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 there is a feeling that Cyprus, indeed, is in no hurry anywhere, 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 put on the very the best place at the table, and 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 distrust, 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 in 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 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

Official language 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 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 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 has been one of notable 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 come there. the globe. Residents living in the northern part of Cyprus are mostly Muslim.

Orthodox church in Cyprus

The island of Cyprus is an island of discord, where for several centuries there were fierce wars and a volcano of passions raged. Many people 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 population of Cyprus , then conditionally the island of Cyprus can be divided into 3 more or less stable parts, one part of which occupied by the Greeks, another by the Turks and everything else is divided among themselves - other nationalities: Russians, British, Armenians and Arabs .

The Greek Cypriots vehemently defend their interests and firmly stand on the fact that the island is their original homeland. The Greek Cypriots have rather conservative views. They are hardworking, honest and enterprising. Despite their slowness and regularity of life, the Greek Cypriots truly appreciate the beneficial rest. They know how to enjoy the rest, forgetting about all the hardships and squabbles. Many would do well to learn this skill from them. The vast majority of Greek Cypriots cherish the Orthodox religion while Turkish Cypriots are Sunni Muslims. Thanks to these two main populations in Cyprus, The official languages ​​on the island are Greek and Turkish. , but the vast majority of Cypriots are able to communicate quite well in English.

IN percentage you can imagine the picture as follows (out of 900,000 people inhabiting the island of Cyprus):

over 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 (more than 20,000 people), British (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 set 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 contacting them with a request, for example, to suggest the way in order to plan a route, they will patiently and in detail explain everything to you or kindly guide you to the right place. Law enforcement agencies themselves are tolerant of tourists, always polite and attentive. The crime rate here is minimal . This is one of the distinguishing features of the island of Cyprus.

Visiting Russian tourists in Cyprus may be somewhat annoyed by the excessive and incomprehensible slowness of the Cypriots for us. This can be seriously annoying. Therefore, while relaxing in Cyprus, remember that there is nowhere to rush and there is certainly nothing to worry about! You have come to rest, so enjoy the beauty, silence, tranquility and pleasant cool sea ​​breeze Mediterranean Sea.

Cyprus has an area of ​​9,251 square kilometers (3,571 sq mi), and coastline 648 km (402 mi). In comparison, the island is only about half the size of Connecticut. The capital Nicosia is located in the central part of the island. It is a divided capital, with Greek Cypriots in control of the southern part of the city (Nicosia) and Turkish Cypriots in control of the northern part of the city (Lefkosa).

In 1983, the Turkish administration announced the creation of an independent state in the Northern Territory, with the name of the Republic of Turkey. Northern Cyprus(TRNC). The population of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, according to the 1996 census, was 200,587. Of this number, 164,460 were Turkish Cypriots, 30,702 were Turkish citizens, and 5,425 had citizenship of other countries. The natural population growth in the Turkish zone is 0.9 percent.

Greek Cypriots make up just over three-quarters of the island's population, 99.5 percent of them live in the Greek zone and the remaining 0.5 percent in the Turkish zone. Turkish Cypriots make up almost the entire remaining population, 98.7 percent of whom live in the Turkish zone and 1.3 percent in the Greek zone. Other ethnic minorities make up less than 5 percent of total population islands, and they live mainly in the territory of Southern Cyprus.
Three main languages ​​are spoken on the island: Greek, Turkish and English. Greek is the dominant language in the south; Turkish dominates in the north. Most of the population can also speak English. Over 90 percent of the population is literate.

The religious structure of the island is divided, as is its population. Members of the Greek Orthodox Church make up 78 percent of the total population of the island and live mainly in the Republic of Cyprus. Turks in TRNC are mostly Muslims. Other religious groups such as the Maronites and Armenian Apostolics together make up less than 5 percent of the total population.
The last population census that took place in Northern Cyprus was in 2011, when all residents or vacationers were required to stay at their place of residence, was not completely successful. The results of this census gave the total number of permanent residents (those who live on the northern part of the island for a year or more) as 256,644, and the number of people who were on the island that day as 265,100.
The data showed that since the last census, there has been a strong increase in the resident population: in Kyrenia 60%, Nicosia 37%, Famagusta 21%, 14% and Guzelyurt 13%. The population permanently residing in Northern Cyprus increased by 36% overall, with a total of 138,568 males and 118,076 females. Unfortunately, there are no statistics on the composition of local Cypriots and foreigners, but one can at least conclude that the population of Northern Cyprus is definitely on the rise!
Censuses are usually held every ten years in Northern Cyprus and the next one is due in 2016.

Turkish Settlers in Northern Cyprus

For several years, the authorities of Northern Cyprus have encouraged and supported the immigration of Turks from the mainland in order to fill the territory of Northern Cyprus. Most of the Turkish settlers were agricultural workers and their families. This fact definitely changed the demographic, social and intellectual composition of Turkish Cyprus. This policy remains extremely controversial, for a number of reasons. The Greek Cypriots claim that this violates international law Turkish Cypriots generally see it as a political ploy to ensure Ankara's dominance.

The population of Cyprus is over 1.1 million people.

National composition:

• Greeks;
• other nationalities (Turks, Armenians, Arabs, English).

Greek Cypriots inhabit mainly the southern part of Cyprus, while Turkish Cypriots inhabit the northern part. In addition, migrants from Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka live in Cyprus.

There are 120 people per square kilometer, but the highest population density is in Leukosia and the lowest in Paphos.

The official language is Greek, but Turkish, English and Russian are widely spoken in Cyprus.

Big cities: Nicosia, Limassol, Lefkosia, Larnaca, Paphos, Famagusta, Lemesos, Amohostos.

The inhabitants of Cyprus profess Orthodoxy, Islam (Sunnism), Protestantism, Catholicism.

Lifespan

The male population lives on average up to 78 years, and the female population lives up to 81 years.

High rates are largely due to the fact that Cyprus has created ideal conditions for healing the body (sea, mountains, a large number of sunny days, fresh and healthy products).

Cyprus has a well-developed healthcare system (many people come here not only for SPA procedures, but also for cosmetic surgery and for IVF procedures) - local clinics employ professionals who use modern equipment, advanced medical and diagnostic techniques in their work.

But in Cyprus, not everything is so rosy - Cypriots smoke a lot (the percentage of smokers is the highest in the EU): everyone smokes here - women, men, and 12-14-year-old school students.

Traditions and customs of the inhabitants of Cyprus

Cypriots are hardworking and cheerful people who love music and dancing, without which not a single walk can do.

Cypriots are very friendly and always ready to help - answer a question or take you to the right place. Often, tastings are organized in shops for tourists, and they can also be given some kind of souvenir.

Cypriots like to celebrate the water holiday Kataklismos (May-June) - on this day people compete in sea sports and take part in competitions that are accompanied by pouring water.

Cypriots love to have fun, so festivals are at a premium in Cyprus, for example, in July-August locals participate in the Festival of Ancient Greek Drama, and in September - the Limassol Wine Festival.

Wedding traditions are interesting in that the father, giving his daughter in marriage, must provide her with a dowry - to provide a fully furnished house at the disposal of the young family. At the wedding, as a rule, guests do not give gifts - only money in envelopes.

If you come to Cyprus, keep in mind that here you can be fined a tidy sum if you pollute the environment, for example, for garbage thrown out of a car window, you will have to pay 850 euros.

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 fleeing the Middle East. armed conflict immigrants from Syria and Lebanon. 3% - foreign citizens, mostly British; V last years formed a Russian colony. 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.