February 21, 2018•Update: February 21, 2018
By Can Erozden
ANKARA
Turkey's population is expected to cross 100 million in 2040, the country's statistical authority said on Wednesday.
Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) said on its website the population will tally 100.3 million in 2040 and is expected to hit the top in 2069 with 107.6 million.
In 2080, the country's population would be 107.1 million.
Meanwhile, Turkey's most populous city Istanbul with 15 million people will climb to 16.3 million in 2023 -- a year which also marks the 100th anniversary of foundation of Republic of Turkey; Turkish capital Ankara will have 6.1 million people in that year; Izmir will be 4.6 million.
TurkStat added Turkey's population in 2023 is expected to be 86.9 million.
Turkey's population has shot through 80 million to reach its highest-level ever, TurkStat said on Feb. 1.
At the end of 2017, the country's population was 80.8 million, with an annual growth rate of 1.24 percent, it said.
Official data showed the population residing in Turkey rose nearly one million, up from the previous year's figure of 79.8 million.
Last year as well Istanbul was Turkey's most populous city with 15 million people, about 18.6 percent of the total population. The country's top tourist draw was followed by Ankara with nearly 5.5 million people and Izmir with around 4.3 million.
