Filenews 18 May 2022
The preliminary results of the Population and Housing Census 2021 were announced by the Statistical Service. According to the preliminary results, the population in the State-controlled areas of Cyprus on October 1, 2021 reached 918,100, presenting an increase of 9.2% compared to the results of the Population Census 2011 (840,400). 48.6% of the population were men and 51.4% were women.
Population by Province
The population recorded in the Nicosia District was 351,600 people and constituted a percentage of 38% of the total population, in the Limassol District 258,900 (28%), in the Larnaca District 154,200 (17%), in the Pafos District 101,900 (11%) and in the Famagusta District 51,500 (6%).
The chart below shows the percentage distribution of the population by Province.
The District of Pafos presents the largest population increase compared to 2011, with a percentage of 15.4% and then Famagusta with a percentage of 10.5%. The Limassol District shows an increase of 10.0%, the District of Larnaka 7.7% and the District of Nicosia 7.5% (Table 1).
Table 1 | |||
Province | Population 1/10/2021 | Population 1/10/2011 | Percentage Increase (2021/2011) |
Nicosia | 351.600 | 327.000 | 7,5 |
Famagusta | 51.500 | 46.600 | 10,5 |
Larnaca | 154.200 | 143.200 | 7,7 |
Limassol | 258.900 | 235.300 | 10,0 |
Paphos | 101.900 | 88.300 | 15,4 |
Total | 918.100 | 840.400 | 9,2 |
Population by Age
The percentage of children under the age of 15 is 15.9%. The percentage of people aged 15-64 is 67.4% and the percentage of people aged 65 and over is 16.7%. The percentage of people aged 65 and over has surpassed the proportion of children under the age of 15, a characteristic of the aging trend of the population. This trend is also observed in most European countries, which also have ageing characteristics
Population by Nationality
The total number of foreign nationals is 193,300 and corresponds to 21.1% of the total population. The District of Pafos holds the largest percentage of foreign nationals in terms of the total population of the District (38%). In the Limassol District the percentage of foreigners is 20.5% and in the District of Larnaca 18.9%. In the districts of Famagusta and Nicosia, foreign nationals constitute 18.6% and 17.9% of the population of the District, respectively (Table 2).
Table 2 | |||||
Province | Total | Cypriot | Foreign | ||
Population | Percentage (%) | Population | Percentage (%) | ||
Nicosia | 351.600 | 288.800 | 82,1 | 62.800 | 17,9 |
Famagusta | 51.500 | 41.900 | 81,4 | 9.600 | 18,6 |
Larnaca | 154.200 | 125.100 | 81,1 | 29.100 | 18,9 |
Limassol | 258.900 | 205.800 | 79,5 | 53.100 | 20,5 |
Paphos | 101.900 | 63.200 | 62,0 | 38.700 | 38,0 |
Total | 918.100 | 724.800 | 78,9 | 193.300 | 21,1 |
Average Household Size
The average household size shows a gradual decrease, reaching 2.6 persons per household in 2021, compared to 4.0 persons recorded in the 1976 Census, 3.2 persons in the 1992 Census and 2.8 persons in the last Population Census (2011). At district level, the largest average household size is recorded in the Famagusta District, while the smallest size in the Pafos District (Table 3).
Table 3 | ||||
Province | Average Household Size | |||
2021 | 2011 | 1992 | 1976 | |
Nicosia | 2,6 | 2,7 | 3,2 | 4,0 |
Famagusta | 2,8 | 2,9 | 3,4 | 4,2 |
Larnaca | 2,7 | 2,9 | 3,3 | 4,1 |
Limassol | 2,6 | 2,8 | 3,2 | 3,9 |
Paphos | 2,5 | 2,7 | 3,1 | 3,7 |
Total | 2,6 | 2,8 | 3,2 | 4,0 |
The Statistical Office will be able to provide more detailed information at a later stage. The data that will be compiled will be announced and published on the website of the Statistical Service.
The Statistical Service expresses its warm thanks to all citizens for providing the data requested and assures that all information recorded in the questionnaires as well as the information used by the administrative sources will be kept confidential and will be used exclusively for statistical purposes.
METHODOLOGICAL INFORMATION
The Population and Housing Census, which began in October 2021, aimed at the full and accurate geographical coverage of residences, institutions, households and individuals, Cypriot and foreign nationals, who had their habitual residence in state-controlled areas on October 1, 2021.
The Census is a key source of information and statistical data and is usually conducted at regular intervals of 10 years. It is the most costly and demanding work carried out by the Statistical Service. The last Population Census was conducted in 2011.
The tables presented in the press release relate to preliminary results which may vary after the completion of the project and the control procedures aimed at ensuring the quality of the data.
Data Collection Method
According to the original planning, the data would be collected by conducting personal or telephone interviews (traditional method) using a laptop, or by filling in a questionnaire form by the inventories themselves.
Approximately 1,000 enumerators would be employed in order to carry out the project nationwide. Due to the fact that there was not the expected interest from candidates, the project employed a much smaller number of enumerators, affecting the timetable for its completion. In addition, the particular conditions prevailing due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), were another inhibiting factor in the development of the project, putting the completion of the Census outside the initial planning (end of December 2021).
Therefore, for the completion of the project it was deemed necessary to modify the original method of data collection. In particular, new methods were adopted, which concerned the use of administrative archives as additional sources of information, as well as the use of modern technology. The administrative sources, which were used by the Statistical Service for this purpose after the approval of the Commissioner for the Protection of Personal Data, were used to supplement the main demographic characteristics of the population, such as place of residence, gender, age, nationality, etc. These sources mainly concern the Registry of Beneficiaries of the Health Insurance Organization, the Birth Registry, the Death Registry, as well as the Population Archive.
The preliminary results were obtained both from the collection of data by the traditional method (where so far 66% of the population has been covered) and from administrative sources (to cover the rest of the population). Then, and for the completion of the project, data will be checked and filled in, either by personal / telephone interviews or by further processing of the available administrative sources.
The use of administrative resources for the purpose of carrying out the Population Census is a trend that has been observed in many European countries for a long time. According to the latest information available, around 38% of EU countries chose to carry out the Population Census 2021 using administrative sources exclusively, while a significant proportion of 35% of countries also chose to combine the traditional Census with the use of combined censuses. The traditional method of collecting data by interviewing was chosen by 27% of EU countries.
The aim is for the framework that will result from the Population Census to constitute a Dynamic Statistical Population Register which will be updated on an ongoing basis from various administrative sources. As a result, there will no longer be the need to conduct the Population Census door-to-door to the entire population. The Dynamic Statistical Population Register will be the basis for the production of population data and demographic indicators annually, aiming at direct information and policy-making assistance.
Legal Framework and Data Protection
The Population Census 2021 is carried out in all EU Member States, following common concepts and definitions, based on Regulation (EC) No 763/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008 on population and housing censuses.
The conduct of the Census in Cyprus is also governed by the Official Statistics Law of 2021 (Law 25(I)/2021). According to this Law, the data collected are kept confidential and used solely for statistical purposes.
The Statistical Service strictly applies statistical confidentiality. The internal procedures resulting from the application of statistical confidentiality fully cover the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR), ensuring data protection at every stage, from collection to publication. The data produced shall always be made public in aggregated form so that the identity of any persons cannot be disclosed directly or indirectly.
