Quick facts
Ankara overview
Ankara (orange) and the other large cities of Turkey
Ankara lies in Turkey at 39.92°N, 32.85°E, about 850 m above sea level. The local time zone is Europe/Istanbul (UTC+3); GeoNames classifies it as a national capital.
It is smaller than Istanbul (15,701,602) and larger than Bursa (3,101,833). The largest city in Turkey is Istanbul with 15,701,602 people.
The nearest large city is Kırıkkale, about 56 km away, followed by Bolu (139 km).
Turkey as a whole has a live population of 88,006,552 (+0.3% a year) and ranks #18 of 238 countries — see the Turkey population page for the full statistics and the Turkey atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Ankara
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Kırıkkale Kırıkkale | 56 km | 186,960 |
| Bolu Bolu | 139 km | 184,682 |
| Kırşehir Kırşehir | 141 km | 150,700 |
| Karabük Karabük Province | 144 km | 125,403 |
| Düzce Düzce | 176 km | 194,097 |
| Kastamonu Kastamonu | 180 km | 125,622 |
| Çorum Çorum | 191 km | 269,595 |
| Zonguldak Zonguldak Province | 192 km | 101,749 |
Largest cities in Turkey
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Ankara?
Ankara has about 3,517,182 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Ankara the capital of Turkey?
Yes — Ankara is the national capital of Turkey.
How big is Ankara compared with the rest of Turkey?
Its 3,517,182 residents are 4% of the 88,006,552 people living in Turkey today. Istanbul is larger with 15,701,602 people.
Where is Ankara?
In Turkey, at latitude 39.92 and longitude 32.85, 850 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Kırıkkale (56 km), Bolu (139 km), Kırşehir (141 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Ankara Population 2026 — Turkey. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/turkey/ankara/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/turkey/ankara/">Ankara Population 2026 — Turkey</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.