ABSTRACT
Since the beginning of the Republic in 1923, Turkey has experienced significant changes in its demographic structure. The population, which was 13.6 million in 1927 (the first population census), reached 67.8 million in 2000 (the last census). This indicates an average annual growth rate of 2.22 percent. During this period, the urban population grew at an annual rate of 3.61 percent. Thus, while in 1927 the urban population represented only 24.2 percent of the total population, this share was equal to 64.9 percent in the year 2000.
