Cyprus - Population
Demographic Growth
The total population of the country grew at an annual rate of 0,8% from 573,6 thousand at the end of 1960 on the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus , to 640,7 thousand in mid-1974 just before the Turkish invasion.
After the Turkish invasion of July-August 1974 the population in the Government controlled area experienced negative growth up to mid 1977, due to war losses, emigration and fertility decline. In the following years, demographic developments favoured population growth and the population exceeded, in less than ten years by mid- 1982, the figure of mid-1974. The population continued to grow since then at a rate which ranged between 0,7% and 2,7%. In the occupied area the Turkish Cypriot community has been decreasing due to emigration - it is estimated that more than 57.000 Turkish Cypriots have emigrated since 1974 – while at the same time there continues a massive arrival of settlers. The number of the latter is estimated to about 122.000 in 2004.
Population estimates and vital statistics in the Government controlled area
The population of the Government controlled area is estimated at 749.200 at the end of 2004 compared to 505.700 at the end of 1974, recording an increase of 48,2%.
The age structure of the population reflects the past trends in the number of births, the increasing life expectancy and the inflow of migrants in the young working ages. The proportion of children below 15 decreased to 19,2% while the proportion of old-aged persons 65 and over increased to 11,9% in 2004 compared to 25,4% and 11,0% respectively in 1992 and 25,0% and 10,8% in 1982. There was a gradual increase in the proportion of old-aged persons and a decrease in the proportion of children demonstrating the ageing process. The proportion of persons aged 45-64 also increased to 23,4% from 19,4% in 1992 and 17,6% in 1982 indicating an ageing of the working age population as well.
The population growth rate, which is the highest in the European Union (2,6% in the Government controlled area in 2004), is explained by a small natural increase and a large net migration balance. The net migration balance has been positive and sizeable for the last 25 years. It consists of returning Cypriot migrants and an increasing number of foreigners coming for temporary employment for more than one year. The influx of foreigners resulted in the increase of their share to the population in the Government controlled area from 4,2% in 1992 to 13,1% in 2004.
The natural increase of the population has always been positive with the number of births exceeding the number of deaths.
Fertility, as measured by the total fertility rate, which describes reproductive behaviour unaffected by changes in the age composition of the population, has been declining over the years reaching below replacement level in 1975, then increased again and fluctuated around 2,4 in the eighties; in the nineties fertility resumed its downward trend dropping from 2,49 in 1992 to 1,49 in 2002 and remained at about this level till 2004. Since 1996, fertility remains below replacement level.
The life expectancy at birth increased considerably in the last thirty years from 70,0 for males and 72,9 for females in 1973 to 77,0 and 81,4 respectively in 2002/03. Life expectancy at birth compares favourably with the EU average, particularly for males. Infant mortality has admittedly reached a low level estimated at 3,5 infant deaths per 1000 live births in 2004.
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