Demographics of Northern Cyprus

{{Short description|none}} {{see also|Turkish Cypriots|Mainland Turks in Northern Cyprus|List of populated places in Northern Cyprus|Demographics of Cyprus}} {{Pie chart |thumb = right |caption = Ethnic groups of Northern Cyprus (2006 census)<ref>{{cite web |title=Tablo – 8 : Yaş Grubu, Milliyet ve Cinsiyete Göre Sürekli İkamet Eden (de-jure) KKTC Vatandaşı Nüfus. TOPLAM |url=http://nufussayimi.devplan.org/Nufus-nitelikleri_main.html |access-date=12 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314011919/http://nufussayimi.devplan.org/Nufus-nitelikleri_main.html |archive-date=14 March 2016 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref> |label1 = [[Turkish people|Turks]] |value1 = 99.2 |color1 = MediumSeaGreen |label2 = [[Greeks]] |value2 = 0.2 |color2 = DarkOrchid |label3 = [[English people|English]] |value3 = 0.2 |color3 = DarkGray |label4 = [[Maronites]] |value4 = 0.1 |color4 = Silver |label5 = Other |value5 = 0.3 |color5 = YellowGreen }}

[[Northern Cyprus]]'s first official census was performed in 1996. The population recorded was 200,587.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kibrispostasi.com/index.php/cat/1/col/97/art/9407/PageName/KIBRIS_POSTASI |title=Kıbrıslı Türkler Kaç Kişi – Kıbrıs Postası Gazetesi – Haber Merkezi |publisher=Kibrispostasi.com |access-date=14 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927025318/http://www.kibrispostasi.com/index.php/cat/1/col/97/art/9407/PageName/KIBRIS_POSTASI |archive-date=27 September 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all}}</ref> The second census, carried out in 2006, revealed the population of Northern Cyprus to be 265,100,<ref name=census2006>{{cite web|url=http://nufussayimi.devplan.org/Census%202006.pdf |title=Census.XLS |access-date=14 February 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116120824/http://nufussayimi.devplan.org/Census%202006.pdf |archive-date=16 January 2013 |df=dmy}}</ref>  of which majority is composed of indigenous [[Turkish Cypriots]] (including [[Cypriot refugees|refugees from Southern Cyprus]]) and [[Mainland Turks in Northern Cyprus|settlers from Turkey]]. Of the 178,000 Turkish Cypriot citizens, 82% are native Cypriots (145,000). Of the 45,000 people born to non-Cypriot parentage, nearly 40% (17,000) were born in Cyprus. The figure for non-citizens, including students, guest workers and temporary residents stood at 78,000 people.<ref name=census2006/><ref>{{cite news |last=Bahceli |first=Simon |title=Indigenous Turkish Cypriots just over half north's population |url=http://cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=30725&cat_id=1 |publisher=[[Cyprus Mail]] |date=15 February 2007 |access-date=16 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930015114/http://cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=30725&cat_id=1 |archive-date=30 September 2007 |url-status=dead |df=dmy}}</ref>

The third official census of Northern Cyprus was carried out in 2011, made under the auspices of UN observers. It returned a total population of 294,906.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.devplan.org/Nufus-2011/nufus%20son_.pdf |title=Basin Bildirisi |publisher=Devplan.org |access-date=14 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927104440/http://www.devplan.org/Nufus-2011/nufus%20son_.pdf |archive-date=27 September 2013 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all}}</ref> These results were disputed by some political parties, labour unions and local newspapers. The government was accused of deliberately under-counting the population, after apparently giving an estimate of 700,000 before the census, in order to demand financial help from Turkey.<ref name=censusDoubts>{{cite news |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Census+in+north+marred+by+delays+and+doubts.-a0274211364 |newspaper=CyprusMail |date=6 December 2011 |access-date=6 April 2013 |title=Census in north marred by delays and doubts |quote=Top selling daily Kibris described the headcount as "controversial", while out-spoken left-wing daily Afrika dubbed it a "fiasco" |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022220149/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Census+in+north+marred+by+delays+and+doubts.-a0274211364 |archive-date=22 October 2013 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="censusOverestimates">{{cite news |date=13 December 2011 |title=TC'den para isterken 700 bin diyorlardı |trans-title=When they were asking for money from Turkey, they were saying 700 thousand |url=http://www.kibrisgazetesi.com/index.php/cat/2/news/129918/PageName/Ic_Haberler |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120109192117/http://www.kibrisgazetesi.com/index.php/cat/2/news/129918/PageName/Ic_Haberler |archive-date=9 January 2012 |access-date=23 December 2011 |newspaper=Kibris |language=tr |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="census2011">{{cite news |date=11 December 2011 |title=Nifus sayımı gerçekçi değil |trans-title=The population census is not realistic |url=http://www.kibrisgazetesi.com/index.php/cat/2/news/129803/PageName/Ic_Haberler |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108033749/http://www.kibrisgazetesi.com/index.php/cat/2/news/129803/PageName/Ic_Haberler |archive-date=8 January 2012 |access-date=23 December 2011 |newspaper=Kibris |language=tr |df=dmy-all}}</ref> One source claims that the population in the north has reached 500,000,<ref>{{cite book |last=Cole |first=Jeffrey |author-link=Jeffrey Cole |year=2011 |title=Ethnic Groups of Europe: An Encyclopedia |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-59884-302-6 |page=95}}</ref> split between 50% Turkish Cypriots and 50% Turkish settlers or Cypriot-born children of such settlers.<ref>{{cite book |last=Cole |first=Jeffrey |author-link=Jeffrey Cole |year=2011 |title=Ethnic Groups of Europe: An Encyclopedia |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-59884-302-6 |page=97}}</ref> Researcher Mete Hatay has written that such reports are "wildly speculative" and are picked up by opposition parties for political benefit, which resulted in reports in the south. Such reports have never been scientifically or statistically scrutinised, despite opportunities of opposition parties to do so using the electoral rolls in their possession, thereby continuing a "war of numbers".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Hatay|first1=Mete|title=Is the Turkish Cypriot Population Shrinking?|url=http://file.prio.no/publication_files/Cyprus/Report%202007-2%20Is%20the%20Turkish%20Cypriot%20Population%20Shrinking.pdf|publisher=PRIO Cyprus Center|access-date=20 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220054745/http://file.prio.no/publication_files/Cyprus/Report%202007-2%20Is%20the%20Turkish%20Cypriot%20Population%20Shrinking.pdf|archive-date=20 February 2015|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The Government of Northern Cyprus estimates that the 1983 population of Northern Cyprus was 155,521.<ref name="auto2">{{cite web |url=http://www.devplan.org/Ecosos/EXCEL-ENG/sesco-eng.zip |title=Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Economic and Social Indicators 2010 |publisher=Devplan.org |access-date=14 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105022542/http://www.devplan.org/Ecosos/EXCEL-ENG/sesco-eng.zip |archive-date=5 November 2013 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all}}</ref> An island-wide census in 1960 indicated the number of Turkish Cypriots as 102,000 and Greek Cypriots as 450,000.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-3458.html |title=Cyprus – Society |publisher=Country-data.com |access-date=17 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514185548/http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-3458.html |archive-date=14 May 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all}}</ref> {{As of|2005}}, the settlers constituted no more than 25% of the electorate in Northern Cyprus.

Northern Cyprus is almost entirely Turkish-speaking. English, however, is widely spoken as a second language.{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}}

== Population exchange agreement == On 2 August 1975, in the negotiations in Vienna, a population exchange agreement was signed between [[Turkish Cypriots]] and [[Greek Cypriots]] under the auspices of the United Nations.<ref name="un.org">{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/11789 |title=Links to documents |publisher=[[United Nations]] |date=9 September 2002 |access-date=14 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102174825/http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s%2F11789 |archive-date=2 November 2012 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="Hakki2007">{{cite book|author=Murat Metin Hakki |title=The Cyprus Issue: A Documentary History, 1878–2006 |year=2007 |publisher=I.B.Tauris |isbn=978-1-84511-392-6 |pages=194–195 }}</ref> On the basis of the agreement, 196,000 Greek Cypriots living in the north were exchanged for 42,000 Turkish Cypriots living in the south<ref>{{cite book |url=http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/euromosaic-iii-pbNC7406031/downloads/NC-74-06-031-EN-C/NC7406031ENC_002.pdf |publisher=Research Centre on Multilingualism, [[Catholic University of Brussels]] |year=2004 |title=Euromosaic III: Presence of Regional and Minority Language Groups in the New Member States |page=18}}</ref> (the numbers was disputed).<ref name="BahcheliBartmann2004">{{cite book |last1=Bahcheli |first1=Tozun |last2=Bartmann |first2=Barry |last3=Srebrnik |first3=Henry Felix |title=De Facto States: The Quest for Sovereignty |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uIbah-giC0EC&pg=PA168 |year=2004 |publisher=Psychology Press |isbn=978-0-7146-5476-8 |page=168 |quote=...the number of settlers was disputed between Turkish and ... |access-date=20 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905234240/https://books.google.com/books?id=uIbah-giC0EC&pg=PA168 |archive-date=5 September 2015 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all}}</ref> The Orthodox Greek Cypriots in [[Rizokarpaso]], [[Ayios Andronikos, Cyprus|Agios Andronikos]] and [[Agia Trias, Cyprus|Agia Triada]] chose to stay in their villages,<ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=http://famagusta-gazette.com/weekly-unficyp-trip-to-enclaved-cypriots-a-respite-from-daily-hardships-p22148-69.htm |work=Famagusta Gazette |date=30 January 2014 |title=Weekly UNFICYP trip to enclaved Cypriots a respite from daily hardships |access-date=1 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140318104959/http://famagusta-gazette.com/weekly-unficyp-trip-to-enclaved-cypriots-a-respite-from-daily-hardships-p22148-69.htm |archive-date=18 March 2014}}</ref> as did also Catholic [[Maronites]] in [[Asomatos, Kyrenia|Asomatos]], [[Karpasia (town)|Karpasia]] and [[Kormakitis]].

== Minorities == === Greek Cypriots=== There are Orthodox Greek Cypriots in [[Rizokarpaso]], [[Ayios Andronikos, Cyprus|Agios Andronikos]] and [[Agia Trias, Cyprus|Agia Triada]] in [[Northern Cyprus]].<ref name="auto"/> There are 644 [[Greek Cypriot]]s living in [[Rizokarpaso]] (Dipkarpaz).<ref name="auto1">{{cite web |url=http://nufussayimi.devplan.org/Nüfus%20Tabloları/Nitelikler/Tablo8.NITELIK.zip |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725232040/http://nufussayimi.devplan.org/N%C3%BCfus%20Tablolar%C4%B1/Nitelikler/Tablo8.NITELIK.zip |title=Please, add title |archive-date=25 July 2011}}</ref> [[Rizokarpaso]] is the home of the biggest Greek-speaking population in [[Northern Cyprus]].

=== Maronites === There are Catholic [[Maronites]] in [[Asomatos, Kyrenia|Asomatos]], [[Karpasia (town)|Karpasia]] and [[Kormakitis]] in [[Northern Cyprus]]. There are 364 [[Maronites]] in [[Kormakitis]].<ref name="auto1"/>

== Censuses and projections == The Statistical Institute of Turkish Republic of [[Northern Cyprus]] occasionally perform censuses and periodically declare the projections of the [[Northern Cyprus]] census. In 1960 - before the establishment of Northern Cyprus in 1983-, [[Turkish Cypriots]] were non-accumulated in the north.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;" |- ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Type ! scope="col" | [[Gazimağusa District|Famagusta]] ! scope="col" | [[Güzelyurt District|Güzelyurt]] ! scope="col" | [[İskele District|Iskele]] ! scope="col" | [[Girne District|Kyrenia]] ! scope="col" | [[Lefke District|Lefka]] ! scope="col" | [[Lefkoşa District|N.Nicosia]] ! scope="col" | Total ! scope="col" | Ref/Date |- ! scope="row"| 1960 | census | |align="left"| | | | | | style="text-align: center;"| 104,350 | 11.12.1960 |- ! scope="row"| 1983 | projection | |align="left"| | | style="text-align: center;"| | | | 155,521 |15.11.1983<ref name="auto2"/> |- ! scope="row"| 1996 | census | |align="left"| | | style="text-align: center;"| | | | 200,587 | 15.12.1996 |- ! scope="row"| 2006 | census | 64,269 |align="center"| 20,045 | 21,978 | style="text-align: center;"| 62,158 | 11,071 | 85,579 | 265,100 | 30.04.2006 |- ! scope="row"| 2011 | census | 69,741 | 18,946 | 22,492 | style="text-align: center;"| 69,163 | 11,091 | 94,824 | 286,257 | 04.12.2011 |- ! scope="row"| 2020 | projection | |align="left"| | | style="text-align: center;"| | | | 419,810 | 31.12.2020 |- ! scope="row"| 2021 | projection | |align="left"| | | style="text-align: center;"| | | | 448,268 | 31.12.2021 |- ! scope="row"| 2022 | projection | |align="left"| | | style="text-align: center;"| | | | 462,747 | 31.12.2022 |- ! scope="row"| 2023 | projection | |align="left"| | | style="text-align: center;"| | | | 476,214 | 31.12.2023 |- ! scope="row"| 2024 | projection | |align="left"| | | style="text-align: center;"| | | | 489,308 | 31.12.2024<ref>{{cite web |url=https://istatistik.gov.ct.tr/Portals/39/ISTATIISTIK_YILLIK_2024.pdf |title=Statistical Yearbook 2024 |access-date= 21 Feb 2026}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| 2025 | projection | |align="left"| | | style="text-align: center;"| | | | 590,000 | 08.07.2025<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kibrispostasi.com/c35-KIBRIS_HABERLERI/n567775-unal-ustel-ankara-ile-bakan-degisecegiz-diye-konusmayiz |title=Projection population |access-date= 21 Feb 2026}}</ref> |}

{{Largest cities | country = [[Northern Cyprus]] | stat_ref = [http://www.devplan.org/Nufus-2011/nufus%20ikinci_.pdf TRNC 2011 Population and Housing Census] | list_by_pop = | div_name = City | div_link =

|city_1 = North Nicosia |div_1 = Lefkoşa District{{!}}Lefkoşa |pop_1 = 61,378

|city_2 = Famagusta |div_2 = Gazimağusa District{{!}}Gazimağusa |pop_2 = 40,920

|city_3 = Kyrenia |div_3 = Girne District{{!}}Girne |pop_3 = 33,207

|city_4 = Morphou |div_4 = Güzelyurt District{{!}}Güzelyurt |pop_4 = 18,946

|city_5 = Gönyeli |div_5 = Lefkoşa District{{!}}Lefkoşa |pop_5 = 17,277

|city_6 = Kythrea |div_6 = Lefkoşa District{{!}}Lefkoşa |pop_6 = 11,895

|city_7 = Lefka |div_7 = Lefke District{{!}}Lefke |pop_7 = 11,091

|city_8 = Dikomo |div_8 = Girne District{{!}}Girne |pop_8 = 9,120

|city_9 = Trikomo, Cyprus{{!}}Trikomo |div_9 = İskele District{{!}}İskele |pop_9 = 7,906

|city_10 = Lapithos |div_10 = Girne District{{!}}Girne |pop_10 = 7,839 }}

== References == {{reflist}}

[[Category:Demographics of Northern Cyprus]]