Cyprus today is one of the most beautiful and most popular destinations in the Mediterranean. The mild climate and charming nature make the rest here a special attraction. The main beauties of the island of Cyprus are the sea, blue skies, golden beaches and centuries-old sights. What else could be needed for a perfect pastime?!
general information
Belonging to the continent of Asia, Cyprus is the 3rd largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It does not have a very calm atmosphere. This is due to the fact that Cyprus, since 1974, due to the Turkish invasion, has been divided into 2 parts - the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Each part of the island is separated by a buffer zone under the control of the UN. The capital of both Republics is located in the city of Nicosia.
Cyprus: population
The total population of Cyprus is just over one million people, of which 80% live in the Republic of Cyprus and 20% in Northern Cyprus.
The population is mixed. This is due to the division of the island and the attractiveness of moving here. The population of Cyprus (nationalities): over 90% of the locals are Greek Cypriots, the rest of the population are British, Russians and Armenians. In the northern part of the island of Cyprus, the population was divided into Turkish Cypriots, Turks and some others. The official languages on the island are Greek and Turkish. In the Republic of Cyprus, the population speaks excellent English.
How to get there
Most tourists and visitors arrive on the island by plane. Cyprus has two international airports located in the cities of Larnaca and Paphos.
The airport in the Turkish part of Cyprus is called Erjan. It is not internationally recognized. Despite this, it receives some flights from abroad.
You can also sail to Cyprus by ferry. In particular, the island has ferry connections with the Greek islands of Crete and Rhodes, with the Egyptian Port Said, Israeli Haifa and Ankokna in Italy. The main port of the Republic of Cyprus is located in the city of Limassol, from where ferries, merchant ships and cruise ships depart.
Climatic and weather conditions
The climate here is subtropical with rather hot and dry summers and warm and mild winters. Even in winter, snow can only be found in the mountains.
It is best to come to Cyprus in the high season - in summer or in September, when the strong summer heat has passed, but the sea is still warm. The most pleasant summer weather is in the coastal areas of the island.
Cities
Ayia Napa is a young and cheerful resort with a vibrant nightlife. A wonderful rest here is provided by the best sandy gentle sea and a local water park.
Larnaca is the 3rd largest city on the island. This is a fairly well-known and popular Mediterranean resort.
Limassol is the business capital of Cyprus with the main commercial port and many offices of major global companies.
Paphos is one of the most ancient cities in Cyprus. It has many attractions.
Protaras is a young and developing resort located in the southeastern part of the island. The city is calm and sparsely populated.
Nicosia is the capital located in the center of the island.
Kyrenia is an old city in the north of the island, part of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The city is popular with tourists for its numerous beaches and interesting sights.
Facilitates the life of tourists the absence of the island of Cyprus. The language of the inhabitants of the island is Greek and Turkish, but many speak English fluently.
Attractions
At one time, Cyprus was the center of many historical achievements, and the territory of the island was developed by more than one civilization, which gave rise to thousands of archaeological traces on the map of the island. We are talking about a great variety of architectural buildings of various times and other historical artifacts located in Cypriot museums or churches.
Throughout the island, a considerable number of historical monuments have been preserved, attracting the attention of many tourists.
In Cyprus, you can find the remains of settlements from the time of the Stone Age - these are ancient Roman theaters, and Byzantine temples, and monasteries, and castles of the Crusaders, and much, much more. All this wealth determines the unique atmosphere of the island, where beauty and peace, ancient culture and modernity are combined.
Movement around the country
Cyprus is a rather small island, so some modes of transport are not present here. So, the railway communication was stopped in the last century.
Bus service is not well developed here.
It is replaced by a fairly developed taxi system. In Cyprus, there are 3 types of taxis: intercity, intracity and rural.
A car can be rented by persons with an international driving license, aged 25 to 70 years, with a driving experience of 3 years. In some private firms, you can find less serious lease conditions.
Kitchen
The local cuisine is a perfect example of the culinary traditions of the Mediterranean. From Greek and Turkish cuisines, the custom of cooking food on the grill or in the form of thick soups and stews came here. But, unlike Turkish cuisine, local food is less spicy. Cyprus was also influenced by Italian cuisine, from which came such ingredients for cooking as mint, cinnamon, basil, coriander, arugula. Also in Cyprus they use curry and ginger. In general, one can distinguish the dominant oriental influence, this is the presence of sweet dishes with many spices and oils in them.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are often eaten here. Meat dishes in Cyprus are very popular with locals.
The most common dish here is meze, which can be found in every restaurant on the island. Meze is an assortment of various cold and hot appetizers. There is no better way to get acquainted with Cypriot cuisine than meze. Rice, pasta and legumes are commonly eaten as a side dish in Cyprus.
Dessert here is usually baklava or Turkish delight. The most popular drink in Cyprus is wine. For those who like stronger drinks, there is Zivania, a rustic grape vodka. Cypriots are also very fond of coffee.
Prices in Cyprus in restaurants are slightly lower than European ones. The cost of breakfast per person is from 5 euros, lunch or dinner from 10 euros.
Purchases
The main purchases and souvenirs from Cyprus are usually items and products that are traditionally part of the unique culture of this island. These include jewelry, local wines, olive oils and handicrafts. It is also worth buying local leather goods - bags, purses, wallets, shoes and outerwear. Prices in Cyprus for high quality leather items can be called democratic. For example, the cost of a leather belt is from 10 euros, bags from 35 euros.
Well, the absence of Cyprus on the island (we have already mentioned the language of the inhabitants) will help to make an excellent purchase.
Holidays
In small villages, many ancient customs and rituals have been preserved, especially observed on Christmas days, New Year, Easter. For the Greek Orthodox Church, Easter is the most important holiday of the year.
Also, the inhabitants of Cyprus celebrate many national holidays, local or seasonal. The Wine Festival in Limassol, held annually in September, is very popular here. It goes on for several days and includes tasting local wines, concert and theater performances, singing and dancing competitions.
Local customs and customs
The population of the island for many centuries includes Cypriots from Greece and Turkey. The cultures of these peoples differ and still retain their own characteristics in the way of life and religious views. Cypriots of Greek origin are the heirs of Greek culture, but due to their long stay under English patronage, they adopted some of the features of life characteristic of Europeans. On the island, English is practically the second language for the country and the first in professional and business relations. Cypriots of Greek origin profess Orthodoxy (in the north, in the Turkish part of the island, Islam dominates).
There are no strong restrictions for tourists in the country. When visiting active places of worship, churches and monasteries, you should pay attention to the dress code. Women in such places are advised to wear long skirts, clothes that cover their shoulders, and men to wear trousers.
In summer, locals go to "siesta" - an afternoon rest from 13:00 to 16:00. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, all shops are open only until lunch.
Conclusion
This island is truly one of the best places for the most unforgettable vacation. Sun, Cyprus, sea, golden beaches - these words will forever be associated with memories of a paradise vacation on this wonderful island.
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, while 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 undeniable.
Approximately 2 million tourists visit this blessed land every year.
Population
The main ethnic groups in Cyprus are Greeks and Turks. Both groups consider themselves Cypriots. The number of inhabitants 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 about the number of Turkish Cypriots. According to some sources, it is 300 thousand people.
17,000 British citizens and 4,000 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 discuss openly.
The military conflict of 1974 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 localities only a UN-appointed administration 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 for more than forty years by the dividing line with a network of roadblocks. The authorities of the Republic of Cyprus and the leadership of the Republic of Turkey 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 an actual division of the island between three states. The UK 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 (unrecognized 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 from the British left-hand traffic and three-pin sockets for 240 V.
English is considered the second state language and is the main means of interethnic communication.
Turkish expansion
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 immigrants from mainland Turkey. And, I must say, this policy has already given 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 compared to the Greek also have an effect.
Demographic picture
Over the past ten years, the annual population growth was 1.1%, the death rate - 7.6%, the birth rate - 13%. Cyprus is a country of the young: more than half of its inhabitants are youth and children. Citizens over 65 make up only 11% of the population.
In the conditions of a military conflict, even if it is “smoldering”, it is difficult to expect a tangible increase in the 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 seek a better life in the EU, postponing the creation of a family and the birth of children indefinitely.
Cypriot religion
The majority of the Turkish population of 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 southern 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 years of age. 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 figure is 79 years.
Population dynamics in Cyprus
| Year | population (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.
What does an ordinary Russian tourist know about the population of Cyprus, about its customs and culture? Most people consider Cypriots to be exactly the same as Greeks, but this is far from the case.
Let's start with the fact that they even speak different languages, and accordingly they will not understand each other immediately, 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. There are simply no traffic rules for them, and the Cypriots, unlike them, live by the rules and the law. They even drive on the principle of "quieter you go - you will continue."
The atmosphere in the cities of Cyprus
If you find yourself in any Cypriot city for the first time, you can be surprised at the measured life of the island. Many Russian tourists have the feeling that Cyprus is really in no hurry, just like its residents resting on the benches.
The locals are having a leisurely conversation
To tourists, regardless of their nationality, Cypriots have a cordial attitude. Everyone is well aware 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 definitely be dragged into the thick of the celebrations, they will be seated in the best place at the table, and they will be treated “like their own”. During the holidays, the Cypriot cities themselves are transformed beyond recognition - garlands hang around, loud music plays from the windows of houses, and people have 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 do. 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 do.
Cypriots are very friendly people
Cypriot traditions
The main and most memorable Cypriot tradition is love for music. Moreover, it is not popular European and American performers that are held in high esteem here, but local artists who may well play only folk tunes.
Cult national instrument - bouzouki- here it is akin to our balalaika. It can be seen in the home of every Cypriot, and it does not matter if he plays it or not - an instrument related to the mandolin has become one of the official symbols of Cyprus. Bouzouki masters are valued 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 mistrust, but because of natural shyness - even room service in hotels tries to disturb guests only in case of urgent need.
If the Cypriot spoke to you - keep up the conversation. 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 insult.
Speaking of conversations, most Cypriots speaks fluent foreign languages. They speak English best of all, although in Russian a few phrases can be heard here even among neighbors cursing in the yard.
It is not worth flying to Cyprus in winter - the swimming season has long ended, and most residents flies to tropical countries. Cypriots cannot live without the hot sun and warm sea.
The standard of living in Cyprus
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 need or beggars - they simply do not exist here. Each resident has either his own business or is engaged in agriculture.
In the event of a disaster, the government of Cyprus has provided special benefits and subsidies that ensure living at a normal level, so the citizens of this country are not threatened with impoverishment. Many residents have their own house and at least one car per family. Their standard of living 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 painfully endure the division of the island, and the fact that those nationalities that previously peacefully existed on the same territory are now forced to migrate: Turkish Cypriots to the northern part, and Greek Cypriots to the south. Consequently, people living together on the same territory were forced to disperse, dividing the island into two parts.
Open hostility among the Cypriots is observed only towards the 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 the Greek Cypriots hate them more than the 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 re-opened to tourists. One can only hope that Cyprus will again become, as before, a single state.
In Cyprus you can find people of various nationalities
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 common, and not because many tourists from Russia come here, but because many emigrants from the USSR live here.
The Russian language is also quite common here.
Religion in Cyprus
77% of the inhabitants of the island 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 Helena, who brought a part of the Lord's cross to this land and founded the first Christian monastery, was the first to visit this island.
Moreover, several of these 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 mostly Muslim.
Orthodox church in Cyprus
The number of men as a whole is a thousand more than the number of women. Half of all residents are between the ages of 25 and 59. 26% of the population of Cyprus are people over the age of sixty. The country has one of the best life expectancies in the world, it is 77.8 years. This is almost eight percent higher than the global figures.
The number of the local population of Cyprus and its national composition were 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. e. create a local civilization here. The Phoenicians also had a special influence on its culture.
In ancient times, the Assyrians, Persians and Romans captured the island. And over the past eight hundred years it has survived the dominion of the Franks, the Venetians, the Turks and the British. 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 it is in a divided state.
The national composition of the population of Cyprus
The main part of the population of Cyprus by nationality are Orthodox Greeks. Now their number is over 800,000 people, or almost 76%. The number of Turks exceeds three hundred thousand. Their numbers are growing quite rapidly 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 of Cyprus. Today there are from forty to fifty thousand immigrants from the territory of the former Soviet Union and Russia. They live mainly in several seaside towns of the Greek part of the island.
Historically, the local population of Cyprus also includes approximately 17,000 English subjects, 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. Compared to the countries of Western Europe, it is very small. And this despite the proximity of Syria. Two factors contribute to this state of affairs.
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, at the same time, you must definitely pay 3,000 euros, which the state theoretically promises to compensate in the foggy future.
The indigenous local population of Cyprus is the Greeks, in general they have a benevolent character. Therefore, relations with immigrants from England, Russia, with representatives of the Armenian diaspora, they usually have friendly relations. The attitude towards Muslims is wary. The main reason for this is the capture by Turkey of the northern part of the island and the expulsion of more than 200,000 Greeks from there.
Population of cities in Cyprus
The population of the resort town of Ayia Napa, a former fishing village, is about 4,000. These are Greeks, who are mainly employed in the tourism business. Almost all of them are fluent, and many are in Russian.
Seaside Larnaca today has 80,000 inhabitants. The nationality of most of them (80%) are Greeks. The remaining percentages are from Russia, 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 mostly Greeks, as well as Englishmen and people from the Philippines and some Asian countries who work as servants. The second is home to over 50,000 ethnic Turks.
The population exceeds a quarter of a million people. Its national composition is very diverse. Greek Cypriots predominate. The largest Russian-speaking community on the island lives here. It makes up about nine percent of all residents. There is also a whole quarter 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, once a village, has over 20,000 inhabitants.
Population of Northern Cyprus
It is now populated mainly by Turks, their number is just over 300,000 people. Moreover, one third of them are immigrants 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 ended up on its territory have been destroyed since the military conflict with the Greeks. Therefore, migrants from different countries do not at all strive to get to Northern Cyprus.
In 2015, the population of the Republic of Cyprus (Free Territory) was 848 thousand people.
The population of Northern Cyprus, according to 2015 data, was 313 thousand people.
the volume of GDP - $4.040 billion, respectively, GDP per capita reached $15.09 thousand, which is $11 thousand lower 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 approximately 400,000 families
almost 295 thousand people live in the so-called "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus". This is 11.2% more than in 2006, when the previous census was conducted.
For 2006:
After the division of Cyprus in 1974, the vast majority of Greek Cypriots live in the south, while Turks live in the north. The total population is 837,300, of which:
- 651,100 (77.8%) - Greek Cypriots,
- 88,100 (10.5%) - Turkish Cypriots
- 98,100 (11.7%) are foreigners residing in Cyprus.
Among foreigners in Cyprus lives:
- 17,000 British,
- 7,834 citizens of the Russian Federation,
- 4,000 Armenians,
- 3,813 citizens of Ukraine,
- 654 - citizen of Belarus
- 200 - citizens of Kazakhstan
(statistics given do not cover illegal immigrants, as well as those people from the listed countries who have acquired Cypriot citizenship).
After the 1974 war, about 180,000 Greek Cypriots fled or were forcibly resettled south. About 42,000 Turks moved north. And only in the city of Pyla, Larnaca district, under a UN-appointed administration, both groups of the population live.
Demographics
The population for 2006 is 837,300 people.
Age structure:
- 14 years and less than 20.4%,
- from 15 to 64 years old - 68%,
- 65 and over years 11.6%.
Population growth rate 0.53%.
Birth rate 12.56 births per 1000 people.
Mortality 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 over: 0.77 M/F
- in the general population: 1/1
Child mortality:
- 7.04 deaths per 1000 births,
- boys: 8.74,
- girls: 5.25.
average life expectancy
- Total: 77.82 years
- Men: 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)
Composition of the population
In modern Cyprus, 76% of the population are Greeks, 17% are Greek Cypriots, 4% are national minorities - Armenians who settled here at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and Arabs who fled the Middle East armed conflict, immigrants from Syria and Lebanon. 3% - foreign citizens, mostly British; in recent years a Russian colony has formed. The population density is about 77 people per 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 features, Cypriots of Greek and Turkish origin belong to the Mediterranean group of southern Caucasians, Armenians and Arabs belong to the Armenoid group.
Demographic situation
According to estimates, the population growth rate in Cyprus in the last decade is approximately 1.1% annually, which is more than two times lower than in the Western Asian countries neighboring Cyprus. Birth rate 12.91%o, mortality - 7.63%o, infant mortality 7.71 people. per 1000 newborns (2002). The average life expectancy for men is 67 years, for women - 73 years. At the same time, in general, the population of Cyprus is quite young, more than half of the inhabitants of the island are young people and children.
Sex and age structure of the population: 0-14 years 22.4% (88 thousand men, 84 thousand women); 15-64 years old 66.6% (258 thousand men, 253 thousand women); 65 years and older 11% (36 thousand men, 47 thousand women).
Population distribution structure
In 2004, the main ethnic groups of the population numbered 802 thousand people. 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 in the Larnaca district, at the time of the appointment of the UN administration, both groups of the population live. Modern Turks are hospitable and friendly, but slowness differs sharply from Greek Cypriots with their light temperament. By religion, the Greeks are Orthodox, the Turks are Sunni Muslims.
The annual per capita income is equivalent to approximately $13,000. There are no beggars in Cyprus. Any, even an impoverished citizen, is provided with state support, which is quite enough to live on. The standard of living in Cyprus can only be compared with the UK. Many Cypriots have their own houses (apartments in apartment buildings are not popular), and there are very few families without at least one car.
The population of Cyprus according to 2010 data is 801,851
Unemployment 2010 - 5.3%
Inflation - 0.2% for 2009
10/09/2010
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%) come from third countries.
On average in the European Union, this figure is 6.4% (this is almost 32 million foreigners for the entire EU). The leader is Luxembourg, where 44% of the inhabitants 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 occupied 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.
