Updated
Overview
Turkey (Türkiye) has 20% more people than Thailand: 85.88 million against 71.62 million (2025).
Turkey (Türkiye)'s economy is 2.8 times the size of Thailand's, at $1.60T versus $577.01B.
Per person, Turkey (Türkiye) is the wealthier of the two: $18,599 against $8,057 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Turkey (Türkiye) | Thailand | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.60T | $577.01B | 2025 | $1.32T / $526.41B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $18,599 | $8,057 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 3.6% | 2.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 34.9% | Lower: -0.1% | 2025 | 58.5% / 1.4% |
| Unemployment | 8.5% | Lower: 0.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 41 | 31 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $1,001 | $508 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $659 | $254 | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $6.91 | $4.02 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 85.88 million | 71.62 million | 2025 | 84.63 million / 70.03 million |
| Population growth | 0.4% | -0.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 33.5 yrs | 40.6 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.62 | 1.19 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 77.4 yrs | 76.6 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 89% | 63% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 90% | Higher: 91% | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 783,562 km² | 513,120 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 109.6/km² | 139.6/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 513 Mt | Lower: 268 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 5.9 t | Lower: 3.7 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $24.98B | $5.52B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.9% | 1.1% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 512,000 | 455,000 | 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 2.4%.
Inflation is a serious concern in Turkey (Türkiye) at 34.9%, while the other economy sits at -0.1%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Thailand: a price level of 31 versus 41 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Turkey (Türkiye): $1,001 against $508 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Turkey (Türkiye) is the younger society: median age 33.5 versus 40.6 years.
Turkey (Türkiye) is considerably more urbanized: 89% of people live in cities, against 63%.
Geography
By land area, Turkey (Türkiye) is 53% larger than Thailand: 783,562 km² versus 513,120 km².
Military
Turkey (Türkiye) spends 4.5 times as much on defence as Thailand: $24.98B versus $5.52B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Turkey (Türkiye) carries the heavier military burden: 1.9% of GDP versus 1.1%.
Turkey (Türkiye) fields the larger armed forces: 512,000 personnel against 455,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Turkey (Türkiye) bigger than Thailand?
- Turkey (Türkiye) is larger by land area. Turkey (Türkiye) covers 783,562 km² while Thailand covers 513,120 km², so Turkey (Türkiye) is 53% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Turkey (Türkiye) or Thailand?
- Turkey (Türkiye) has the larger population: 85.88 million versus 71.62 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Turkey (Türkiye) richer than Thailand?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Turkey (Türkiye) is richer: $18,599 against $8,057. Total GDP tells the same story: $1.60T for Turkey (Türkiye) versus $577.01B for Thailand.
- Who spends more on their military, Turkey (Türkiye) or Thailand?
- Turkey (Türkiye) spends more: $24.98B versus $5.52B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).
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