The number of men as a whole exceeds the number of women by a thousand. Half of all residents are between the ages of 25 and 59. 26% of the population of Cyprus is over sixty years old. The country has one of the best indicators of life expectancy in the world, it is 77.8 years. This is almost eight percent higher than the global figures.
The local population of Cyprus and its ethnic composition have been significantly influenced by the history associated with the profitable. The indigenous population of Cyprus is the ancient Greeks, who began in the II millennium BC. NS. create local civilization here. The Phoenicians also had a particular influence on its culture.
In ancient times, the island was conquered by the Assyrians, Persians and Romans. And over the past eight hundred years, it has survived the rule of the Franks, Venetians, Turks and English. The state became independent only less than sixty years ago. However, in 1974 the Turks invaded the northern part of the island and captured 37% of the territory. Therefore, today he is in a divided state.
National composition of the population of Cyprus
The main part of the population of Cyprus by nationality is Orthodox Greeks. Now their number is over 800,000 people, or almost 76%. The number of Turks exceeds three hundred thousand. Their number is rapidly increasing, both due to natural growth and due to the resettlement policy pursued by the Turkish authorities.
Over the past decades, the Russian-speaking community has become the third national community in Cyprus. Natives of the former Soviet Union and Russia today number here from forty to fifty thousand. They live mainly in several coastal cities of the Greek part of the island.
Historically, the local population of Cyprus is also home to approximately 17,000 English citizens, more than 4,000 Armenians and very few Maronite Arabs.
Now the question of the number of refugees from the Middle East is very relevant. In comparison with the countries of Western Europe, it is very small. And this despite the proximity of Syria. This state of affairs is facilitated by two circumstances.
The first is the presence of British military bases on the island. The second is the policy of the leadership of the Greek Republic of Cyprus. According to its laws, refugee status can be obtained very slowly. And most importantly, it is necessary to pay 3,000 euros, which the state promises to compensate in theory in a vague future.
The indigenous local population of Cyprus are Greeks, in general they have a benevolent character. Therefore, relations with immigrants from England, Russia, with representatives of the Armenian diaspora, they usually develop friendly relations. The attitude towards Muslims is wary. The main reason for this is the capture of the northern part of the island by Turkey and the expulsion of more than 200,000 Greeks from there.
The population of the cities of Cyprus
The population of the resort city of Ayia Napa, a former fishing village, is about 4,000. These are Greeks, mainly engaged in the tourism business. Almost all of them are fluent, and many also speak Russian.
Seaside Larnaca today has 80,000 inhabitants. Most of them (80%) are Greek. The rest of the percentages are natives of Russia, the CIS countries, as well as a small number of Turks.
The largest city on the island is its capital. The population of Nicosia is over 300,000 people. Since the mid-1970s, the city has been divided into two parts: Greek and Turkish. The first is home to 250,000 people. These are mainly Greeks, as well as British and immigrants from the Philippines and some Asian countries, working as servants. The second is home to over 50,000 ethnic Turks.
The population exceeds a quarter of a million people. Its ethnic composition is very diverse. Greek Cypriots predominate. The largest Russian-speaking community on the island lives here. She makes up about nine percent of all residents. There is also a whole block inhabited by Turks. There are also Greeks from mainland Greece, Bulgarians, Armenians, Romanians and Filipinos.
The population of Paphos is about 36,000 people.
Protaras, a former village, has over 20,000 inhabitants.
North Cyprus population
It is now inhabited mainly by Turks, their number is just over 300,000 people. Moreover, one third of them are migrants from mainland Turkey. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has existed here for several decades. But in practice, this state is recognized only by Turkey.
The country is very poor. Many cities that have ended up on its territory are destroyed since the time of the military conflict with the Greeks. Therefore, migrants from different countries do not at all strive to get to Northern Cyprus.
What does an ordinary Russian tourist know about the population of Cyprus, about its customs and culture? Most people consider Cypriots exactly the same as Greeks, but this is far from the case.
To begin with, they even speak different languages, and, accordingly, will not understand each other right away, as happens in our near abroad.
Their rhythm of life is also different. If you have ever been to Greece, you simply could not help but notice the behavior of taxi drivers on the road. Traffic rules for them simply do not exist, and the Cypriots, unlike them, live by the rules and the law. They even drive according to the principle "the quieter you drive, the further you will be."
Atmosphere in the cities of Cyprus
If you are in any Cypriot city for the first time, you will be surprised at the measured life of the island. Many Russian tourists have the feeling that Cyprus is really in no hurry, like its residents resting on benches.
Local residents have a leisurely conversation
Cypriots have a cordial attitude towards tourists, regardless of their nationality. Everyone understands perfectly well that guests are the main source of income for the island, so no one has a negative attitude towards them, however, and deliberate politeness, too.
Any holiday in Cyprus is an event. Tourists will surely be drawn into the thick of the celebrations, seated in the best place at the table, and will be treated "like their own." During the holidays, Cypriot cities themselves are transformed beyond recognition - garlands are hanging around, loud music is playing from the windows of houses, and people are having fun on the streets from morning until late at night.
With crime in Cyprus, everything is also relatively clear: 8 out of 10 of all crimes tourists make... According to local news reports, most often negligent guests are caught on petty hooliganism, theft and vandalism, that is, on what a decent Cypriot would never commit.
Cypriots are a very friendly people
Cypriot traditions
The main and most memorable tradition of the Cypriot is love for music... Moreover, it is not popular European and American performers who are held in high esteem, but local artists who may well play only folk motives.
Iconic national instrument - bouzouki- here is akin to our balalaika. It can be seen in the home of every Cypriot, and it doesn't matter if he plays it or not - the instrument related to the mandolin has become one of the official symbols of Cyprus. Buzuki craftsmen are appreciated all over the world, and musicians from all over the planet come to the island for the sake of one instrument.
The Cypriot mentality is not revealed to the first comer. But they do this not because of distrust, but because of natural shyness - even room service in hotels tries to bother guests only in case of urgent need.
If the Cypriot spoke to you - keep the conversation going... After that, perhaps, you will have one more friend, because after two hours of conversation, you will be invited to dinner, refusal of which will be perceived as a personal offense.
Speaking of talking, most Cypriots speaks foreign languages perfectly... Best of all, they are able to speak English, although in Russian several phrases can be heard here even among neighbors swearing in the courtyard.
In winter, you should not fly to Cyprus - the swimming season is long over, and most of the residents flies to tropical countries... Cypriots cannot live without hot sun and warm sea.
Cyprus standard of living
It cannot be said about the inhabitants of Cyprus that they live in poverty. The average income in the country per year is about 13 thousand euros per inhabitant, which is absolutely not bad. Here you will not meet people in poverty or beggars - they simply are not here. Each resident either has his own business or is engaged in agriculture.
In case of disaster, the government of Cyprus has provided special benefits and subsidies to ensure living at a normal level, so the citizens of this country are not threatened with impoverishment. Many residents have their own home and at least one car per family. In terms of living standards, they can be compared with the British. The life expectancy of local residents is 78 years for men, and 81 years for women.
National composition of Cyprus
The inhabitants of both parts of Cyprus are painfully enduring the division of the island, and the fact that those nationalities that previously existed peacefully on the same territory are now forced to migrate: Turkish Cypriots to the northern part, and Greek Cypriots to the southern. Consequently, people living together in the same territory were forced to disperse, dividing the island into two parts.
Open hostility among Cypriots is observed only for Pontians- Greek migrants registered in Bulgaria and in the south of the post-Soviet space. It is believed that they betrayed their homeland in the most terrible years. In some areas, Greek Cypriots hate them more than Turks.
The number of persons of Turkish nationality at the moment began to grow. Local authorities began to actively populate Northern Cyprus with Turks and provide various benefits for them and newly arrived citizens from the continent and Turkey.
Not so long ago, it was decided to dismantle part of the wall that divided Cyprus, and at the moment, Northern Cyprus has been reopened to tourists. We can only hope that Cyprus will once again become, as before, a single state.
People of all different nationalities can be found in Cyprus
Languages of Cyprus
The official language of Cyprus is the Cypriot dialect of the Greek language. In addition to the national language, Turkish is also present here. Almost 90% of the population speaks English, which is practically the second state language.
For Russians, it is pleasant that our native language, Russian, is becoming more and more widespread, and this is not because many tourists come here from Russia, but because many emigrants from the USSR live here.
The Russian language is also quite common here.
Religion of Cyprus
77% of the island's inhabitants are Orthodox believers. This religion appeared on the island 2 thousand years ago.
For historians of the Christian religion, Cyprus was one of the remarkable places on the map, since it was here that a Christian state was founded - the first in history. It is believed that Elena, who brought a part of the Lord's cross to this land and founded the first Christian monastery, visited this island first.
Moreover, several such ancient monasteries still exist in Cyprus, and a huge number of pilgrims from all over the world come there. Residents living in the northern part of Cyprus are mainly Muslims.
Orthodox church in Cyprus
The island state of Cyprus is an independent sovereign republic and has a presidential form of government. Its favorable geographical location contributed to the flourishing of culture and trade, at the same time making the Cypriot state a tasty morsel for numerous conquerors.
The island of Cyprus, which gave its name to the state, covers an area of 9,200 square kilometers and is the third largest island in the Mediterranean in terms of area and population. Geographically, Cyprus belongs to Asia, but the religious and civilizational influence on the Cypriots of Europe, especially Greece, is undoubted.
Approximately 2 million tourists visit this blessed land every year.
Number of inhabitants
The main ethnic groups in Cyprus are Greeks and Turks. Both groups consider themselves Cypriots. The number of residents of the Republic of Cyprus in 2016, according to official statistics, was 800 thousand, of which approximately 76% are Greeks, 17% are Greek Cypriots.
There is no official information on the number of Turkish Cypriots. According to some reports, it is 300 thousand people.
17 thousand British citizens, 4 thousand Armenians permanently live on the island. The number of peacekeepers in Cyprus is 1216 people.
The largest diaspora in Cyprus is Russian, it is 35 thousand people. The community has opened Russian schools, clubs, a cultural center, and newspapers are published in Russian.
Confrontation
The topic of military confrontation is a rather painful issue for both sides, which is not customary to openly discuss.
The 1974 military conflict forced about 180 thousand Greeks to move to the south, and more than 42 thousand Turks to move to the northern part of Cyprus. As a result of this "migration of peoples" the bulk of the Greek Cypriots ended up in the south of the island, and most of the Turks - in the north.
Despite the past years, the problem remains quite acute, and in a number of settlements only the administration appointed by the UN is able to ensure the peaceful coexistence of both ethnic groups.
Island for three
The so-called "green line" is a bleeding wound on the body of the long-suffering people of Cyprus. The capital of the state, the beautiful Nicosia, has been disfigured by a dividing line with a network of checkpoints for more than forty years. The authorities of the Republic of Cyprus and the leadership of the Turkish Republic do not recognize each other's sovereignty.
If we exclude the buffer zone under the jurisdiction of the UN (3.7% of the territory), there is a de facto division of the island between the three states. Great Britain occupies 2.7% of the island's area (military bases in the cities of Dhekelia and Akrotiri), 36% of the territory is controlled by the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (not recognized by anyone except Turkey and Abkhazia) and only 57.6% of the land is occupied by their original owners - Greeks.
British heritage
In addition to military bases, the Cypriots inherited left-hand traffic and three-pin 240V sockets from the British.
English is considered the second state language and is the main means of interethnic communication.
Expansion in Turkish
In recent years, the policy of the authorities of the Turkish part of the island has been expressed in increasing the Turkish presence, including by providing certain preferences (benefits) to migrants from mainland Turkey. And, I must say, this policy has already had a tangible effect: today, 35% of the total population of the island are Turks, and every third of them is an illegal immigrant. Higher birth rates among the Turkish population as compared to the Greek population also have an effect.
Demographic picture
Over the past ten years, the annual population growth was 1.1%, the death rate was 7.6%, and the birth rate was 13%. Cyprus is a country of young people: more than half of its inhabitants are young people and children. Citizens over 65 years old make up only 11% of the population.
In conditions of a military conflict, even if it is "smoldering", it is difficult to expect a tangible increase in population. The uncertain situation in the economy, an increase in the unemployment rate caused a decrease in the population by 10 thousand people in 2016. Many young Greek Cypriots prefer to look for a better life in the vastness of the European Union, postponing the creation of a family and the birth of children indefinitely.
Cypriot religion
The majority of the Turkish population in Northern Cyprus are Sunni Muslims. Greek Cypriots traditionally adhere to the Orthodox faith. Religious communities live compactly and peacefully, each in its own part of Cyprus.
Cypriot language
The Turkish population of the north speaks Turkish. The population of the south of Cyprus speaks the Cypriot dialect of the Greek language.
Male to female ratio
The number of women and men is approximately the same in all age groups, excluding people over 65. There, the number of women exceeds the number of men due to the difference in life expectancy. The average life expectancy for women in the republic reaches 83 years, for men this indicator is 79 years.
Dynamics of the number of inhabitants of Cyprus
| Year | Number (thousand people) |
| 1000 BC | 100 |
| 500 BC | 600 |
| 1 | 1000 |
| 100 | 1000 |
| 200 | 500 |
| 300 | 500 |
| 400 | 250 |
| 500 | 120 |
| 1000 | 150 |
| 1500 | 170 |
| 1600 | 130 |
| 1700 | 71 |
| 1800 | 124 |
| 1900 | 232 |
| 1910 | 268 |
| 1920 | 311 |
| 1930 | 345 |
| 1940 | 401 |
| 1950 | 490 |
| 1960 | 568 |
| 1970 | 602 |
| 1980 | 673 |
| 1990 | 766 |
| 2000 | 943 |
| 2005 | 1 032 |
| 2010 | 1 103 |
| 2015 | 1 165 |
| 2016 | 1 176* |
* the table includes the population of the Turkish part of the island.
The population of Cyprus is over 1.1 million people.
National composition:
- Greeks;
- other nationalities (Turks, Armenians, Arabs, British).
Greek Cypriots inhabit mainly the southern part of Cyprus, while Turkish Cypriots inhabit the northern part. In addition, migrants from Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka live in Cyprus.
120 people live per 1 sq. Km, but the highest population density is observed in Leukosia, and the lowest in Paphos.
The official language is Greek, but Turkish, English and Russian are widely spoken in Cyprus.
Major cities: Nicosia, Limassol, Leukosia, Larnaca, Paphos, Famagusta, Lemesos, Ammochostos.
The inhabitants of Cyprus profess Orthodoxy, Islam (Sunnism), Protestantism, Catholicism.
Life span
The male population lives on average up to 78 years old, and the female population up to 81 years old.
The high rates are largely due to the fact that Cyprus has created ideal conditions for the health of the body (sea, mountains, a large number of sunny days, fresh and healthy products).
Cyprus has a well-developed healthcare system (many come here not only for SPA procedures, but also for cosmetic surgery, and for IVF procedures) - local clinics employ professionals who use modern equipment, advanced medical and diagnostic techniques in their work.
But in Cyprus, not everything is so cloudless - Cypriots smoke a lot (the percentage of residents who smoke is the highest in the EU): everyone here smokes - both women and men, and 12-14-year-old schoolchildren.
Traditions and customs of the inhabitants of Cyprus
Cypriots are hardworking and cheerful people who love music and dance, without which no festivities are complete.
Cypriots are very friendly and always ready to help - to answer a question or to accompany you to the desired place. Often, tastings are organized in shops for tourists, and they can also be presented with some kind of souvenir.
Cypriots like to celebrate the Kataklismos water festival (May-June) - on this day people compete in sea sports and take part in competitions that are accompanied by dousing with water.
Cypriots love to have fun, which is why festivals are held in high esteem in Cyprus, for example, in July-August, locals participate in the Festival of Ancient Greek Drama, and in September - the Limassol Wine Festival.
Wedding traditions are interesting in that the father, when giving his daughter in marriage, must provide her with a dowry - to provide the young family with a fully furnished house. For a wedding, as a rule, guests do not give gifts - only money in envelopes.
If you come to Cyprus, keep in mind that here you can be fined a tidy sum if you pollute the environment, for example, for garbage thrown out of the car window, you will have to pay 850 euros.
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