Türkiye’s population stood at 85,824,854 as of July 1, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) announced Wednesday, marking a rise of nearly 160,000 in the first six months of the year.

The increase from 85,664,944 at the end of 2024 comes from TurkStat's newly introduced quarterly population statistics, which track demographic changes more frequently than the agency’s traditional annual reports.

Men accounted for 50.01% of the population, or 42,923,584 people, while women made up 49.99%, or 42,901,270 people, the data showed.

Türkiye, which has one of the largest populations in Europe and the Middle East, has seen its growth rate slow in recent years amid declining birth rates and aging demographics, a trend mirrored in many developed and developing nations. In 2023, the country’s population increased by about 92,000, one of the smallest gains in decades.

The government has introduced policies aimed at encouraging larger families, including financial incentives for new parents and extended parental leave, but economists say factors such as urbanization, higher education levels among women and changing lifestyles continue to push fertility rates down.

TurkStat’s next quarterly update is scheduled for October, providing a more up-to-date view of migration patterns, birth and death rates, and regional population shifts.