Türkiye's birth rate declines despite ranking high in Europe

This is significantly lower than the replacement rate of 2.10 children needed for a stable population.

The decline is most pronounced when compared to 2001, where the total fertility rate was 2.38 and the crude birth rate was 20.3 per thousand. In 2023, the crude birth rate fell to 11.2 per thousand.

Despite the national decline, Türkiye's birth rate remains higher than the average of 1.46 children per woman seen in EU member countries in 2022. The country ranked 5th in the EU for fertility rate that year.

Regional Differences

The data reveals significant regional variations within Türkiye. Şanlıurfa province has the highest total fertility rate (3.27) and crude birth rate (24.8 per thousand), while Bartın province has the lowest (1.13 and 7.2 per thousand, respectively).

Age Trends

The age at which women are giving birth is also shifting. While the highest age-specific fertility rate was in the 20-24 age group in 2001, it has shifted to the 25-29 age group in 2023. The mean age of mothers giving birth is now 29.2, compared to 26.7 in 2001. This trend aligns with a decrease in adolescent fertility rates, which dropped from 49 per thousand in 2001 to 11 per thousand in 2023.

Multiple Births and Birth Order

Around 3.3% of births in 2023 were multiple births, with twins being the most common (95.6%). Looking at birth order, 40.6% of births were a mother's first child. (ILKHA)