The deadliest disease in Turkey has been identified: It ranks first among causes of death
While death cases increased across the country in 2025, circulatory system diseases were recorded as the most common cause of death. Deaths caused by cancer ranked second, with the province of Ağrı drawing attention in this area.
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Death statistics in Turkey for 2025 have once again brought the profile of leading health threats to light. According to the latest figures released, a total of 491,684 people lost their lives in the country during the year. This figure is higher than the 489,734 deaths recorded in the previous year, 2024. Men accounted for 55.1% of total deaths, while women accounted for 44.9%.
The crude death rate, which is the number of deaths per thousand people, remained at 5.7 per thousand in 2025, just as it was last year.
THE PRIMARY THREAT TO HUMAN HEALTH: CIRCULATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
In the analysis by cause, it was determined that the largest portion of deaths in 2025, at 34.7%, occurred due to circulatory system diseases. This was followed by deaths caused by malignant and benign tumors at 16.1%, while respiratory system diseases ranked third at 15.1%.
When examining the sub-causes of deaths originating from the circulatory system, 42.3% of these deaths were caused by ischemic heart diseases, 24.6% by other heart diseases, and 18.2% by cerebrovascular diseases.
AĞRI LEADS IN CANCER DEATHS
Looking at deaths caused by tumors, it was observed that the highest rate, at 28.9%, was in malignant tumors of the larynx and respiratory tract. Malignant tumors of the colon at 8%, and lymphoid and hematopoietic system tumors at 7.6%, stood out on the list.
In the analysis by province, the province where the highest proportional rate of deaths caused by malignant and benign tumors was recorded for 2025 was Ağrı, at 22.4%. Van followed in second place with 19.8%, followed by Kocaeli and Ankara with 19.5%, and Elazığ with 19.4%. Conversely, the lowest death rate from these causes was detected in Kilis at 9.7%. Burdur followed with 10.9%, Şanlıurfa with 11%, and Aydın with 11.2%.