In 1800, the average child born in the region of present-day Turkey was expect to live to the age of 35. This figure would see little change for most of the 19th century, rising to just 36 years by the beginning of the 20th century. However, Turkey’s life expectancy would fall greatly with the beginning of the First World War in 1914, as both extensive wartime casualties and an organized campaign of mass execution and deportation of the Ottoman Empire's non-Turkish populations would result in the deaths of approximately three million people; the victims of the respective Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocides are thought to make up over half of these deaths.
Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923, life expectancy in Turkey would begin to recover somewhat, but would proceed to fall again in the late 1930s, as the Great Depression and the Second World War would cause significant economic harm to the country, despite Turkey’s neutrality for much of the conflict. However, the 1950s would see Turkey’s population begin to grow rapidly, as the republic would begin to rapidly modernize both the country’s healthcare and economy, and mass immunization programs would lead to a sharp drop in child mortality. As a result, Turkey’s life expectancy would rise to over 68 years by 2000, with a slight increase beginning in the early 2000s after healthcare reforms in the country established universal healthcare in the country. As a result, in 2020, it is estimated that the average person born in Turkey will live to an age of just over 77 years.
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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), & Gapminder. (August 31, 2019). Life expectancy (from birth) in Turkey from 1870 to 2020* [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from /statistics/1072261/life-expectancy-turkey-historical/
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), und Gapminder. "Life expectancy (from birth) in Turkey from 1870 to 2020*." Chart. August 31, 2019. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Accessed July 21, 2026. /statistics/1072261/life-expectancy-turkey-historical/
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), Gapminder. (2019). Life expectancy (from birth) in Turkey from 1870 to 2020*. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 21, 2026. /statistics/1072261/life-expectancy-turkey-historical/
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), and Gapminder. "Life Expectancy (from Birth) in Turkey from 1870 to 2020*." ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc., 31 Aug 2019, /statistics/1072261/life-expectancy-turkey-historical/
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) & Gapminder, Life expectancy (from birth) in Turkey from 1870 to 2020* ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, /statistics/1072261/life-expectancy-turkey-historical/ (last visited July 21, 2026)
Life expectancy (from birth) in Turkey from 1870 to 2020* [Graph], United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), & Gapminder, August 31, 2019. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1072261/life-expectancy-turkey-historical/