Turkey’s 2024 population data reveals nearly 140,000 Afghan residents

The Turkish Statistical Institute released its 2024 Address-Based Population Registration System data on Friday, February 7, detailing the country’s current population figures. According to the report, Turkey’s total population has reached 85,664,944—a rise of about 292,000 people compared to 2023.

The data shows that 1,480,547 foreign citizens with legal residency are living in Turkey, a decrease of roughly 89,996 individuals from the previous year. Among these, 139,251 are Afghan citizens.

The statistics, which also include figures for other nationalities such as German, Turkmen, and Iranian citizens, are based solely on legal residency registrations and do not account for undocumented refugees.

The report comes as migration trends continue, with a notable number of Afghan citizens arriving in Turkey over the past three years due to ongoing economic challenges and political instability in Afghanistan.