Filenews 21 January 2026
Cyprus ranks fourth among EU Member States in terms of motorisation with 661 passenger cars per thousand inhabitants and second in air passengers with 12.5 passengers per inhabitant in 2024, according to Eurostat's 'Transport Basics in Europe' report.
Eurostat today released the report, which captures key data on passenger and freight transport in the EU, as well as the broader context of infrastructure, economic impact, energy use and environmental impact.
According to the report, Cyprus comes fourth among the member states, with the highest rates of motorization. In particular, the index for road passenger vehicles amounted to 661 passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants in 2024. The highest rates of motorisation were recorded in Italy (701 per 1,000 inhabitants), Luxembourg (670) and Finland (666). At the same time, the lowest rates were recorded in Latvia (424), Romania (444) and Hungary (447 per 1,000 inhabitants). The average in the European Union was 578 passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants.
Second in airplane passengers
According to the report, Cyprus is among the countries of the European Union with the highest ratio of air passengers per capita for the year 2024.
As recorded in the report, the countries of the southern EU with intense tourist activity showed increased proportions. More specifically, Malta recorded 15.6 passengers per inhabitant, with Cyprus following with 12.5. High proportions were also recorded in Luxembourg and Ireland, with 7.5 passengers per inhabitant.
In contrast, the countries of the eastern European Union recorded the seven lowest ratios, all of them below two passengers per capita. The EU average was 2.3 passengers per inhabitant.
It is noted that the measurement is based on the number of passengers carried by flights to and from the country compared to the permanent population.
In 2024, the majority of journeys made by vehicles registered in the European Union concerned transport within the Member States themselves. At EU level, this figure exceeded two-thirds. In Cyprus, almost all vehicle kilometers were related to national transport (97.5%), while in contrast in Lithuania the lowest percentage was recorded (11%), with limited activity within the country.
Employment in the transport sector
According to the report, in 2024, 6.3 million people in the European Union worked in the transport sector, accounting for 3.1% of total employment. In terms of specialisation, Romania was the country with the highest share of transport services, at 6.2%. The least specialized countries were Cyprus (1.7%) and Germany (1.8%).
In 2024, the highest levels of employment in the transport sector were recorded in France (854,000 people, 13.7% of the EU total), Poland (12.2%), Spain (12.1%), Germany (11.5%) and Italy (9.9%). The lowest levels were recorded in Malta and Cyprus, with 0.1% each of the EU total.
CNA
