Cyprus in focus
Publication Date/Time
2026-05-22T08:00:00+00:00
Country
Cyprus
What can open data tell us about the country currently at the heart of
EU decision-making?
What comes to mind when you think of Cyprus? Many see it as a sunny
island and a popular tourist destination. It lies at the eastern edge
of the Mediterranean, geographically closer to the Middle East than to
mainland Europe, while being a Member State of the European Union. It
is one of the few EU Member States without electricity
interconnections to other Member States, hosts one of the largest
merchant fleets in the EU, and has an economy strongly shaped by
international flows of goods, services and people. 

Cyprus is among the EU’s smaller Member States. In the first half of
2026, it is playing a central role in EU decision-making by holding
the Presidency of the Council of the European Union
[https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/council-eu/], focusing on
competitiveness, resilience and global partnerships
[https://cyprus-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/programme/priorities/].
This is an excellent occasion to take a closer look at the country’s
economic and social profile. 

Using data from Eurostat [https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/en/] and the
Statistical Service of Cyprus (Cystat
[https://www.cystat.gov.cy/en/]), this story explores three key
dimensions of Cyprus: what it trades and with whom, how its living
standards compare with the rest of the EU, and how tourism links the
island to the wider world. Together, these insights provide a
data-driven snapshot of a Member State that is both closely integrated
into Europe and strongly connected beyond it. 

 

_HOW DOES CYPRUS COMPARE WITH THE REST OF THE EU IN TERMS OF LIVING
STANDARDS AND KEY INDICATORS?_ 

A country is more than what numbers can capture, but statistics can
help us understand where Cyprus stands relative to the rest of the EU.
FIGURE 1 compares Cyprus with the EU across selected indicators that
reflect living standards and broader socioeconomic conditions. 

With just under 1 million inhabitants, Cyprus is one of the EU’s
smaller Member States, with only Malta and Luxembourg having smaller
populations. 

In terms of health, Cyprus records higher life expectancy than the EU
average, at around 83.5 years: around two years above the EU average
of 81.5. Healthy life years are also higher (65 versus 63.1),
indicating that people in Cyprus tend to spend more years without
long-term limitations for activity. 

Looking at social conditions, the share of people at risk of poverty
or social exclusion is lower than the EU average. In 2024, around
17 % of the population in Cyprus was at risk, compared with about
21 % across the EU. 

Income levels, measured in gross domestic product (GDP) per capita,
remain below the EU average (EUR 30 590 compared with EUR 34 110
in 2025). However, when measured in purchasing power standards, the
gap is much smaller. Provisional figures for the same year show a
difference of around two percentage points between Cyprus and the EU
average, highlighting the role of differences in price levels. 

Finally, the share of renewable energy is also somewhat lower in
Cyprus, at 20.8 % compared with the EU average of 25.2 %,
highlighting differences in the structure of energy systems across the
EU. 

Taken together, these indicators show that Cyprus, geographically an
island at the eastern edge of the Mediterranean, shares many of the
EU’s overall patterns and performs strongly on indicators that
matter to people’s daily lives, with some variability that, as for
every Member State, reflects its specific economic and structural
characteristics. 
[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/2.cyprus3-02_0.png]
FIGURE 1: CYPRUS SOCIOECONOMIC INDICATORS COMPARED TO THE EU AVERAGE 

_Sources:_ 

	* life expectancy: Eurostat
[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/demo_mlexpec__custom_11055020/bookmark/table?lang=en&bookmarkId=8b3120c7-4116-4fa0-8cf0-4d1a45112c74&c=1713969318965] /
European Data Portal
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/njesxzxzcssesfbuckyrsa?locale=en];
	* population: Eurostat
[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tps00001/default/table?lang=en&category=t_demo.t_demo_pop] /
European Data Portal
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/o9i1drnbdzeuffd0i5m3a?locale=en];
	* healthy life years: Eurostat
[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tps00150/default/table?lang=en] /
European Data Portal
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/cqvgozoux5iymx8mhy0yw?locale=en];
	* persons at risk of poverty or social exclusion: Eurostat
[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_peps01n/default/table?lang=en] /
European Data Portal
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/dskyxka5kqzbgrpy5lngw?locale=en];
	* gross domestic product per capita: Eurostat
[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/sdg_08_10/default/table?lang=en] /
European Data Portal
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/e7xssvplrdkyjkfqpz9b2w?locale=en];
	* share of energy from renewable sources: Eurostat
[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/nrg_ind_ren/default/table?lang=en] /
European Data Portal
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/rehvdbeynz9wzuafxzygva?locale=en]. 

 

_CYPRUS TRADE: WHAT IT EXPORTS AND WHO IT TRADES WITH_ 

Trade plays a central role in Cyprus’s economy, reflecting its
geographical position and strong links with both European and
international markets (see FIGURE 2). 

In 2025, Cyprus exported goods worth around EUR 5.6 billion and
imported around EUR 13.9 billion. Exports are concentrated in a
limited number of product categories. Mineral fuels account for the
largest share, at around EUR 2.3 billion (about 42 % of total
exports). Other key export products include dairy products (including
halloumi, the island’s iconic cheese) and pharmaceutical products,
each contributing around EUR 0.4 billion. 

Imports show a similar concentration, with mineral fuels again
dominating at around EUR 3.6 billion (26 % of total imports).
Cyprus is therefore both an exporter and an importer of mineral fuels.
It imports significant quantities of fuel products for domestic energy
needs, shipping activities and re-export to neighbouring countries,
which helps explain why mineral fuels appear prominently in both
imports and exports. Other major import categories include motor
vehicles, ships and boats, reflecting both domestic demand and the
role of maritime activities in the Cypriot economy. 

A look at trade partners shows how Cyprus is connected to different
regions. Its main export destinations include Libya, Lebanon, Israel,
the United Kingdom and Egypt, while imports are more strongly linked
to the EU, with Greece as the largest EU supplier, followed by Italy
and Germany, alongside global suppliers such as China and Saudi
Arabia. 

These patterns reflect an economy that is closely integrated into
European supply chains while maintaining strong trade links with
neighbouring regions. At the same time, a significant share of trade
is linked to fuel products, which influences both the structure and
the geographic distribution of trade flows. 
 
[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/2.cyprus3-01.png]
FIGURE 2: TOP EXPORT AND IMPORT PRODUCTS AND TRADING PARTNERS OF
CYPRUS, 2025 

_Sources:_ 

	* exports: Cystat
[https://cystatdb23px.cystat.gov.cy/pxweb/en/8.CYSTAT-DB/8.CYSTAT-DB__External%20Trade__Foreign%20Trade%20Statistics%20by%20Main%20Product%20Category/1022201E.px/]
/ European Data Portal
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/eac58c16-1e4c-4524-9800-aife1022201g?locale=en];
	* imports: Cystat
[https://cystatdb23px.cystat.gov.cy/pxweb/en/8.CYSTAT-DB/8.CYSTAT-DB__External%20Trade__Foreign%20Trade%20Statistics%20by%20Main%20Product%20Category/1021201E.px/]
/ European Data Portal
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/eac58c16-1e4c-4524-9800-aife1021201g?locale=en]. 

 

_TOURISM IN CYPRUS: WHO VISITS AND HOW IT HAS EVOLVED_ 

Cyprus is a well-established tourist destination in the eastern
Mediterranean, known for its warm climate, coastline and rich culture.
FIGURE 3 provides an overview of where tourists come from, how
arrivals have evolved over time and how they are distributed
throughout the year. 

The United Kingdom is the largest source of visitors, with around 1.4
million arrivals in 2025. It is followed by Israel, with around
600 000 visitors. The remaining top ten consists largely of EU
Member States, with Poland, Germany and Greece being the main source
countries, highlighting the importance of the European travel market
for Cyprus’s tourism. 

Tourism to Cyprus has grown significantly over time. Annual arrivals
increased from around 350 000 in 1980 to over 4.5 million in 2025, a
more than twelvefold increase. While this growth includes periods of
slowdown, including a sharp decline during the COVID-19 pandemic, the
overall trend has been upward. 

Tourism is also highly seasonal. Nights spent in tourist accommodation
are concentrated in the summer months, with July, August and September
accounting for around 56 % of the annual total. In contrast, the
winter months (November, December and January) account for just around
7 % of annual tourist arrivals. 

These patterns show that tourism in Cyprus is both concentrated in a
limited number of source countries and strongly shaped by seasonal
demand. 
[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/2.cyprus3-03.png]
FIGURE 3: TOURIST ARRIVALS IN CYPRUS BY SOURCE COUNTRY AND OVER TIME 

_Sources: _Cystat
[https://cystatdb23px.cystat.gov.cy/pxweb/en/8.CYSTAT-DB/8.CYSTAT-DB__Tourism__Tourists__Annual/2022020E.px/] /
European Data Portal
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/eac58c16-1e4c-4524-9800-aife2022010g?locale=en]. 

_Sources_: Eurostat
[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/TOUR_OCC_NIM__custom_6133643/default/table] /
European Data Portal
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/vrkvepauzqg9sbvtihfga?locale=en]. 

 

CONCLUSION 

As Cyprus holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union,
open data offers a timely opportunity to look beyond its institutional
role and better understand the country itself. 

The data shows a small, outward-looking Member State whose economy is
strongly shaped by international flows. Its trade is concentrated in a
limited number of products and markets, while tourism depends heavily
on a few major source countries and follows a clear seasonal
pattern. 

At the same time, Cyprus shares many of the EU’s overall patterns in
areas such as health, income and social conditions, with differences
reflecting its particular geography, economic structure and energy
context. 

While some of these features are specific to Cyprus, all EU Member
States display their own distinct characteristics alongside shared
patterns. Together, they reflect the diversity that underpins the EU.
As this story illustrates for Cyprus, open data can help reveal
broader economic and social patterns across all EU Member States and
other European countries through national data portals and the
European Data Portal [https://data.europa.eu/], which offers a central
access point to such information. 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

