Census takes place in northern Cyprus

A census of the population took place in northern Cyprus on Sunday under strict curfew conditions which started at 5 am and lasted until 6 pm, as details were taken by face-to-face interviews.

The (Greek Cypriot) Republic of Cyprus government has refused in advance to recognise the results.

The population in the unrecognsed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is a politically sensitive matter, since it has implications for any final settlement that might be agreed between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities.

Figures from Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sources differ wildly, with Greek Cypriots saying the population is only 88,000 (compared with around 780,000 in the south) and Turkish Cypriots saying it is closer to 200,000.

Recent research conducted by PRIO, based on censuses in the main emigration destinations such as the UK, US, Turkey and Australia, show that Greek Cypriot figures have probably over-estimated the number of Turkish Cypriots who have emigrated.

Moreover, Greek Cypriot figures deliberately do not include inhabitants born in Turkey (nor their children). Turkish-born inhabitants, regardless of their status within “TRNC” are considered along with their children by Greek Cypriots to be illegal immigrants, having entered through a port that is not recognised by the Republic of Cyprus but also because of a deliberate settlement policy of Turkey in previous decades.