Women in Turkey make up 49.98% of the country's population, according to new data from the Turkish Statistical Institute. According to the study “Women in Statistics 2025“, there are 43.3 million women and 43.5 million men living in the country.
Despite the almost equal ratio of the population, women are starting to outnumber men in the older age groups. Among those aged 60-74, women make up 51.9%, while among those over 90, the figure increases to 69.7%. This is due to the higher average life expectancy of women in Turkey: 80.7 years for women compared to 75.5 years for men.
The statistics also show a significant increase in education levels in Turkey. While in 2008, 75.1% of residents over 25 had at least one level of education, this figure increased to 92.6% by 2024. Among women, the share increased from 67.5% to 88.3%, and among men, from 82.8% to 97%.
At the same time, the number of women in politics and diplomacy is increasing. By 2025, women will hold 19.9% of the seats in the Turkish parliament, compared to just 9.1% in 2007. The share of female ambassadors has increased from 11.9% in 2011 to 28.4% in 2025.
At the same time, the gender gap remains significant in the labor market. In 2024, the labor force participation rate was 36.8% for women and 72% for men. Education plays a key role: 68.7% of women with a university degree participate in the labor force.
The average age at marriage also continues to rise. In 2025, women married at an average age of 26, while men did so at 28.5.
The study also found that approximately 19% of internet users in Turkey use generative artificial intelligence tools, with the usage rate among women and men being almost equal.
Despite the gradual expansion of opportunities for women in education, politics and science, statistics show that gender gaps in employment, poverty and social security remain one of the key social problems in the country.