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Population in North Macedonia compared to Turkey: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank

The latest officially reported population of North Macedonia was 1,820,909 in 2025 vs 85,878,556 people in Turkey in 2025. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current North Macedonia's population is 1,811,466 people compared to 86,225,430 in Turkey.

Population statistics:

  • Turkey's population is 47.6 times bigger than North Macedonia's.
  • North Macedonia is ranked the 150th most populous country in the world, while Turkey is the 18th.
  • The countries together account for 1.06% of the world: 0.02% for North Macedonia vs 1.04% for Turkey.
  • For the last 10 years, North Macedonia has had an average growth rate of -0.47% per year vs +0.98% in Turkey.
  • Since 2006, the population of North Macedonia has decreased from 1.99M people to 1.81M (9.17% decline), while Turkey has grown from 70M to 86.2M (23.1% growth).

North Macedonia vs Turkey: population by year and forecast

North Macedonia
Factual

Projection
Turkey
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
North Macedonia Turkey
2100 869,530 64,394,191
2099 880,467 65,045,868
2098 891,427 65,690,351
2097 902,461 66,342,622
2096 913,488 66,990,674
2095 924,371 67,642,188
2094 935,479 68,296,562
2093 946,865 68,963,773
2092 958,251 69,625,957
2091 969,723 70,290,255
2090 981,115 70,960,483
2089 992,687 71,623,547
2088 1,004,280 72,281,102
2087 1,015,922 72,928,397
2086 1,027,915 73,576,610
2085 1,039,832 74,223,570
2084 1,052,077 74,853,312
2083 1,064,269 75,483,067
2082 1,076,684 76,111,533
2081 1,089,137 76,726,689
2080 1,101,478 77,339,541
2079 1,114,004 77,938,889
2078 1,126,827 78,532,577
2077 1,139,917 79,120,573
2076 1,153,296 79,705,459
2075 1,166,630 80,277,544
2074 1,180,262 80,848,141
2073 1,193,984 81,396,237
2072 1,207,689 81,938,080
2071 1,221,407 82,465,112
2070 1,235,738 82,981,973
2069 1,250,212 83,480,362
2068 1,264,718 83,963,140
2067 1,279,182 84,428,242
2066 1,293,374 84,886,666
2065 1,307,896 85,336,225
2064 1,322,184 85,771,285
2063 1,336,875 86,187,013
2062 1,351,652 86,587,114
2061 1,366,457 86,962,577
2060 1,381,009 87,319,314
2059 1,395,166 87,663,392
2058 1,409,270 87,973,789
2057 1,423,516 88,264,809
2056 1,437,970 88,534,755
2055 1,452,276 88,764,080
2054 1,466,673 88,972,362
2053 1,480,857 89,151,673
2052 1,494,452 89,310,785
2051 1,508,115 89,437,110
2050 1,521,258 89,541,520
2049 1,534,276 89,614,107
2048 1,547,097 89,651,068
2047 1,559,831 89,659,415
2046 1,572,937 89,634,354
2045 1,585,940 89,608,012
2044 1,598,742 89,557,421
2043 1,611,835 89,493,042
2042 1,624,885 89,404,193
2041 1,637,687 89,303,546
2040 1,650,468 89,187,952
2039 1,663,094 89,051,669
2038 1,675,445 88,901,719
2037 1,687,986 88,727,471
2036 1,700,377 88,537,927
2035 1,712,512 88,343,153
2034 1,724,440 88,139,515
2033 1,736,005 87,918,397
2032 1,747,606 87,687,495
2031 1,759,081 87,437,150
2030 1,770,549 87,166,904
2029 1,781,235 86,903,490
2028 1,791,502 86,627,469
2027 1,801,426 86,350,539
2026 1,811,466 86,093,293
2025 1,820,909 85,878,556
2024 1,824,359 85,518,661
2023 1,827,816 85,325,965
2022 1,831,712 84,979,913
2021 1,837,114 84,147,318
2020 1,856,124 83,384,680
2019 1,876,262 82,579,440
2018 1,889,051 81,407,204
2017 1,898,657 80,312,698
2016 1,906,313 79,277,962
2015 1,912,430 78,218,479
2014 1,917,557 77,181,884
2013 1,922,716 76,147,624
2012 1,929,821 75,175,827
2011 1,937,398 74,223,629
2010 1,946,298 73,142,150
2009 1,958,782 72,039,206
2008 1,971,493 71,051,678
2007 1,982,933 70,158,112
2006 1,994,287 70,045,349
2005 2,005,330 69,329,557
2004 2,016,186 68,592,617
2003 2,022,725 67,831,730
2002 2,020,157 67,048,795
2001 2,034,882 66,245,128
2000 2,026,350 65,425,961
1999 2,017,142 64,591,923
1998 2,007,523 63,734,383
1997 1,996,869 62,852,966
1996 2,012,553 61,951,134
1995 1,998,534 61,024,503
1994 1,992,666 60,033,836
1993 2,006,854 58,999,167
1992 2,032,523 57,990,118
1991 2,055,994 57,009,887
1990 2,063,689 56,015,628
1989 2,055,649 54,976,723
1988 2,045,737 53,909,626
1987 2,035,157 52,843,670
1986 2,024,732 51,777,772
1985 2,014,331 50,687,115
1984 2,003,399 49,574,069
1983 1,991,901 48,447,410
1982 1,978,956 47,322,096
1981 1,959,065 46,321,190
1980 1,933,038 45,408,815
1979 1,906,523 44,510,429
1978 1,879,847 43,645,306
1977 1,853,138 42,773,298
1976 1,825,830 41,899,984
1975 1,797,972 41,053,126
1974 1,770,545 40,210,234
1973 1,743,816 39,329,533
1972 1,717,395 38,430,221
1971 1,691,216 37,518,611
1970 1,664,208 36,638,465
1969 1,636,345 35,787,774
1968 1,608,930 34,921,684
1967 1,582,492 34,050,421
1966 1,557,349 33,177,672
1965 1,533,466 32,345,220
1964 1,510,900 31,543,072
1963 1,488,737 30,726,841
1962 1,471,745 29,916,147
1961 1,455,171 29,119,238
1960 1,435,059 28,329,898

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/north-macedonia/turkey | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of North Macedonia decreased by 87,974 people (a 4.41% decline), while Turkey gained 9,232,613 people (a 13.2% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, North Macedonia lost 94,847 people (a 4.98% decline), while Turkey's population increased by 6,947,468 people (a 8.76% growth).

North Macedonia was ranked 142nd most populous country in 2006 and is 150th in 2026. Turkey was ranked 18th in 2006 and still ranked 18th now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) North Macedonia's population will shrink by 16% to 1,521,258 people with a rank change from 150th to 152nd. The population of Turkey will increase by 3.85% to 89,541,520 people and rank change from 18th to 19th.

Turkey is projected to reach its peak in 2047 at 89.7M people, while North Macedonia's population already peaked in 1990 at 2.06M people and is projected to decrease to 870K people by 2100.

Population growth rate by year

North Macedonia
Factual

Projection
Turkey
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
North Macedonia Turkey
2100 -1.24% -1%
2099 -1.23% -0.98%
2098 -1.22% -0.98%
2097 -1.21% -0.97%
2096 -1.18% -0.96%
2095 -1.19% -0.96%
2094 -1.2% -0.97%
2093 -1.19% -0.95%
2092 -1.18% -0.95%
2091 -1.16% -0.94%
2090 -1.17% -0.93%
2089 -1.15% -0.91%
2088 -1.15% -0.89%
2087 -1.17% -0.88%
2086 -1.15% -0.87%
2085 -1.16% -0.84%
2084 -1.15% -0.83%
2083 -1.15% -0.83%
2082 -1.14% -0.8%
2081 -1.12% -0.79%
2080 -1.12% -0.77%
2079 -1.14% -0.76%
2078 -1.15% -0.74%
2077 -1.16% -0.73%
2076 -1.14% -0.71%
2075 -1.15% -0.71%
2074 -1.15% -0.67%
2073 -1.13% -0.66%
2072 -1.12% -0.64%
2071 -1.16% -0.62%
2070 -1.16% -0.6%
2069 -1.15% -0.57%
2068 -1.13% -0.55%
2067 -1.1% -0.54%
2066 -1.11% -0.53%
2065 -1.08% -0.51%
2064 -1.1% -0.48%
2063 -1.09% -0.46%
2062 -1.08% -0.43%
2061 -1.05% -0.41%
2060 -1.01% -0.39%
2059 -1% -0.35%
2058 -1% -0.33%
2057 -1.01% -0.3%
2056 -0.99% -0.26%
2055 -0.98% -0.23%
2054 -0.96% -0.2%
2053 -0.91% -0.18%
2052 -0.91% -0.14%
2051 -0.86% -0.12%
2050 -0.85% -0.08%
2049 -0.83% -0.04%
2048 -0.82% -0.009%
2047 -0.83% 0.03%
2046 -0.82% 0.03%
2045 -0.8% 0.06%
2044 -0.81% 0.07%
2043 -0.8% 0.1%
2042 -0.78% 0.11%
2041 -0.77% 0.13%
2040 -0.76% 0.15%
2039 -0.74% 0.17%
2038 -0.74% 0.2%
2037 -0.73% 0.21%
2036 -0.71% 0.22%
2035 -0.69% 0.23%
2034 -0.67% 0.25%
2033 -0.66% 0.26%
2032 -0.65% 0.29%
2031 -0.65% 0.31%
2030 -0.6% 0.3%
2029 -0.57% 0.32%
2028 -0.55% 0.32%
2027 -0.55% 0.3%
2026 -0.52% 0.25%
2025 -0.19% 0.42%
2024 -0.19% 0.23%
2023 -0.21% 0.41%
2022 -0.29% 0.99%
2021 -1.02% 0.91%
2020 -1.07% 0.98%
2019 -0.68% 1.44%
2018 -0.51% 1.36%
2017 -0.4% 1.31%
2016 -0.32% 1.35%
2015 -0.27% 1.34%
2014 -0.27% 1.36%
2013 -0.37% 1.29%
2012 -0.39% 1.28%
2011 -0.46% 1.48%
2010 -0.64% 1.53%
2009 -0.64% 1.39%
2008 -0.58% 1.27%
2007 -0.57% 0.16%
2006 -0.55% 1.03%
2005 -0.54% 1.07%
2004 -0.32% 1.12%
2003 0.13% 1.17%
2002 -0.72% 1.21%
2001 0.42% 1.25%
2000 0.46% 1.29%
1999 0.48% 1.35%
1998 0.53% 1.4%
1997 -0.78% 1.46%
1996 0.7% 1.52%
1995 0.29% 1.65%
1994 -0.71% 1.75%
1993 -1.26% 1.74%
1992 -1.14% 1.72%
1991 -0.37% 1.77%
1990 0.39% 1.89%
1989 0.48% 1.98%
1988 0.52% 2.02%
1987 0.51% 2.06%
1986 0.52% 2.15%
1985 0.55% 2.25%
1984 0.58% 2.33%
1983 0.65% 2.38%
1982 1.02% 2.16%
1981 1.35% 2.01%
1980 1.39% 2.02%
1979 1.42% 1.98%
1978 1.44% 2.04%
1977 1.5% 2.08%
1976 1.55% 2.06%
1975 1.55% 2.1%
1974 1.53% 2.24%
1973 1.54% 2.34%
1972 1.55% 2.43%
1971 1.62% 2.4%
1970 1.7% 2.38%
1969 1.7% 2.48%
1968 1.67% 2.56%
1967 1.61% 2.63%
1966 1.56% 2.57%
1965 1.49% 2.54%
1964 1.49% 2.66%
1963 1.15% 2.71%
1962 1.14% 2.74%
1961 1.4% 2.79%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/north-macedonia/turkey | CC BY

In 2025, the population of North Macedonia declined by 0.19%, while Turkey's population grew by 0.42%.

Live population counters

North Macedonia Turkey
Current population
1811466
86225430
Population rank 150/197 18/197
Percent of world population 0.02% 1.04%
One net population change
2.55 hours
1.46 minutes
One birth every
32.7 minutes
33.5 seconds
One death every
26 minutes
1.08 minutes
Daily growth/decline -9 +986
Annual growth/decline -3,450 +359,895
Annual growth/decline rate -0.19% +0.42%
Population growth rate rank 176/197 138/197
One migration net change every
1.56 hours
2.04 minutes
Annual migration change -5,645 -258,205
Net migration rank 119/196 188/196
Foreign-born residents 150,902 7,083,501
Foreign-born residents rank 122/195 11/195
Foreign-born share of population 8.3% 8.1%
Foreign-born share rank 73/195 75/195

Natural population change vs migration

North Macedonia
Natural

Migration
Turkey
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
North Macedonia Turkey
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -5,645 - -258,205
2024 -4,196 -5,728 453,249 -275,952
2023 -3,290 -5,597 426,630 -318,070
2022 -4,397 -5,296 535,373 -301,544
2021 -9,737 -5,483 521,713 20,283
2020 -5,939 -23,458 608,708 37,934
2019 -375 -24,204 751,472 -15,690
2018 1,512 -24,878 830,353 187,570
2017 1,329 -24,227 875,408 659,846
2016 2,374 -24,144 895,841 352,063
2015 2,294 -23,010 930,799 1,063,140
2014 3,644 -22,132 957,055 1,033,384
2013 3,653 -20,297 921,386 438,618
2012 3,087 -19,083 917,145 258,623
2011 3,100 -17,871 875,839 68,849
2010 4,866 -16,668 892,334 55,532
2009 4,309 -15,455 900,491 24,276
2008 3,746 -17,645 868,749 47,915
2007 2,974 -15,705 876,626 -186,402
2006 3,988 -9,632 897,351 -190,194
2005 4,011 -2,244 898,650 -174,177
2004 5,444 -2,640 896,025 -146,574
2003 8,900 -2,880 893,683 -121,383
2002 9,697 -2,858 922,927 -129,444
2001 10,174 -922 980,560 -166,759
2000 12,159 -2,824 1,020,515 -195,996
1999 10,489 -1,261 1,063,312 -219,778
1998 12,446 -589 1,103,242 -231,744
1997 12,979 -477 1,099,738 -208,465
1996 14,806 -397 1,091,827 -179,423
1995 17,239 -3,603 1,090,630 -149,737
1994 19,103 -21,006 1,078,208 -37,762
1993 20,797 -47,273 1,064,168 -35,245
1992 21,659 -46,509 1,039,125 -49,923
1991 23,387 -45,484 1,041,229 -69,982
1990 22,868 -16,174 1,044,467 -27,193
1989 22,912 -13,528 1,094,036 -33,519
1988 24,064 -13,621 1,101,266 -27,659
1987 24,359 -13,635 1,099,042 -40,772
1986 23,720 -13,589 1,102,660 -29,134
1985 24,167 -13,492 1,098,846 8,960
1984 24,436 -13,251 1,096,529 21,787
1983 24,690 -12,884 1,095,106 39,871
1982 25,810 -11,716 1,091,863 23,728
1981 25,689 0 1,100,082 -213,889
1980 26,547 -189 1,090,538 -151,969
1979 27,096 -426 1,076,707 -218,509
1978 27,150 -462 1,054,863 -182,818
1977 27,410 -683 1,023,779 -151,825
1976 28,799 -911 1,009,999 -135,377
1975 28,983 -1,147 1,012,904 -193,829
1974 28,400 -1,376 1,020,053 -153,311
1973 28,032 -1,600 1,025,675 -130,985
1972 28,236 -1,834 1,023,781 -119,850
1971 28,010 -2,064 1,014,165 -94,891
1970 28,022 60 991,950 -150,924
1969 27,464 181 970,958 -110,578
1968 28,378 -1,201 950,778 -78,973
1967 28,401 -2,696 936,727 -65,993
1966 28,766 -4,176 925,790 -50,999
1965 28,564 -5,385 904,016 -113,911
1964 27,889 -5,938 884,152 -69,978
1963 28,124 -5,759 862,626 -44,317
1962 25,317 -13,702 837,473 -34,353
1961 27,846 -6,309 816,911 -26,187
1960 28,816 -10,126 773,009 14,948

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/north-macedonia/turkey | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 11% of the population change in North Macedonia is from natural causes (a loss of 20,425 people) and 89% is from migration (a loss of 166,025 people). In Turkey 82.9% is from natural causes (a gain of 6,829,546 people) and 17.1% is from migration (a gain of 1,409,580 people).

As of 2024, 150,902 residents or 8.3% of the population were not native-born in North Macedonia, compared to 7,083,501 people or 8.1% in Turkey.

Biggest cities by population

North Macedonia
City Population
Skopje 423K
Kumanovo 70.8K
Bitola 69.3K
Prilep 63.3K
Tetovo 63.2K
Stip 42K
Veles 40.7K
Ohrid 38.8K
Strumica 33.8K
Kavadarci 32K
Turkey
City Population
Istanbul 15.7M
Ankara 5.8M
Izmir 4.49M
Bursa 2.9M
Antalya 2.43M
Konya 2.23M
Urfa 1.99M
Kocaeli 1.85M
Adana 1.77M
Diyarbakir 1.73M

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/north-macedonia/turkey | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  4. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)

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