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Turkey vs Iran: population pyramids compared

Iran is slightly larger than Turkey, but size is only part of the story. Compare the two age structures on one percentage scale for 2026 and 2050, with every indicator side by side.

Estimate or projection?

UN estimates run through 2023; figures from 2024 onward are medium-scenario projections.

Turkey and Iran in 2026

Turkey population pyramid

2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex

Medium projection
Turkey population pyramid for 2026: males on the left and females on the right Male share Female share 100+ males: 390 (0.0%) 100+ females: 3,894 (0.0%) 100+ 95–99 males: 6,805 (0.0%) 95–99 females: 32,149 (0.0%) 95–99 90–94 males: 48,578 (0.1%) 90–94 females: 128,733 (0.1%) 90–94 85–89 males: 154,665 (0.2%) 85–89 females: 325,225 (0.4%) 85–89 80–84 males: 384,211 (0.4%) 80–84 females: 608,369 (0.7%) 80–84 75–79 males: 756,491 (0.9%) 75–79 females: 1,011,417 (1.2%) 75–79 70–74 males: 1,282,211 (1.5%) 70–74 females: 1,513,313 (1.7%) 70–74 65–69 males: 1,589,030 (1.8%) 65–69 females: 1,741,645 (2.0%) 65–69 60–64 males: 2,182,648 (2.5%) 60–64 females: 2,304,763 (2.6%) 60–64 55–59 males: 2,339,931 (2.7%) 55–59 females: 2,351,842 (2.7%) 55–59 50–54 males: 2,759,044 (3.1%) 50–54 females: 2,781,669 (3.2%) 50–54 45–49 males: 3,297,610 (3.8%) 45–49 females: 3,286,439 (3.7%) 45–49 40–44 males: 3,283,910 (3.7%) 40–44 females: 3,224,711 (3.7%) 40–44 35–39 males: 3,286,910 (3.7%) 35–39 females: 3,197,610 (3.6%) 35–39 30–34 males: 3,393,186 (3.9%) 30–34 females: 3,249,372 (3.7%) 30–34 25–29 males: 3,509,269 (4.0%) 25–29 females: 3,358,422 (3.8%) 25–29 20–24 males: 3,098,442 (3.5%) 20–24 females: 2,962,505 (3.4%) 20–24 15–19 males: 3,251,383 (3.7%) 15–19 females: 3,128,345 (3.6%) 15–19 10–14 males: 3,421,144 (3.9%) 10–14 females: 3,303,401 (3.8%) 10–14 5–9 males: 3,127,058 (3.6%) 5–9 females: 3,010,481 (3.4%) 5–9 0–4 males: 2,677,176 (3.0%) 0–4 females: 2,551,683 (2.9%) 0–4 10%5% Age 5%10%

Iran population pyramid

2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex

Medium projection
Iran population pyramid for 2026: males on the left and females on the right Male share Female share 100+ males: 118 (0.0%) 100+ females: 500 (0.0%) 100+ 95–99 males: 2,874 (0.0%) 95–99 females: 8,286 (0.0%) 95–99 90–94 males: 28,421 (0.0%) 90–94 females: 57,385 (0.1%) 90–94 85–89 males: 133,643 (0.1%) 85–89 females: 195,160 (0.2%) 85–89 80–84 males: 357,241 (0.4%) 80–84 females: 425,089 (0.5%) 80–84 75–79 males: 777,038 (0.8%) 75–79 females: 808,501 (0.9%) 75–79 70–74 males: 1,187,223 (1.3%) 70–74 females: 1,205,932 (1.3%) 70–74 65–69 males: 1,557,076 (1.7%) 65–69 females: 1,588,648 (1.7%) 65–69 60–64 males: 1,908,132 (2.0%) 60–64 females: 1,921,637 (2.1%) 60–64 55–59 males: 2,419,247 (2.6%) 55–59 females: 2,368,711 (2.5%) 55–59 50–54 males: 2,872,141 (3.1%) 50–54 females: 2,745,524 (2.9%) 50–54 45–49 males: 3,630,473 (3.9%) 45–49 females: 3,489,573 (3.7%) 45–49 40–44 males: 4,536,431 (4.9%) 40–44 females: 4,389,646 (4.7%) 40–44 35–39 males: 4,492,454 (4.8%) 35–39 females: 4,340,593 (4.7%) 35–39 30–34 males: 3,615,098 (3.9%) 30–34 females: 3,492,426 (3.7%) 30–34 25–29 males: 3,029,826 (3.3%) 25–29 females: 2,918,341 (3.1%) 25–29 20–24 males: 3,041,367 (3.3%) 20–24 females: 2,905,169 (3.1%) 20–24 15–19 males: 3,401,296 (3.7%) 15–19 females: 3,221,955 (3.5%) 15–19 10–14 males: 3,839,256 (4.1%) 10–14 females: 3,616,439 (3.9%) 10–14 5–9 males: 3,515,573 (3.8%) 5–9 females: 3,334,004 (3.6%) 5–9 0–4 males: 2,966,640 (3.2%) 0–4 females: 2,823,411 (3.0%) 0–4 10%5% Age 5%10%

Key differences between Turkey and Iran

Age. Iran is the older population, with a median age of 34.5 years against 33.9 in Turkey, a negligible gap. Iran has the larger share of children (21.6% under 15 versus 20.6%), while Turkey has the larger share aged 65 and over (10.9% versus 8.9%).

Births and survival. Iran’s fertility rate of 1.66 is below the replacement level, and Turkey’s 1.62 is below it. Life expectancy at birth is 78.4 years in Turkey and 78.2 in Iran.

Dependency. The total age dependency ratio is 45.9 in Turkey (30.0 children and 15.9 older people per 100 aged 15–64) and 43.9 in Iran (31.0 and 12.9). Similar totals can hide very different mixes of young and old.

Outlook. Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario has Turkey’s population grows by 4% and Iran’s grows by 9%. These are scenario results, not forecasts; how projections work explains the assumptions.

Turkey vs Iran: indicators side by side

IndicatorTurkeyIran
Population, 202687,926,08293,168,497
Median age33.9 years34.5 years
Under age 1520.6%21.6%
Aged 15–6468.5%69.5%
Aged 65+10.9%8.9%
Age dependency ratio45.943.9
Fertility rate1.621.66
Life expectancy at birth78.4 years78.2 years
Annual growth+0.3%+0.8%
Males per 100 females99.5103.2
Population, 205091,258,061101,861,993
Change, 2026–2050+3.8%+9.3%
Population, 210065,338,45880,045,291
Peak year20472053
Global population rank#18#17

2026, 2050, and 2100 values are UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium-scenario projections.

How the two pyramids could look in 2050

The same scale is kept for the projected charts, so a narrowing base or widening top can be compared directly with the 2026 shapes above.

Turkey population pyramid

2050 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex

Medium projection
Turkey population pyramid for 2050: males on the left and females on the right Male share Female share 100+ males: 2,015 (0.0%) 100+ females: 16,787 (0.0%) 100+ 95–99 males: 31,452 (0.0%) 95–99 females: 123,332 (0.1%) 95–99 90–94 males: 174,444 (0.2%) 90–94 females: 406,275 (0.4%) 90–94 85–89 males: 608,556 (0.7%) 85–89 females: 1,009,111 (1.1%) 85–89 80–84 males: 1,164,797 (1.3%) 80–84 females: 1,531,153 (1.7%) 80–84 75–79 males: 1,773,922 (1.9%) 75–79 females: 2,113,251 (2.3%) 75–79 70–74 males: 2,519,164 (2.8%) 70–74 females: 2,843,398 (3.1%) 70–74 65–69 males: 2,849,104 (3.1%) 65–69 females: 3,040,867 (3.3%) 65–69 60–64 males: 3,018,932 (3.3%) 60–64 females: 3,089,222 (3.4%) 60–64 55–59 males: 3,252,001 (3.6%) 55–59 females: 3,208,116 (3.5%) 55–59 50–54 males: 3,522,028 (3.9%) 50–54 females: 3,421,519 (3.7%) 50–54 45–49 males: 3,184,375 (3.5%) 45–49 females: 3,071,198 (3.4%) 45–49 40–44 males: 3,008,512 (3.3%) 40–44 females: 2,894,457 (3.2%) 40–44 35–39 males: 3,173,149 (3.5%) 35–39 females: 3,060,162 (3.4%) 35–39 30–34 males: 2,935,122 (3.2%) 30–34 females: 2,818,885 (3.1%) 30–34 25–29 males: 2,361,049 (2.6%) 25–29 females: 2,233,241 (2.4%) 25–29 20–24 males: 2,297,984 (2.5%) 20–24 females: 2,173,687 (2.4%) 20–24 15–19 males: 2,414,394 (2.6%) 15–19 females: 2,298,101 (2.5%) 15–19 10–14 males: 2,384,867 (2.6%) 10–14 females: 2,272,995 (2.5%) 10–14 5–9 males: 2,339,323 (2.6%) 5–9 females: 2,230,296 (2.4%) 5–9 0–4 males: 2,244,832 (2.5%) 0–4 females: 2,141,988 (2.3%) 0–4 10%5% Age 5%10%

Iran population pyramid

2050 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex

Medium projection
Iran population pyramid for 2050: males on the left and females on the right Male share Female share 100+ males: 3,248 (0.0%) 100+ females: 7,463 (0.0%) 100+ 95–99 males: 40,504 (0.0%) 95–99 females: 70,819 (0.1%) 95–99 90–94 males: 215,165 (0.2%) 90–94 females: 312,303 (0.3%) 90–94 85–89 males: 638,817 (0.6%) 85–89 females: 794,652 (0.8%) 85–89 80–84 males: 1,316,537 (1.3%) 80–84 females: 1,472,712 (1.4%) 80–84 75–79 males: 2,079,313 (2.0%) 75–79 females: 2,143,782 (2.1%) 75–79 70–74 males: 2,894,070 (2.8%) 70–74 females: 2,930,446 (2.9%) 70–74 65–69 males: 3,957,935 (3.9%) 65–69 females: 3,974,650 (3.9%) 65–69 60–64 males: 4,259,048 (4.2%) 60–64 females: 4,249,462 (4.2%) 60–64 55–59 males: 3,653,125 (3.6%) 55–59 females: 3,604,919 (3.5%) 55–59 50–54 males: 2,981,385 (2.9%) 50–54 females: 2,927,942 (2.9%) 50–54 45–49 males: 2,919,649 (2.9%) 45–49 females: 2,830,012 (2.8%) 45–49 40–44 males: 3,211,829 (3.2%) 40–44 females: 3,084,670 (3.0%) 40–44 35–39 males: 3,609,505 (3.5%) 35–39 females: 3,435,566 (3.4%) 35–39 30–34 males: 3,565,646 (3.5%) 30–34 females: 3,402,869 (3.3%) 30–34 25–29 males: 2,915,520 (2.9%) 25–29 females: 2,788,508 (2.7%) 25–29 20–24 males: 2,647,048 (2.6%) 20–24 females: 2,531,119 (2.5%) 20–24 15–19 males: 2,573,202 (2.5%) 15–19 females: 2,457,259 (2.4%) 15–19 10–14 males: 2,623,363 (2.6%) 10–14 females: 2,503,709 (2.5%) 10–14 5–9 males: 2,652,145 (2.6%) 5–9 females: 2,530,718 (2.5%) 5–9 0–4 males: 2,585,119 (2.5%) 0–4 females: 2,466,239 (2.4%) 0–4 10%5% Age 5%10%

What shapes Turkey’s pyramid

Turkey’s pyramid has become a broad column from age 10 to 49, while its newest band, ages 0–4, is now narrower than every band from 5 to 54. Read the full Turkey analysis.

What shapes Iran’s pyramid

Iran’s pyramid carries a pronounced bulge at ages 35–44, the 1980s baby boom, sitting above a pinched band of adults born after the rapid fertility fall. Read the full Iran analysis.

Explore each country in depth

Questions about Turkey and Iran

Which population is older, Turkey or Iran?

Iran is older: its projected 2026 median age is 34.5 years, compared with 33.9 in Turkey.

Which has a higher fertility rate, Turkey or Iran?

Iran has the higher total fertility rate in 2026: 1.66 births per woman, against 1.62 in Turkey.

Will Turkey or Iran have more people in 2050?

Under the UN medium scenario, Iran is projected to be larger in 2050, with 101.9M people against 91.3M.