Demographics Account for Turkey's Growing Clout
By Rafis Abazov (vol. 2, no. 22 of the Turkey Analyst)
Recent Turkish foreign policy initiatives have asserted the country’s growing influence in its neighborhood. One of the important, yet overlooked, factors that underpin Turkey’s growing clout in international affairs is the demographic dynamics. Today’s Turkey is a country of about 76 million people, up from 56.5 million in 1990, making it the second largest European NATO country after Germany. However, the recent report by the UNFPA estimates that by 2050 the population of Turkey will reach 100 million people, making it the largest country in Europe outside Russia. This change has important implications that will affect the new geopolitical and geo-economic balance in Europe. However, although demographics offer Turkey an advantage, it also calls for well-balanced economic policies.
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