MigrantoImmigrants in Turkey
6.8M foreigners live in Turkey — 8% of the country's population
Immigrants in Turkey by country
The 3 largest groups make up 63% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| Syria | 3563983 |
| Iraq | 403670 |
| Germany | 363563 |
| Bulgaria | 348052 |
| Afghanistan | 332053 |
| Iran | 199735 |
| Russia | 193302 |
| Uzbekistan | 128061 |
| Turkmenistan | 119955 |
| Azerbaijan | 117860 |
| Kazakhstan | 84823 |
| Ukraine | 72339 |
| Saudi Arabia | 61221 |
| France | 52315 |
| Netherlands | 46268 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 44361 |
| Egypt | 42894 |
| Belgium | 40904 |
| United Kingdom | 40743 |
| North Macedonia | 35535 |
| USA | 33577 |
| Greece | 31548 |
| Cyprus | 30993 |
| Austria | 30987 |
| Libya | 29478 |
| China | 29249 |
| Somalia | 27594 |
| Morocco | 27080 |
| Pakistan | 26088 |
| Jordan | 24978 |
| Lebanon | 24965 |
| Palestine | 24166 |
| Georgia | 22770 |
| Yemen | 21256 |
| Switzerland | 17204 |
| Moldova | 16824 |
| Algeria | 16719 |
| Nigeria | 16375 |
| Kuwait | 15838 |
| Sudan | 15754 |
| Indonesia | 15386 |
| UAE | 12928 |
| Romania | 11400 |
| Tajikistan | 11341 |
By region of origin
63% of immigrants come from the Middle East
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Key facts
Immigrants in Turkey in numbers
People born in Iran are the fastest-growing group
The number of people born in Iran living in Turkey has grown 279% since 2015, from 52.6K to 199.7K.
The share of immigrants from Europe has declined since 1990
87.6% of immigrants came from Europe in 1990, compared with 19.1% today.
Syrians are the largest group by a wide margin
52% of all immigrants were born in Syria, while the next group accounts for just 6%.
40% of all emigrants from Syria live in Turkey
No other country has more people born in Syria.
The map of origins has changed since 1990
7 countries have entered the top 20 origins since 1990: Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine. Turkmenistan climbed from outside the top 20 to #9.
1 in 7 people born in Syria lives in Turkey
3.6M people born in Syria live in Turkey — 14.45% of the population of Syria.
Immigrant population in Turkey over time
Foreigners living in Turkey, by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 1103148 |
| 1995 | 1161701 |
| 2000 | 1214155 |
| 2005 | 1273063 |
| 2010 | 1338806 |
| 2015 | 3649722 |
| 2020 | 6434722 |
| 2024 | 6826135 |
Largest groups over time
The 5 largest groups in Turkey, by year
| Year | Syrians | Iraqis | Germans | Bulgarians | Afghans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 5234 | 29406 | 173893 | 462221 | 7147 |
| 1995 | 5339 | 21629 | 222235 | 471243 | 9904 |
| 2000 | 5357 | 11043 | 270576 | 480265 | 9620 |
| 2005 | 25453 | 25137 | 268753 | 448154 | 17982 |
| 2010 | 46891 | 44828 | 263659 | 413362 | 29314 |
| 2015 | 2102261 | 170324 | 261210 | 380354 | 101893 |
| 2020 | 3830526 | 470584 | 304600 | 363507 | 271641 |
| 2024 | 3563983 | 403670 | 363563 | 348052 | 332053 |
Fastest-changing groups
How each group's numbers have changed since the selected year
Share of each diaspora living in Turkey
Of each group's emigrants worldwide, the share who live in Turkey
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many foreigners live in Turkey?
Around 6.8M immigrants live in Turkey — the world's #11 largest immigrant population.
What percentage of the population of Turkey are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 8% of the population of Turkey — that's 6.8M out of a total population of 85.5M.
Where do most immigrants in Turkey come from?
Most immigrants in Turkey come from Syria, Iraq and Germany — these three countries account for about 63% of all immigrants.
How many Syrians live in Turkey?
Around 3.6M Syrians live in Turkey — about 52% of all immigrants, the largest group.
Is the immigrant population in Turkey growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of immigrants in Turkey has grown from 3.6M to 6.8M, about 87%.
Where does the data on immigrants in Turkey come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born abroad who now live in Turkey. Their children born in Turkey are not included.
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Living in Turkey
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