ANKARA

Türkiye outpaced the 27 member states of the European Union with a population of nearly 13 million young people and over 22 million minors, according to the latest figures from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat).

Türkiye boasts a population of 13 million young people, age 15-24, representing 15.1% of the total population, more than any of the EU member states.

After Türkiye, which has more than a quarter of the EU's total youth population, Germany followed with 8.14 million.

In terms of Türkiye's population of minors, age 17 and below, there was a total of 22 million, followed by Germany with 13.9 million.

Given this, Türkiye boasts the highest child and youth population among EU member states in 2023, though it is a candidate for EU membership, not yet a member.

Murat Senturk, a sociologist at Istanbul University, said the life expectancy for both men and women in Türkiye is above the world average.

"Türkiye’s high rate of minors and young people makes the country dynamic. We have potential," he stressed.

*Writing by Sahika Olgun from Istanbul