The reduction in the population of the Republic of Cyprus often becomes the topic of public discussions and speeches of politicians. Indeed, over the past 25 years, the birth rate in Cyprus has been significantly lower than the reproduction coefficient. But in comparison with the European context, things in the country are not so bad.
According to the 2021 population census, the average household in Cyprus consisted of 2.6 people, while in 2011 this value was equal to 2.8. People over the age of 65 make up 17.2% of the population, young people under 15 years old - 15.4%. With the current indicators, the number of Greeks-kiprots in the country in 20-25 years will halve.
EU situation
In the entire European Union, as of January 1, 2023 (recent available data), 448.8 million people lived. The most densely populated country in the EU was Germany (84.4 million people, 19%of the total number of EU residents), France (68.2 million, 15%), Italy (59.0 million, 13%), Spain (48.1 million, 11%) and Poland (36.8 million, 8%) follow it. In total, these five EU countries account for 66% of the community.
The countries with the smallest population in the EU were Malta (542,000 people, 0.1%of the total population), Luxembourg (661,000, also 0.1%) and Cyprus (921,000, 0.2%).
The median age in Cyprus is the lowest in the EU
During the twenty -year period from January 1, 2003 to January 1, 2023, the total population of the EU increased from 431.2 million to 448.8 million people, that is, by 4%. During this period, in 18 EU countries an increase in the population was observed - and among these countries there are Cyprus. We are also talking about Luxembourg, Malta, Ireland.
The share of people aged 80 and older in the European Union increased from 3.7% to 6% in the period from 2003 to 2023. But the share of residents under the age of 15 years from 2003 to 2023 decreased from 16.4% to 14.9%. The median age of the EU resident, thus, amounted to 44.5 years. But in Cyprus, the median age of the population is the lowest in the EU, it is 38.4 years. All the same countries are not behind the island: Ireland (39.1 years), Luxembourg (39.7 years), and Malta (40.1 years).
High fertility and low - mortality
The total birth rate showing the number of livestock per 1000 people in the European Union was 8.7 in 2022. The highest overall birth rate indicators were recorded in Cyprus (11.2 livestock per 1000 people), France (10.7), Ireland (10.5) and Sweden (10.0), and the lowest in Italy (6.7), Spain (6.9) and Greece (7.3).
The total mortality rate (number of deaths per 1000 people) in the EU in the same year was 11.5 in 2022. In 21 EU countries, an increase in this indicator was observed during this period, and in six countries - a decrease. In 2022, the highest common mortality rates were observed in Bulgaria (17.9 deaths per 1000 people), Latvia (16.4), Lithuania (15.1) and Croatia (14.8), and the lowest in Ireland and Luxembourg (6.8 each), in Cyprus and Malta (8.0 each).
The population is growing rapidly, but due to migration
The United Nations report by the United Nations of the United Nations United Nations of the United Nations United Nations of the United Nations of the United Nations of the United Nations of the United Nations of the United Nations of the United Nations of the United Nations of the United Nations of the United Nations of the United Nations of the United Nations of the United Nations of the United North Population Prospects 2024 that in Cyprus by 2054, the number of residents will increase to 1.51 million people, and by the end of the century will decrease to 1.278 million. At the same time, Cyprus to 2054 will demonstrate a rapid relative population growth - as fast as in Butan, Columbia and Iran. This growth will occur due to migration to the country of EU citizens and third countries.
According to the statistical service of Cyprus, the population of areas controlled by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus was 840,407 people in 2011, in 2021 - 923 272. The exact number of residents of the occupied territories is difficult to calculate, since the census are not held there. In 2024, the UN assessed the total population of the entire island of 1.352 million people.
The text is prepared based on Eurostat materials
