Nicosia: The population in the government-controlled areas of Cyprus was estimated at 983,000 at the end of 2024, up from 966,400 a year earlier, marking an increase of 1.7%.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the latest demographic data released by the Statistical Service of Cyprus confirms the continued ageing of the population. Children under the age of 15 accounted for 15.2% of the population in 2024, while people aged 65 and over rose to 18.3%. By comparison, in 2000 children made up 22.3% of the population and those aged 65 and over stood at 11.3%, highlighting a long-term decline in younger age groups and a steady rise in older ones.
The number of births declined in 2024 to 9,766 from 10,241 the previous year, resulting in a crude birth rate of 10 births per 1,000 population. The total fertility rate was estimated at 1.4, unchanged from 2023. Fertility levels have been gradually decreasing over the past decades, falling from a local peak of 2.5 in 1982. Since 1995, the fertility rate has remained below the replacement level of 2.1. The mean age of women at the birth of their first child was estimated at 30.4 years in 2024, while the average age at childbirth overall stood at 31.6 years.
Deaths in the government-controlled areas reached 6,753 in 2024, marginally higher than the 6,742 recorded in 2023. The crude death rate was estimated at 6.9 deaths per 1,000 population. Life expectancy at birth continued to improve, reaching 81.4 years for males and 85.8 years for females in 2024, compared with 81.0 and 85.0 years respectively in the previous year. Infant mortality showed a notable decline, falling to 3.0 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024 from 4.5 in 2023.
Net migration remained positive in 2024 and was estimated at 13,588. Cyprus has recorded positive net migration for most years since 1983, with the exception of the period between 2012 and 2015. From 2016 onwards, migration balances have again been positive. Long-term immigrants, including Cypriots and foreign nationals arriving for settlement or employment of one year or more, totalled 40,471 in 2024, broadly unchanged from 40,761 in 2023. The number of emigrants was estimated at 26,883 in 2024, slightly lower than the 26,979 recorded a year earlier.
The total number of marriages fell to 10,334 in 2024 from 11,766 in 2023. Ecclesiastical marriages declined to 3,801 from 4,355, while civil marriages dropped to 6,533 from 7,411. As in previous years, a significant share of civil marriages involved foreigners not residing in Cyprus. Of the 6,533 civil marriages celebrated in 2024, only 1,908 involved residents, bringing the total number of marriages of residents to 5,709. Divorces also edged down, with 2,107 recorded in 2024 compared with 2,134 the previous year. The crude divorce rate decreased to 2.16 per 1,000 population, from 2.23 in 2023. However, the total divorce rate - which estimates the proportion of marriages expected to end in divorce - rose to 347.5 divorces per 1,000 marriages in 2024, a sharp increase compared with 41.6 per 1,000 marriages recorded in 1980.