Today’s Turkey is a country of about 76 million people, up from 56.5 million in 1990, making it the second largest European NATO country after Germany. However, the recent report by the UNFPA estimates that by 2050 the population of Turkey will reach 100 million people, making it the largest country in Europe outside Russia.
Not only is Turkey becoming the largest country in Europe after Russia, many of its cities have become larger than some states in Europe. For example, Ankara alone with its population of about 4.5 million is larger than most newly independent states of the former Yugoslavia. The population is the youngest in Europe, too, with almost 27.2 percent of the population – or about 18 million people – below the age of 14 in 2009.
Central Asia-Caucasus Institute and Silk Road Studies Program
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged Turkish families to have at least three children, saying a greater population will increase Turkey's power.
"The more our population increases, the more we will be powerful," Aksam newspaper quoted Erdogan as saying.
Erdogan: Have at least 3 children
According to the latest population census results, released in January by the Turkish Statistics Institute (TurkStat), Turkey has a young population, with the average age calculated as around 28 years. Half of the population is younger and around 26 percent is under 14.
Erdoğan, addressing a group of women in a gathering held in İstanbul on March 8 to mark International Women's Day, urged them to have at least three children.
“Turkey currently has a young population, but if current trends continue it will be aging by 2038. Western societies are currently facing an aging population problem. Every family should have three children if we wish to preserve Turkey’s young population. I have four children and I wish I had more. Children are a blessing,” he said.
Society reacts to PM's call for couples to have 3 kids
Turkey should adopt the German model of "Kinder Geld", which means "children money", so state gives every month till 18 years age assisting money to raise the child.
Linear Mode
