Istanbul’s population rises by over 1 million in four years

ANTALYA - Anadolu Agency

Turkey’s largest metropolis welcomed around 1.16 million new people between 2008 and 2012, an increase of 9.11 percent. DHA photo

Istanbul’s population has jumped by over 1 million in the past four years, to a level surpassing the overall population of 64 provinces in the country, according to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK).

Turkey’s largest metropolis welcomed around 1.16 million new people between 2008 and 2012, an increase of 9.11 percent. More than 13.8 million people live in Istanbul as of 2012.

In every four-month period between 2008 and 2012, the city added new residents amounting to five times the overall population of the southern province of Kilis, and seven times the overall population of the Black Sea province of Artvin.

The southern tourism hub of Antalya increased its population by 12.54 percent, expanding to over 2 million residents in 2012, from 1.8 million of 2008.

Meanwhile, 13 Turkish provinces have seen their populations drop over the last four years. The Central Anatolian province of Yozgat appears to be the biggest loser, witnessing a 6.4 percent drop in the number of people living in the city.