1,422, Ağrı with TL 1,481, Şırnak with TL 1,525, Bitlis with TL 1,596, Şanlıurfa with TL 1,605 and Van with TL 1,966.

With over 40 percent, Istanbul again holds the biggest share of the TL 117 billion increase in savings deposits last year. Savings deposits in Istanbul rose by TL 46.8 billion a year, while Ankara came second with an increase of TL 11.8 billion.

On the other hand, the provinces that experienced an increase over TL 1 billion in savings deposits last year were listed as Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Antalya, Bursa, Muğla, Adana, Kocaeli, Mersin, Gaziantep, Konya, Balıkesir, Manisa, Aydin, Hatay, Denizli, Tekirdağ, Diyarbakır, Eskişehir, Samsun and Trabzon.

ISTANBUL / DAILY SABAH WITH AA