Updated
Overview
Turkey (Türkiye) has 4.5 times the population of Romania: 85.88 million people against 19.02 million (2025).
Turkey (Türkiye)'s economy is 3.7 times the size of Romania's, at $1.60T versus $428.68B.
Per person, Romania is the wealthier of the two: $22,538 against $18,599 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Turkey (Türkiye) | Romania | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.60T | $428.68B | 2025 | $1.32T / $382.77B |
| GDP per capita | $18,599 | Higher: $22,538 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 3.6% | 0.7% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 34.9% | Lower: 7.2% | 2025 | 58.5% / 5.7% |
| Unemployment | 8.5% | Lower: 6.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 41 | 44 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $1,001 | Higher: $1,722 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $659 | Higher: $906 | 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $6.91 | $4.01 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 85.88 million | 19.02 million | 2025 | 84.63 million / 18.15 million |
| Population growth | 0.4% | -0.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 33.5 yrs | 43.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.62 | 1.71 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 77.4 yrs | 76.5 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 89% | 52% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 90% | Higher: 91% | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 783,562 km² | 238,391 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 109.6/km² | 79.8/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 513 Mt | Lower: 69 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 5.9 t | Lower: 3.6 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $24.98B | $8.72B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.9% | 2.3% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 512,000 | 128,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Turkey (Türkiye) is growing faster: 3.6% annual GDP growth versus 0.7%.
Inflation is a serious concern in Turkey (Türkiye) at 34.9%, while the other economy sits at 7.2%.
Average monthly earnings favour Romania: $1,722 against $1,001 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Turkey (Türkiye) is the far younger society: median age 33.5 versus 43.2 years.
Turkey (Türkiye) is considerably more urbanized: 89% of people live in cities, against 52%.
Geography
By land area, Turkey (Türkiye) is 3.3 times the size of Romania: 783,562 km² versus 238,391 km².
Military
Turkey (Türkiye) spends 2.9 times as much on defence as Romania: $24.98B versus $8.72B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Turkey (Türkiye) fields the larger armed forces: 512,000 personnel against 128,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Turkey (Türkiye) bigger than Romania?
- Turkey (Türkiye) is larger by land area. Turkey (Türkiye) covers 783,562 km² while Romania covers 238,391 km², so Turkey (Türkiye) is 3.3 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Turkey (Türkiye) or Romania?
- Turkey (Türkiye) has the larger population: 85.88 million versus 19.02 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Turkey (Türkiye) richer than Romania?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Romania is richer: $22,538 against $18,599. Total GDP tells a different story: $1.60T for Turkey (Türkiye) versus $428.68B for Romania.
- Who spends more on their military, Turkey (Türkiye) or Romania?
- Turkey (Türkiye) spends more: $24.98B versus $8.72B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).
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