Cyprus sees population surge: 9.9% growth in a decade!

Cyprus' population recorded an increase of 9.9% in the period between 2011 and 2021, according to the preliminary results of the Census of Population and Housing 2021, published by the Statistical Service on Friday.

The total population in the Government controlled areas of Cyprus on the 1st October 2021 was 923,272 persons, compared to 840,407 persons that were registered in the 2011 Census, while the corresponding total number of housing units was 492,555, recording an increase of 13.7%, compared to 433,212 in 2011.

Housing Units and Population by District

A total number of 163,239 housing units and 350,824 persons were enumerated in the district of Lefkosia, corresponding to 33.1% and 38% respectively of the total for Cyprus.

In Lemesos district, 132,305 (26.9%) housing units and 262,236 (28.4%) persons were enumerated, in Larnaka district 82,233 (16.7%) housing units and 155,753 (16.9%) persons, in Paphos district 74,498 (15.1%) housing units and 100,175 (10.8%) persons and lastly in Ammochostos district, 40,280 (8.2%) housing units and 54,282 (5.9%) persons.

Compared to the results of the 2011 Census, the largest percentage increase in the number of housing units as well as in the population was recorded in Ammochostos district, with 18% and 16.4% respectively. The second largest percentage increase in the population was recorded in the Paphos district with 13.5%, whereas the second largest percentage increase in housing units was recorded in the Lemesos district, with 15.4%).

Housing Units and Population by Urban/Rural Area

According to the preliminary results of the 2021 Census, 615,731 persons, equal to 66.7% of the population, resided in urban areas and 307,541 (33.3%) in rural areas. The corresponding percentages recorded in the 2011 Census were 67.4% (566,191 persons) and 32.6% (274,216 persons), thus showing that overall, there was no reduction in the population of rural areas, even though in some distant or mountainous communities there was a decrease in the number of residents, the Statistical Service notes.

Furthermore, the total population increase recorded in urban areas compared to the 2011 Census was 8.7% and in rural areas 12.2%. As regards housing units, a share of 60.5% (or 297,805 housing units) are in urban areas and 39.5% (194,750) in rural areas. Compared to 2011, an increase of 12.8% in the total number of housing units was recorded in urban areas and a corresponding increase of 15.1% in rural areas.

Population and Housing Units by Municipality/Community

The largest municipality in the Government controlled areas is Lemesos Municipality with a total population of 108,105 persons (54.4% of the total population of urban Lemesos) and 50,183 housing units (55.8% of the total housing units in urban Lemesos), according to the preliminary results of the 2021 Census. It is followed by Strovolos Municipality with a total of 71,123 persons enumerated (27.8% of the total population of urban Lefkosia) and 32,585 housing units (27.3% of the total housing units in urban Lefkosia) and Lefkosia Municipality with 56,848 persons enumerated (22.2% of the total in urban Lefkosia) and 30,145 housing units (25.3% of the total in urban Lefkosia).

The same ranking among the three largest municipalities was also been observed in the results of the 2011 Census, according to the Statistical Service.

Focusing attention on the urban municipalities with a population of 20,000 persons and above, the Statistical Service notes that it is evident that in the last decade the largest percentage increase, both in housing units and in population, was documented in the Aradippou Municipality with 19.6% and 19.3% respectively.

The second largest percentage increase in the population compared to the 2011 Census was recorded in Egkomi Municipality with 13.8%, followed by Paphos Municipality with 13.4%.

In rural areas, Paralimni Municipality is the largest municipality with 20,450 housing units, up 13.3% compared to 2011, and a population of 19,035 persons, up 27.2%, followed by Dali Municipality with 4,391 housing units (20.9%) and 12,350 persons (18%).

In the last decade, in urban Lefkosia, the municipality with the largest percentage increase both in housing units and population was Geri Municipality with 19.4% and 17.2% respectively (3,644 housing units and 9,651 persons). In urban Lemesos, the municipality with the largest percentage increase compared to 2011 was Germasogeia Municipality, both in housing units and population, with 35.6% and 29.1% respectively (11,254 housing units and 17,325 persons).

The Statistical Service underlines a significant increase in urban Lemesos, specifically in Ypsonas Municipality, with a 31.5% increase in housing units and a 25.6% increase in the population (4,968 housing units and 13,966 persons).

In Larnaka district, the largest municipality according to the 2021 Census was Larnaka Municipality with 29,545 housing units and a population of 52,038 persons. Consequently, Larnaka Municipality constitutes 66.3% of the total number of housing units in urban Larnaka and 57.6% of the corresponding population.

Paphos Municipality is the largest municipality in the Paphos district, with a total of 24,003 housing units and a population of 37,297 persons, which constitutes 54.4% of the total number of housing units and 52.8% of the total population in urban Paphos.

In Ammochostos district, Paralimni Municipality with 20,450 housing units and 19,035 persons enumerated, constitutes 50.8% of the housing units and 35.1% of the population of the district.

Significant positive changes were recorded in other municipalities and communities in the 2021 Census, such as Pegeia Municipality, Agia Napa Municipality and the communities of Pyla, Voroklini and Chlorakas.

The Statistical Service will be able to provide more detailed information at a later stage, while the data which will be produced will be announced and published on the web Portal of the Statistical Service.