Demographic trends in Cyprus show shift in birth statistics

Official data provided by Finance Minister Makis Keravnos to the Cypriot Parliament reveal a significant shift in national birth demographics between 2015 and 2024. Responding to a query by DISY MP Prodromos Alabritis, the government reported that births from Cypriot mothers declined from 6,717 in 2015 to 6,111 in 2024. Conversely, births from mothers holding citizenship in third countries outside the European Union nearly tripled, rising from 891 to 2,484 over the same period. Births from other EU nationals also decreased, falling from 1,538 to 1,170.

The data highlights a dramatic inversion regarding large families. In 2015, out of 348 births categorized as a fourth child or higher, 250 were to Cypriot mothers and only 46 to third-country nationals. By 2024, this balance had completely reversed, with the majority of such births now originating from mothers who are third-country nationals. These statistics underscore evolving demographic patterns in Cyprus, placing the subject back into the center of political debate regarding population and social policy.