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If you have ever scanned a packed tram and wondered where all these people came from or watched the Bosporus ferries unload what feels like an entire continent at once, the scale is real.
Istanbul alone has more people than some countries.
Istanbul’s population has reached 15,754,053, according to data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute. The figure shows that Türkiye’s largest city now nearly matches the combined population of Denmark, Finland, and Norway.
With more than 15 million people, Istanbul alone exceeds the population of a number of sovereign states across Europe.
Official figures show that Istanbul’s population is larger than that of:
The combined population of Denmark, Finland, and Norway also approaches Istanbul’s total but does not surpass it.
The comparison extends beyond Europe.
Istanbul’s population is higher than that of Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East.
It also exceeds Libya and Sierra Leone in Africa, as well as Paraguay and Uruguay in South America.
The data place Istanbul among the most populous metropolitan areas in the world, with a population that rivals or exceeds that of multiple countries.
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