The population of Cyprus stands at 720,000 as per the last survey. The population has two clear majorities that live in separate parts of Cyprus. Approximately 84% of the population is Greek while another 12% is Turkish. Most of this population lives in rural areas and is employed as farmers that work on farmlands close to their villages.
The urban areas are quite different from their country counterparts and visitors to the villages might be surprised to discover that the people there still wear traditionally decorated vests with long black trousers that are known as vrakas. The women too wear traditional skirts and blouses that are known as sarkas.
Cyprus' history has been long and colorful because of its strategic position in the Mediterranean that had caused several empires to invade and occupy it. This healthy cultural mix can be witnessed even today with every week in Cyprus being the date for another occasion, festival, a wedding or saint's day. In Cyprus, it is more proper to celebrate a saint's day instead of a birthday; the saints are so plentiful. Among the numerous festivals, none are of particular significance as the Greek Orthodox Easter. In fact, over in this part of the world the Greek Orthodox Easter is considered far more important than Christmas. Most of the Cyprus population will be found attending midnight mass in a church on Easter Saturday. This is followed by a bonfire and an effigy of Judas along with fireworks. The following day, Easter Sunday, is spent by families eating the traditional lunch of roast lamb.
Spring season is also festival season and all the important towns can be seen to reflect the spring colors through their carnival parades. There are also flower parades featuring parades with floats that are simply covered in flowers. The biggest carnival is held in Limassol that includes floats, parades, and many other forms of entertainment. Another important festival is Kataklysmos (as the name suggests, it means the festival of the flood) when celebrations are held across the country with fetes, competitions, and games. Limassol is also the location for yet another festival that is held in Cyprus but with a major contributor being it. This festival takes place during the harvest season and the main feature of this festival is the wine and food. This festival sees thousands of visitors each year as people flock to Cyprus (and especially Limassol) in order to enjoy the unparalleled range of wine and food that is offered at this time.
The major languages spoken in Cyprus include Greek, Turkish, and English. So visitors from English speaking countries will never feel completely lost during their visits.
Cyprus People