Today we can confidently say that there is a second Cyprus – abroad.
While the population of the island is about 923 thousand people, only 719,252 of them are citizens of Cyprus. It is estimated that more than 700,000 Cypriots live permanently in other countries around the world, and their number may even exceed the number of residents on the island itself. Exact data is difficult to determine, since statistics from different departments differ.
According to Foreign Minister Costantinos Kombos's official response to Parliament, the largest Cypriot community is in the United Kingdom. Between 350,000 and 450,000 Cypriots live there - more than half the population of Cyprus. There are approximately 70,000 to 80,000 Cypriots in the United States, approximately 80,000 in Australia and New Zealand, and approximately 70,000 in Greece. There are also significant communities in Canada and South Africa, each with approximately 35,000 people, as well as small numbers in other European and African countries.
If we take minimum estimates, then at least 650,000 Cypriots live abroad. If maximum data is used - especially for the UK and the US - the number of representatives of the Cypriot diaspora could reach 760,000. This is 40,000 more than the number of citizens living on the island itself.
The population of Cyprus is based on the 2021 census. Diaspora data comes from official Cypriot communities and organizations operating abroad. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that in Great Britain alone there are almost as many Cypriots as in the whole of Cyprus.
The expanding diaspora affects not only the demographics of the island, but also the economy, culture and foreign policy of the island. More and more Cypriots living abroad are maintaining links with their homeland, investing in real estate, coming on holiday or returning to the island after retirement. In recent years, the Cypriot government has paid more attention to relations with communities abroad, developing programs to support language, culture and interaction with diaspora youth.
Source: in-cyprus.philenews.com
