MigrantoCypriot Diaspora
80.8K Cypriots live abroad — the #155 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 88% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Turkey | 30993 |
| Greece | 23412 |
| Australia | 16610 |
| Canada | 3907 |
| Bulgaria | 2034 |
| South Africa | 661 |
| Italy | 474 |
| Denmark | 401 |
| Hungary | 362 |
| Argentina | 356 |
| Sri Lanka | 254 |
| Finland | 239 |
| Norway | 234 |
| Malta | 228 |
| Slovakia | 186 |
| Luxembourg | 166 |
| Latvia | 54 |
| Lithuania | 54 |
| Estonia | 48 |
| Portugal | 35 |
| Iceland | 17 |
| Venezuela | 12 |
| Slovenia | 11 |
| Central African Republic | 6 |
| Costa Rica | 4 |
| Bolivia | 2 |
By destination region
Middle East is the leading destination region at 38%
31K
28K
16.6K
3.9K
667
374
254
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from Cyprus.
Turkey is the primary destination for emigrants
Turkey attracts 38% of all emigrants from Cyprus, while the second-largest destination receives just 29%.
The share of emigrants going to the Middle East has grown since 1990
The share of emigrants going to the Middle East has shifted from 10.5% to 38.4% since 1990.
Turkey is the fastest-growing major destination
Emigration to Turkey has increased by 53% since 2015, rising from 20.2K to 31K in 9 years.
Emigration destinations have diversified since 1990
The top destination's share fell from 52% to 38%, indicating a broader spread of emigration patterns.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 87065 |
| 1995 | 74433 |
| 2000 | 63149 |
| 2005 | 65886 |
| 2010 | 68736 |
| 2015 | 70451 |
| 2020 | 75728 |
| 2024 | 80760 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | Turkey | Greece | Australia | Canada | Bulgaria |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 9159 | 45588 | 24057 | 4285 | 103 |
| 1995 | 9757 | 33684 | 23367 | 4307 | 126 |
| 2000 | 10354 | 22334 | 22831 | 4336 | 149 |
| 2005 | 13484 | 22208 | 22457 | 4234 | 187 |
| 2010 | 16779 | 22882 | 21355 | 3954 | 222 |
| 2015 | 20247 | 21562 | 20077 | 4155 | 883 |
| 2020 | 26185 | 22039 | 18425 | 4124 | 1479 |
| 2024 | 30993 | 23412 | 16610 | 3907 | 2034 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
Cyprus as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from Cyprus
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Cypriots move to?
Most Cypriots have moved to Turkey, Greece and Australia — these three countries account for about 88% of all Cypriots living abroad.
How many Cypriots live abroad?
Around 80.8K Cypriots live abroad, making it the #155-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of Cyprus lives abroad?
About 6% of the population of Cyprus lives abroad — that's 80.8K out of a total population of 1.4M.
How has emigration from Cyprus changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from Cyprus has grown from 70.5K to 80.8K people, a growth of about 15%.
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