Who lives in Cyprus nationality. Cyprus population

In 2015, the population of the Republic of Cyprus (free territory) was 848 thousand people.

The population of Northern Cyprus, according to data for 2015, was 313 thousand people.
GDP volume - $ 4.040 billion, respectively, GDP per capita reached $ 15.09 thousand, which is $ 11 thousand less than the same indicator in Cyprus.

In total on the island of Cyprus in 2015 lived 1 "161" 000 people.

For December 2011:
about 790,000 people live in the free territories of the island. in about 400,000 families
in the so-called "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" is home to almost 295 thousand people. This is 11.2% more than in 2006, when the previous census was carried out.

For 2006:
After the partition of Cyprus in 1974, the vast majority of Greek Cypriots live in the south and Turks in the north. The total population is 837,300 people, of which:
- 651,100 (77.8%) - Greek Cypriots,
- 88,100 (10.5%) - Turkish Cypriots
- 98,100 (11.7%) - foreigners living in Cyprus.

Among foreigners living in Cyprus:
- 17,000 English,
- 7 834 citizens of the Russian Federation,
- 4,000 Armenians,
- 3 813 citizens of Ukraine,
- 654 - citizen of Belarus
- 200 - citizen of Kazakhstan
(the statistics provided do not cover illegal immigrants, as well as those people from the listed countries who have acquired Cypriot citizenship).

After the 1974 war, some 180,000 Greek Cypriots fled or were forcibly resettled south. About 42 thousand Turks moved north. And only in the city of Pyla, Larnaca district, under the UN-appointed administration, both groups of the population live.

Demographic data

Population for 2006 - 837,300 people.
Age structure:
- 14 years old and less than 20.4%,
- from 15 to 64 years old - 68%,
- 65 and more years 11.6%.

The population growth rate is 0.53%.
The birth rate is 12.56 births per 1000 people.
Mortality rate 7.68 deaths per 1000 people.
Migration rate 0.42 immigrants per 1000 people.

Sex ratio:
- at birth: 1.05 M / F
- at birth: 1.05 M / F
- up to 15 years: 1.04 M / F
- 15-64: 1.03 M / F
- 65 and more: 0.77 M / F
- in the general population: 1/1

Infant mortality:
- 7.04 deaths per 1000 births,
- boys: 8.74,
- girls: 5.25.

average life expectancy
- General: 77.82 years
- Male: 75.44 years
- Women: 80.31

Fertility rate - 1.82 births per woman
Literacy - 97.6%
Poverty rate in 2008 - 16% (income per person less than 8,719 euros per year / 727 euros per month)

Population composition
In modern Cyprus, 76% of the population are Greeks, 17% are Greek Cypriots, 4% are ethnic minorities - Armenians who settled here at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and Arabs who fled from the Middle East armed conflict immigrants from Syria and Lebanon. 3% - foreign citizens, mostly British; v last years a Russian colony was formed. The population density is about 77 people per 1 square kilometer.

The Greeks began to settle in Cyprus in the middle of the second millennium BC. The Turks appeared on the island in the 17th century, when it became part of the Ottoman Empire.

According to anthropological characteristics, Cypriots of Greek and Turkish origin belong to the Mediterranean group of southern Caucasians, Armenians and Arabs - to Armenoid.

Demographic situation
It is estimated that the population growth rate in Cyprus in the last decade is about 1.1% annually, which is more than half the rate of the neighboring West Asian countries of Cyprus. The birth rate is 12.91% o, the mortality rate is 7.63% o, the infant mortality rate is 7.71 people. per 1000 newborns (2002). The average life expectancy for men is 67 years, for women - 73 years. At the same time, the general population of Cyprus is quite young, more than half of the island's inhabitants are young people and children.

Age and sex structure of the population: 0-14 years 22.4% (men 88 thousand, women 84 thousand); 15-64 years 66.6% (men 258 thousand, women 253 thousand); 65 years and older 11% (men 36 thousand, women 47 thousand).

Population distribution structure
In 2004, the main ethnic groups of the population numbered 802,000. Of these, Greek Cypriots (78% of the population, about 60% of the territory in the southwest) and Turkish Cypriots (18% of the population, about 40% of the territory in the northeast).

After the division of the island in 1974, the forced migration of the population led to the fact that each of the parts of Cyprus - northern and southern - became ethnically homogeneous: the vast majority of Greek Cypriots live in the south, and Turks - in the north.

Only in the city of Pyla, Larnaca district, when the UN was appointed administration, both groups of the population live. Modern Turks are hospitable and friendly, but their leisurely pace differs sharply from the Greek Cypriots with their light temperament. By religion, Greeks are Orthodox, Turks are Sunni Muslims.

Annual per capita income is about $ 13,000 equivalent. There are no beggars in Cyprus. Anyone, even an impoverished citizen, is provided with state support, which is enough to live on. The standard of living in Cyprus can only be compared with that of Great Britain. Many Cypriots have their own houses (apartments in apartment buildings are not popular), and there are very few families without at least one car.

Population of Cyprus according to 2010 - 801 851
Unemployment 2010 - 5.3%
Inflation - 0.2% in 2009

10/09/2010
The multinational island of Cyprus
Cyprus is in third place in the EU in terms of the number of foreigners living here. According to the latest study by the European Statistics Service, there are 128 thousand of them on the island, or 16% of the total population of the country.
Of these, 78 thousand (9.8% of the population of Cyprus) are citizens of other EU countries, and the remaining 50 thousand (6.3%) are immigrants from third countries.
On average in the European Union, this figure is 6.4% (this is almost 32 million foreigners for the entire EU). Luxembourg is the leader, where 44% of the population are foreigners. It is followed by Latvia (18%), and the third place is shared by Estonia and Cyprus (16% each). On the contrary, the bottom positions of the list were taken by Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia - here among the local population of foreigners - less than 1%. In absolute terms, the largest number of migrants is in Germany - 7 million people and the UK - 4 million.
Interestingly, the average age of those who live in a foreign country is significantly less than the average age of the local population - by seven years.

Currently, 737 thousand people live in Cyprus, of which 83.5% are Greeks, 12.5% ​​are Turks, 1% are ethnic minorities - Armenians who settled here at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and Arabs fleeing the Middle East armed conflict. 3% - foreign citizens, mainly British; in recent years, a Russian colony has been formed.

Nicosia remains the largest city on the island of Cyprus. It is home to about 180 thousand people. The second largest city on the island is Limassol with 140 thousand inhabitants, followed by Larnaca - 62 thousand and Paphos - 33 thousand. In the cities of the northern part of the island, the population is small. In Famagusta, after the Greek Cypriots were forced to flee from there, a little more than 20 thousand people live, and in Kyrenia there are about 7 thousand people.

After the division of the island in 1974, the forced migration of the population led to the fact that each of the parts of Cyprus - northern and southern - became ethnically homogeneous: the vast majority of Greek Cypriots live in the south, and Turks - in the north. Today, the two parts of divided Cyprus are actually two different countries, each with its own way of life and guidelines in politics.

"Greek" Cyprus

The state language of the Republic of Cyprus is Greek.

The dominant religion in the southern part of Cyprus is Orthodoxy. Although young people are often seen in churches, religion no longer occupies such a place in the minds of Cypriots as it once did. The younger generation, as elsewhere in the world, is choosing different priorities.

The Republic of Cyprus ranks third in the world in terms of the number of specialists with higher education per thousand inhabitants, with two thirds of students studying outside Cyprus - in Greece, Great Britain, the United States and other countries. This openness to the world contributes to the rapprochement of Cyprus with Europe, although geographically the island belongs to Asia.

Greek Cypriots gravitate towards Greek culture and their way of life resembles that of mainland Greece, although Cypriots are more organized and adventurous than their mainland brethren. The former presence of the British brought the English education system and English paperwork to the island. If you have managed to visit Greece, in Cyprus you will certainly notice less bustle and chaos in the streets, more regularity of life.

The customs of the Cypriots are quite conservative, and one of the manifestations of this is the desire to leave women only household chores and childcare. There are few women entrepreneurs, middle and senior managers or government officials. In the family, the woman plays an important role. In Cyprus, purely male coffee houses (Kafenion) are still preserved, where Cypriots are not accepted to enter. But a woman in Cyprus can be seen driving a car much more often than in Russia.

Greek Cypriots are businesslike and cheerful, they are hardworking and know a lot about rest. At the end of the day, when the sun sets and the heat leaves, Cypriots go to taverns, often with the whole family, including children, and spend the whole evening there. It may be noisy, but always decent and safe.

Musician in medieval dress

The working week in Cyprus is 40 hours, while in summer time the lunch break, due to the heat of the day, lasts three hours, from 13.00 to 16.00. In addition, on Wednesdays, almost everyone works only until 13.00, and the afternoon is devoted to rest. The minimum annual leave is 15 days.

Due to the historical situation and the high general educational level, almost every Cypriot (especially in cities) can explain himself in English. In the tourist area, among the service personnel in restaurants and hotels, you can find Russian-speaking Cypriots - immigrants from the CIS countries - Slavs or Pontic Greeks who moved to their historical homeland during the years of perestroika from the southern regions of Russia and the Caucasus.

There is practically no crime in Cyprus (only about 4,000 crimes are recorded per year), and the safety of staying on the island is noted by everyone. The police are loyal to tourists and ready to help in any difficult situations. As, however, all Cypriots. The tourist is the most welcome guest here.

A Cypriot will always come to the rescue, answer questions, guide you to the place you need, or at least explain how you should proceed. If you have any problems with your car on the road, a Cypriot will most likely stop his car himself, without waiting for your request, and offer help.

Villages and Crafts

Today, the wealth of small communities still relies on crops and fields, where time passes quietly and unhurriedly. Many old villagers jealously adhere to their traditions, for the better or not, and life is changing rapidly with the approach of the 21st century.

Time causes population displacement. The spread of education prompted the young and the educated to move to cities in search of a more modern existence.

Agriculture and some ancient folk crafts are gradually becoming a thing of the past with the passage of generations. Discarded old activities are being replaced by new ones as the needs of communities change and the number of tourists increases.

However, the charm and beauty of the simple is still pervasive throughout the island, and from time to time we come across a reminder of a bygone century in the craftsmanship and skill of the surviving artisans.

Handicrafts are still a tradition in Cyprus and handicrafts can be found in shops in every corner of the island. In the Crafts Center in Nicosia, you can see examples of artistic weaving, basket weaving, knitting, leather goods, pottery and traditional copper items.

The villages below are just a few of the famous for their traditional crafts:

• Feeney
  On the southern slopes of the Troodos Mountains, about an hour's drive from Limassol. The village is famous for its pottery, lace and traditional chairs.
• Fiti
  In the Paphos area, this village is famous for its tapestries
• Kato and Pano Lefkara
  Off the Nicosia - Limassol motorway. It is very famous for its lace, embroidery and silversmiths.
• Kornos
  20 minutes drive from Nicosia. The village is famous for its potters.
• Liopetri
  Half an hour drive from Larnaca towards Ayia Napa. Some of the finest baskets on the island are made here.
• Mutulas
  On the northern slope of Troodos. The local specialization is carved wooden bowls.
• Omodos
  On the southern slopes of Troodos, about an hour's drive from Limassol. Known for its excellent wines and kumandaria, this village is also home to lace production.
• Eroskipu
  3 km east of Paphos city. In the village, baskets are made, Cypriot delicacies and candied almonds are made.

Some customs of the Cypriots

Weddings

Cypriots are jealous of their traditions, and perhaps the most sacred of them is the wedding. The father of the bride provides an “order,” or dowry, in the form of a fully furnished home. The wedding is attended by about 500 or even 1000 guests, who are invited by the parents of the bride and groom. Gifts are usually not given, but each of the guests gives an envelope of money to ensure the young couple have a good start.

In a traditional village wedding, there are several pre-wedding ceremonies in which the entire village takes part. The groom shaves in his house, accompanied by a local violinist. When the bride and groom are ready, they walk through the village streets to the church, accompanied by their fellow villagers. During the church ceremony, the priest hands over "Stephan", a kind of tiara, to the bride and groom to confirm their sacred union. At the entrance, whether it be to a hotel or to a village tavern, a couple of newlyweds start to dance, and guests at this time pin money for their outfits.

If you are ever invited to a Cyprus wedding, then this event should not be missed!

Dowry

As you travel around Cyprus, you will notice that metal rods are often sticking out of the rooftops. These are the foundations for the construction of the next floor - a family "prika" for the daughter's wedding. In the past, one could feel sorry for a man who had five daughters - after all, he had to provide a dowry for all of them! Nowadays, the groom does not always expect to receive a home from the father-in-law and mother-in-law, but this practice is still widespread on the island.

Baptism

Each child receives the name of a saint to be accepted by the church. In Cyprus, there is still a tradition in which the firstborn receives the name of the paternal grandfather, the first daughter receives the name of the father's mother, and then all other children, in the order of their birth, receive the names of the mother's parents, etc. Hence the fact that so many members of a large family can have the same name!

A child is usually baptized at the age of 4-5 months. He is carried to church fully clothed and stripped naked before the ceremony. The baby is smeared with peace on his eyes, nose and mouth, and the priest waves a censer, fumigating the church with incense, while the child is cut off one or two strands of hair. Upon baptism, the child is handed over to the godfather or godmother, who are waiting with a towel in their hands. After drying, the baby is dressed in beautiful new clothes made of silk, velvet, lace or satin. Leaving the church, all guests are presented with nets with candied almonds or sweets. Later that day, christenings are usually celebrated in the tavern.

"Turkish" Cyprus

Northern Cyprus, which proclaimed itself the Turkish Republic, not recognized by any country in the world except Turkey, is much less adapted to receive tourists. A person who finds himself north of the line dividing the island is primarily struck by the abundance of people in military uniform - Turkey maintains a 30,000th army corps in Northern Cyprus.

Turkish Cypriots are unpretentious in the East, and this is reflected in appearance cities that do not look as clean and well-kept as Limassol or Larnaca. In addition to everything, Northern Cyprus is experiencing serious economic difficulties, which cannot but affect the life of the Turkish community. Annual per capita income is three times lower than in the Republic of Cyprus, and unemployment is five times higher. This gives outside observers a reason to call Northern Cyprus "the forgotten province of Turkey."

The population of Northern Cyprus is Muslim. Devout Muslims pray in numerous mosques located in towns and villages in the northern part of the island, with separate rooms for women in the mosques, which are isolated from the main hall. Female tourists are not forbidden to enter the mosque, but only when there are no believers praying there. Leave your shoes at the entrance.

Although Greek and Turkish are recognized as the official languages ​​of Northern Cyprus, all Greek names have been replaced with Turkish.

Turkish Cypriots are welcoming in communication, but behind the hospitality lies an oriental slyness and if, for example, you are told the price of a product or service, then this price is surely overpriced and you still have to fight for discounts, as is customary throughout the East.

The island of Cyprus is an island of discord, where fierce wars and a volcano of passions raged for centuries. Many living in Cyprus consider the island truly their home, while the same authorities of the Republic of Cyprus fundamentally disagree with them. But that's a completely different story.

To understand what is at stake, you need to imagine the following picture.

Concerning the population of Cyprus then conventionally the island of Cyprus can be divided into 3 more or less stable parts, one part of which occupied by Greeks, another by Turks and everything else is divided among themselves - other nationalities: Russians, British, Armenians and Arabs .

Greek Cypriots fiercely defend their interests and firmly believe that the island is their original homeland. Greek Cypriots have a rather conservative view. They are hardworking, honest and adventurous. Despite their slowness and regularity of life, Greek Cypriots really appreciate a wholesome vacation. They know how to enjoy their vacation, forgetting about all the hardships and squabbles. Many would not hurt to learn this skill from them. The overwhelming majority of Greek Cypriots hold sacred the Orthodox religion while Turkish Cypriots are Sunni Muslims. Thanks to these two main strata of the population in Cyprus, the official languages ​​on the island are Greek and Turkish , but the overwhelming majority of Cypriots are able to communicate reasonably well in English.

As a percentage, the picture can be presented as follows (out of 900,000 people inhabiting the island of Cyprus):

more than 75% population are Greeks (about 650,000 people)

about 20% population are Turks (about 160,000 people)

less than 4% the population is made up of Russians (over 20,000 people), British (there are about 17,000 people on the island) and Armenians (about 4,000 people).

Of course, the demographic situation in the Republic is constantly changing. Population growth is increasing and according to preliminary forecasts, by 2030, with a favorable coincidence of circumstances, the population of Cyprus will increase by more than 50,000 people. The total population by 2030 will be 957,407 people.

Generally the island of Cyprus is calm and cozy paradise On the Earth. All Cypriots are friendly and polite. They are happy to help in any situation. When you ask them, for example, to tell you the way to plan a route, they will patiently explain everything to you in detail or kindly guide you to the right place... The law enforcement agencies themselves are tolerant of tourists, always polite and attentive. The crime rate is minimal here ... This is one of the distinguishing features of the island of Cyprus.

Visiting Russian tourists in Cyprus may be somewhat irritated by the excessive slowness of the Cypriots, which is not entirely clear to us. This can be seriously annoying. Therefore, while vacationing in Cyprus, remember that there is nowhere to rush here and there is certainly nothing to worry about! You have come to rest, so enjoy the beauty, silence, tranquility and pleasant cool sea breeze of the Mediterranean Sea.

What does an ordinary Russian tourist know about the population of Cyprus, 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 is the case 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. Road rules the movement simply does not exist for them, 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 there is a feeling that Cyprus, indeed, is 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, put on the very 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 definitely be invited to dinner, the refusal of which will be perceived as a personal offense.

Speaking of talking, most Cypriots speaks foreign languages ​​perfectly... Best of all, they speak English, although in Russian several phrases can be heard here even among neighbors swearing in the courtyard.

You shouldn't fly to Cyprus in winter - bathing season ended long ago, and most of the inhabitants flies to tropical countries... Cypriots cannot live without the hot sun and warm sea.

Cyprus standard of living

It cannot be said about the inhabitants of Cyprus that they live in poverty. On average, the income per capita in the country per year is about 13 thousand euros, which is absolutely not bad. Here you will not find needy people or beggars - they simply are not here. Each resident has or his own own business or are engaged agriculture.

In case of disaster, the Cypriot government 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. Life span local residents is 78 years for men and 81 years for women.

National composition of Cyprus

Residents 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 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 per this 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 national language Turkish is still present here. Almost 90% of the population owns English language, 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 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. the globe... Residents living in the northern part of Cyprus are mainly Muslims.

Orthodox church in Cyprus