Population of Cyprus

According to data from the Statistical Service of the Ministry of Finance, the total population of Cyprus was 802.500 at the end of 2002 of whom 80, 1% (642.600) is considered to be members of the Christian Greek Cypriot community and speak Greek. Of the remainder, 10, 9% (87.400) belong to the Muslem Turkish Cypriot community and speak Turkish, and 9% (72.500) are foreign workers and expatriates residing in Cyprus.

English is widely spoken in Cyprus and regularly used in commerce and government. While the majority of the Greek Cypriot community are members of the Autocephalous Greek Cypriot Orthodox Church of Cyprus, 1% are actually members of the Armenian, Maronite and Latin churches. Under the provisions of the 1960 Constitution these religious minorities chose to be considered members of the Greek Cypriot community.

Since the Turkish invasion and occupation of over a third of the island, the demographic character has been changed dramatically as a result of Turkey¢s population policies. There are now around 115.000 illegal Turkish settlers in the occupied area, while an estimated 55.000 Turkish Cypriots have emigrated.