Cyprus (Republic of Cyprus)

https://www.humantruth.info/cyprus.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2025

Cyprus Republic of Cyprus
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	28th best
Capital	Nicosia
Land Area	9 240km²₁
Location	Asia, Europe, The Mediterranean, The Middle East
Groupings	Small Islands
Population	1.2m₂
Life Expectancy	81.20yrs (2017)₃
GNI	$38 188 (2017)₄
ISO3166-1 Codes	CY, CYP, 196₅
Internet Domain	.cy₆
Currency	Euro (EUR)₇
Telephone	+357₈

1. Overview

#cyprus #eu #greece #human_rights #turkey #UK

“A former British colony, Cyprus became independent in 1960 following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia. Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek Government-sponsored attempt to seize control of Cyprus was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish Cypriot-occupied area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC"), but it is recognized only by Turkey. The election of a new Cypriot president in 2008 served as the impetus for the UN to encourage both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to reopen unification negotiations. In September 2008, the leaders of the two communities began discussions under UN auspices aimed at reuniting the divided island. The talks are ongoing. The entire island entered the EU on 1 May 2004, although the EU acquis - the body of common rights and obligations - applies only to the areas under the internationally recognized government, and is suspended in the areas administered by Turkish Cypriots. However, individual Turkish Cypriots able to document their eligibility for Republic of Cyprus citizenship legally enjoy the same rights accorded to other citizens of European Union states.”
CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“This island country possesses a fractured identity, a passionate people, and a culture, landscape and lifestyle that capture the imagination and produce plenty of surprises. ... Cyprus reflects its proximity to Asia and the Middle East in its culture, cuisine and history. Similarly evocative is the contrast between old and new, particularly evident in the capital, Nicosia (Lefkosia), where dilapidated buildings sit round the corner from smart boutiques and arty bars.
And yet with a stunning landscape and overall mild climate outside is where it´s at. From the varied beaches to the pine-clad interior, you can swim, dive, hike, bike, wine and dine, and, in winter, even ski.
Digging into the island´s past has unearthed extraordinary relics, including Neolithic dwellings, Bronze Age and Phoenician tombs and exquisite Roman mosaics. And while on the streets, keep your eyes peeled for Venetian walls, Byzantine castles and churches, Roman monasteries and Islamic mosques.
Experiencing the intrinsically different Greek and Turkish societies of the island´s present is increasingly easy for visitors - and will give a fuller picture of the complex and fractured Cypriot identity.”
"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

The EU has acted on behalf of its member states on many occasions to support, foster, fund and encourage human rights protections in every region of the world, with agreement of its member states through the European Parliament. The protections of workers' rights and their harmonisations (which stops companies moving staff to countries with the weakest laws) has had great effect in stopping workforce abuse₁₁. According to Human Rights Watch's comprehensive review for the year 2017, in addition to vocal and public pronouncements on poor human rights records of many countries, the EU has also acted through economic sanctions, political pressure and used other means to incentivize the adoption of human rights protections, even if these measures harm EU trading₁₂. It is to Cyprus's credit that it supports the EU in these actions.

2. Cyprus National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)₁₃
Pos.		Higher is better Value₁₃
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
26	UAE	0.911
27	Spain	0.905
28	France	0.903
29	Cyprus	0.896
30	Italy	0.895
31	Estonia	0.890
32	Czechia	0.889
33	Greece	0.887
	The Mediterranean Avg	0.81
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)₁₃
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $₁₃
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
35	Malta	$38 884
36	Czechia	$38 745
37	Spain	$38 354
38	Cyprus	$38 188
39	Estonia	$38 048
40	Lithuania	$37 931
41	Portugal	$33 155
42	Poland	$33 034
	The Mediterranean Avg	$23 885
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index₁₄
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₄
1	Denmark	27.2
2	Norway	29.2
3	Sweden	30.2
	...
25	UK	48.8
26	S. Korea	49.7
27	Czechia	50.5
28	Cyprus	53.1
29	Hungary	53.7
30	Poland	54.5
31	Singapore	54.6
32	Uruguay	55.0
	The Mediterranean Avg	73.2
	World Avg	89.2
q=200.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Cyprus's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population Datasets:

Cyprus's population is predicted to rise to 1.301 million by 2030. This rise is despite a low fertility rate, meaning, that this country is helping to alleviate problems with growing population in neighbouring countries by accepting immigrants, very likely as a requirement of maintaining an active workforce. This country has a fertility rate of 1.31. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1, once you take mortality into account₁₅. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₆

Population₂
Pos.		2018 Population₂
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
153	Equatorial Guinea	1.3m
154	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	1.3m
155	Mauritius	1.3m
156	Cyprus	1.2m
157	Swaziland	1.1m
158	Djibouti	1.0m
159	Fiji	0.9m
160	Comoros	0.8m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better₁₃
Pos.		2021 Years₁₃
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
23	Netherlands	81.7
24	Austria	81.6
25	Denmark	81.4
26	Cyprus	81.2
27	Portugal	81.0
28	San Marino	80.9
29	UK	80.7
30	Slovenia	80.7
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best₁₇
Pos.		2022₁₇
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
118=	Mauritius	1.32
118=	Finland	1.32
120	Thailand	1.32
121	Cyprus	1.31
122	Luxembourg	1.31
123=	Curaço	1.30
123=	Bermuda	1.30
125	Syria	2.70
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better₁₈
Pos.		2016 Per 100₁₈
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
130	China	25.3
131	Mauritius	25.9
132	Uruguay	26.8
133	Cyprus	26.9
134	Chile	27.0
135	Macedonia	27.7
136	Luxembourg	28.3
137	Armenia	28.7
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Migration Datasets:

Immigrants₁₉
Pos.		2017 %₁₉
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
26	Sweden	17.6%
27	Equatorial Guinea	17.5%
28	Ireland	16.9%
29	Cyprus	16.0%
30	Belize	16.0%
31	San Marino	15.7%
32	Bahamas	15.6%
33	Maldives	15.4%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants₂₀
Pos.		2010 %₂₀
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
33	Eritrea	18.0%
34	Croatia	17.1%
35	Liechtenstein	17.1%
36	Cyprus	17.0%
37	Marshall Islands	16.6%
38	Ireland	16.1%
39	Belize	16.1%
40	Azerbaijan	16.0%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Cyprus's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance

Compared to The Mediterranean (2025)₂₁
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₂₁
1	France	23.5
2	Spain	28.7
3	Italy	30.0
4	Slovenia	30.5
5	Malta	38.9
6	Cyprus	49.2
7	Greece	51.4
8	Croatia	55.7
9	Monaco	61.1
10	Montenegro	64.3
11	Israel	64.8
12	Albania	87.5
13	Bosnia & Herzegovina	89.5
	The Mediterranean Avg	80.03
q=22.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)₂₁
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₂₁
1	Sweden	7.5
2	Netherlands	8.6
3	Denmark	9.0
	...
31	Poland	47.8
32	USA	48.3
33	Argentina	48.4
34	Cyprus	49.2
35	Andorra	50.2
36	Lithuania	51.1
37	Greece	51.4
38	San Marino	52.9
	World Avg	90.04
q=198.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, The Netherlands and Denmark₂₂. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, Eritrea and Saudi Arabia₂₂.

30 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on supporting press freedom, combatting modern slavery, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₂₂, whereas the worst are The Middle East, Africa and Asia₂₂.

For more, see:

" Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

4.1. Human Rights & Tolerance Datasets

#freedom #human_rights #international_law #mass_media #politics #slavery

Press Freedom Higher is better₂₃
Pos.		2025₂₃
1	Norway	92.31
2	Estonia	89.46
3	Netherlands	88.64
	...
73	Senegal	59.43
74	Comoros	59.27
75	Malawi	59.20
76	Cyprus	59.04
77	Papua New Guinea	58.35
78	Qatar	58.25
79	Albania	58.18
80	Botswana	57.64
	The Mediterranean Avg	52.03
	World Avg	54.65
q=179. Also scored for 2000s-2010s.

Slavery in the 2020s Lower is better₂₄
Pos.		Slavery in the 2020s Per 1000₂₄
1=	Switzerland	0.50
1=	Norway	0.50
3=	Germany	0.60
	...
126=	Congo, (Brazzaville)	8.00
126=	Kosovo	8.00
126=	India	8.00
126=	Cyprus	8.00
130	El Salvador	8.10
131	Haiti	8.20
132	Bulgaria	8.50
133=	Kyrgyzstan	8.70
	The Mediterranean Avg	5.94
	World Avg	7.15
q=160. Also scored for 2010s-2020s.

Freedom in the World Lower is better
Pos.		2024 Score
1=	Norway	1.0
1=	Canada	1.0
1=	Cape Verde	1.0
	...
4=	Costa Rica	1.0
4=	St Vincent & Grenadines	1.0
4=	St Lucia	1.0
4=	Cyprus	1.0
4=	Denmark	1.0
4=	Dominica	1.0
4=	Portugal	1.0
4=	Slovenia	1.0
	The Mediterranean Avg	3.5
	World Avg	3.7
q=205. Also scored for 1970s-2010s.

Human Rights Watch Comments Higher is better₂₅
Pos.		2017 Score₂₅
1=	UK	9
1=	France	9
1=	Germany	9
	...
9=	Luxembourg	6
9=	Belgium	6
11=	Greece	5
11=	Cyprus	5
11=	Czechia	5
11=	Denmark	5
11=	Romania	5
11=	Estonia	5
	The Mediterranean Avg	-0.8
	World Avg	-1.9
q=123.

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better₂₆
Pos.		2009 Treaties₂₆
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
30=	Czechia	20
30=	Georgia	20
30=	Albania	20
30=	Cyprus	20
30=	Namibia	20
30=	Ukraine	20
30=	Macedonia	20
30=	Slovakia	20
	The Mediterranean Avg	18.3
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

HR Treaties Lag Lower is better₂₇
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty₂₇
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
	...
27	Austria	5.68
28	Belarus	5.71
29	Canada	5.73
30	Cyprus	5.81
31	Argentina	5.90
32	Hungary	5.91
33	Mongolia	6.26
34	Poland	6.34
	The Mediterranean Avg	8.79
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

4.2. Gender Equality Datasets

#gender #gender_equality #human_rights #misogyny #politics #prejudice #women

Cyprus is on the way towards ending gender inequality but women are still in an unfavourable position much of the time.

See:

"Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

Gender Inequality Lower is better₂₈
Pos.		2022₂₈
1	Denmark	0.01
2	Norway	0.01
3	Switzerland	0.02
	...
59	Tunisia	0.24
60	Uruguay	0.24
61	Uzbekistan	0.24
62	Cyprus	0.25
63	Oman	0.27
64	Trinidad & Tobago	0.27
65	Libya	0.27
66	Turkey	0.27
	The Mediterranean Avg	0.21
	World Avg	0.34
q=166. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Gender Biases Lower is better₂₉
Pos.		2022 %₂₉
1	Sweden	31.8₃₀
2	New Zealand	34.4₃₁
3	Australia	37.0₃₁
	...
26	Chile	79.9₃₁
27	Hong Kong	80.8₃₁
28	Poland	81.4₃₀
29	Cyprus	81.8₃₁
30	Ukraine	86.1₃₁
31	Brazil	86.3₃₁
32	Romania	86.6₃₁
33	Trinidad & Tobago	87.4₃₀
	The Mediterranean Avg	82.62
	World Avg	83.93
q=88.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better
Pos.		Year Women Can Vote Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
123=	Tunisia	1959
123=	Tanzania	1959
125=	Tonga	1960
125=	Cyprus	1960
125=	Gambia	1960
128=	El Salvador	1961
128=	Rwanda	1961
128=	Mauritania	1961
	The Mediterranean Avg	1950
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

4.3. Prejudice Datasets

#2020s #freethought #homosexuality #religious_tolerance

LGBT Equality in the 2020s Higher is better₃₂
Pos.		LGBT Equality in the 2020s Score₃₂
1=	Germany	4.88
1=	Spain	4.88
3	Portugal	4.81
	...
38	Greece	2.12
39	Andorra	2.01
40	Estonia	1.90
41	Cyprus	1.85
42	Croatia	1.85
43	Italy	1.78
44=	Isle of Man	1.62
44=	Faroe Islands	1.62
	The Mediterranean Avg	-0.44
	World Avg	-1.21
q=215. Also scored for 1970s-2020s.

Male homosexuality was criminalized in Cryprus under British colonial law from 1929, until this was overturned following a European Court of Human Rights ruling in Modinos v. Cyprus (1993) leading to decriminalization in 1998, despite angry objections from the Greek Orthodox Church, which has continued to oppose LGBTQ rights. Now, same-sex relations have an equal age of consent (since 2002. ) and civil unions for same-sex couples have been recognized since 2015, though adoption rights remain restricted. ILGA researchers in 2017 found that Cyprus had legal protections against anti-LGBT employment discrimination, incitement and other protections.

Actions taken at the United Nations:

⇡ Supported the 2006 Norway Joint Statement on sexual orientation and gender identity at the UN.
⇡ Supported the 2008 Declaration at the UN General Assemly affirming LGBTQ rights, tabled by Argentina.
⇡ In 2025, signed the UN Human Rights Council Joint statement on ending acts of violence and human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Freedom of Thought Lower is better₃₃
Pos.		2021₃₃
1=	Belgium	1.0
1=	Taiwan	1.0
1=	Netherlands	1.0
	...
95=	Switzerland	3.0
95=	El Salvador	3.0
95=	Serbia	3.0
95=	Cyprus	3.0
95=	Ivory Coast	3.0
95=	Spain	3.0
95=	Grenada	3.0
95=	Guatemala	3.0
	The Mediterranean Avg	3.3
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

5. Cyprus's Health

#health

Compared to The Mediterranean (2025)₃₄
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₄
1	Monaco	10.3
2	France	48.9
3	Italy	57.8
4	Slovenia	61.9
5	Spain	62.5
6	Cyprus	64.6
7	Israel	65.2
8	Greece	67.2
9	Albania	71.0
10	Malta	71.3
11	Montenegro	73.5
12	Tunisia	73.9
13	Croatia	76.3
	The Mediterranean Avg	77.11
q=22.

Health (2025)₃₄
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₄
1	Monaco	10.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Japan	40.8
	...
27	Andorra	63.1
28	Canada	63.9
29	UK	64.1
30	Cyprus	64.6
31	Cuba	64.7
32	Israel	65.2
33	China	65.8
34	New Zealand	66.8
	World Avg	97.39
q=207.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and Japan₃₅. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are Angola, Somalia and S. Sudan₃₅.

42 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, obesity rate, its adolescent birth rate, delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations, delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 and childhood mortality. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Mediterranean₃₅, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Africa and Melanesia₃₅.

For more, see:

"Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

5.1. Health Datasets

#2010s #alcohol #birth_control #cyprus #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #mental_health #obesity #overpopulation #smoking #suicide

Cyprus does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. Cyprus comes in the best 20 in childhood mortality in the 2020s₃₆ (one of the lowest in The Mediterranean). It does better than average when it comes to its average life expectancy₁₃, its adolescent birth rate₃₇, its suicide rate₃₈, delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations in the 2020s₃₉, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₄₀ and in delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015₄₁. Cyprus doesn't do so well in other areas. Cyprus does worse than average in the prevalence of overweight adults₄₂ (still low for The Mediterranean), its fertility rate₁₇ and in its alcohol consumption rate₄₃ (amongst the worst in The Mediterranean). And finally, it sits amongst the bottom 20 in its smoking rate₄₄ (amongst the highest in The Mediterranean). The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% over the last 40 years. Life expectancy in Cyprus improved by +7.9yrs in the 30 years from 1990, which is the global average. Cyprus's peak fertility rate was 3.62 in 1961.

Life Expectancy Higher is better₁₃
Pos.		2021 Years₁₃
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
23	Netherlands	81.7
24	Austria	81.6
25	Denmark	81.4
26	Cyprus	81.2
27	Portugal	81.0
28	San Marino	80.9
29	UK	80.7
30	Slovenia	80.7
	The Mediterranean Avg	77.77
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better₄₃
Pos.		2016 Per Capita₄₃
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
158=	New Zealand	10.7
158=	Finland	10.7
160=	Uruguay	10.8
160=	Cyprus	10.8
162	Serbia	11.1
163	Belarus	11.2
164=	Andorra	11.3
164=	Equatorial Guinea	11.3
	The Mediterranean Avg	5.7
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best₁₇
Pos.		2022₁₇
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
118=	Mauritius	1.32
118=	Finland	1.32
120	Thailand	1.32
121	Cyprus	1.31
122	Luxembourg	1.31
123=	Curaço	1.30
123=	Bermuda	1.30
125	Syria	2.70
	The Mediterranean Avg	1.89
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Smoking in the 2020s Lower is better₄₄
Pos.		Smoking in the 2020s %₄₄
1	Nigeria	3.3%
2	Ghana	3.4%
3	Panama	5.2%
	...
150	Lebanon	34.3%
151	France	34.6%
152=	Jordan	35.6%
152=	Cyprus	35.6%
154	Bosnia & Herzegovina	36.2%
155	Andorra	36.2%
156	Solomon Islands	36.9%
157	Croatia	37.0%
	The Mediterranean Avg	27.3%
	World Avg	20.0%
q=165. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

Suicide Rate in the 2010s Lower is better₃₈
Pos.		Suicide Rate in the 2010s Per 100k₃₈
1=	Jordan	1.00
1=	Sao Tome & Principe	1.00
1=	Antigua & Barbuda	1.00
	...
52	Tonga	4.86
53	Uganda	4.90
54	Guinea	5.06
55	Cyprus	5.16
56	Bhutan	5.18
57	Nicaragua	5.24
58	Chad	5.30
59	Israel	5.35
	The Mediterranean Avg	6.66
	World Avg	9.24
q=185. Also scored for 2000s-2010s.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better₄₀
Pos.		2017 Rank₄₀
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
56	S. Africa	56
57	Slovenia	57
58	Morocco	58
59	Cyprus	59
60	Guinea	60
61	Sierra Leone	61
62	Honduras	62
63	Lebanon	63
	The Mediterranean Avg	76.2
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults Lower is better₄₂
Pos.		1976 %₄₂
1	Bangladesh	4.7
2	Vietnam	5.1
3	Nepal	5.4
	...
116	Bosnia & Herzegovina	32.6
117	Colombia	32.7
118	Tunisia	32.8
119	Cyprus	33.0
120	Moldova	33.4
121	Peru	33.5
122	Netherlands	33.7
123	Albania	33.8
	The Mediterranean Avg	37.4
	World Avg	27.1
q=191.

Adult Obesity Lower is better₄₅
Pos.		2022 %₄₅
1	Vietnam	2.1%
2	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	2.2%
3	Ethiopia	2.4%
	...
100	Bulgaria	24.2%
101	Algeria	24.2%
102	Kyrgyzstan	24.4%
103	Cyprus	25.1%
104	Guatemala	25.2%
105	Iran	25.3%
106	Bosnia & Herzegovina	25.5%
107	Moldova	25.6%
	The Mediterranean Avg	27.7%
	World Avg	24.7%
q=199. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

5.2. Children's Health Datasets

#children's_health #health #parenting #population #vaccines

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better₃₇
Pos.		2022 Per 1000₃₇
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
25	Canada	6.6
26	Tunisia	6.6
27	Maldives	6.8
28	Cyprus	6.8
29	Qatar	6.9
30	Monaco	6.9
31	Libya	7.0
32	Portugal	7.1
	The Mediterranean Avg	14.4
	World Avg	43.8
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Higher is better₃₉
Pos.		Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Avg %₃₉
1=	Luxembourg	99.0
1=	Oman	99.0
1=	Niue	99.0
	...
55=	Costa Rica	96.8
56=	Jamaica	96.7
56=	Slovakia	96.7
56=	Cyprus	96.7
59=	Switzerland	96.6
59=	Egypt	96.6
59=	Poland	96.6
62=	Sweden	96.5
	The Mediterranean Avg	92.0
	World Avg	88.5
q=211. Also scored for 1980s-2020s.

7x Infant Immunizations (2011-2015) Higher is better₄₁
Pos.		2015 Avg %₄₁
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
61	Malta	95.5
62	Botswana	95.4
63	Gambia	95.4
64	Cyprus	95.3
65	Switzerland	95.3
66	Israel	95.2
67=	Grenada	95.2
67=	Slovenia	95.2
	The Mediterranean Avg	92.6
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Infant Mortality (2020s) Lower is better₃₆
Pos.		Infant Mortality (2020s) Per 1000₃₆
1	San Marino	2.11
2	Finland	2.59
3	Luxembourg	2.60
	...
7	Norway	2.78
8=	Sweden	2.87
8=	Japan	2.87
10	Cyprus	3.03
11	Czechia	3.18
12	Estonia	3.39
13	Spain	3.42
14=	Monaco	3.55
	The Mediterranean Avg	10.75
	World Avg	32.19
q=195. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

6. Responsibility Towards The Environment

#climate_change #Cyprus #Cyprus_environment #the_environment

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)₄₆
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₆
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
41	Gambia	63.3
42	Senegal	63.4
43	Hong Kong	64.6
44	Cyprus	64.8
45	Dominican Rep.	65.0
46	Ecuador	65.6
	The Mediterranean Avg	81.77
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

In terms of its responsibility towards the environment, Cyprus ranks 44th in the world. This is formulated from 21 data sets. Cyprus comes in the best 20 in the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population₄₇ (amongst the highest in The Mediterranean). It does better than average for its environmental performance₄₈, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment (amongst the highest in The Mediterranean), energy to GDP efficiency₄₉ and in its forested percent change 2000-2020₅₀ (but low for The Mediterranean). But, things could still be better. Cyprus does worse than average in reducing annual meat consumption per person₅₁.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

Cyprus's Responsibility Towards The Environment

7. Cyprus's Modernity and Learning

#education #modernity #technology #the_internet

Compared to The Mediterranean (2025)₅₂
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₅₂
1	France	21.1
2	Spain	22.2
3	Slovenia	24.8
	...
7	Greece	37.4
8	Malta	41.0
9	Croatia	43.9
10	Cyprus	45.4
11	Montenegro	49.7
12	Turkey	50.4
13	Bosnia & Herzegovina	57.6
14	Tunisia	68.7
15	Lebanon	69.8
	The Mediterranean Avg	57.42
q=22.

Modernity & Learning (2025)₅₂
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₅₂
1	Finland	6.1
2	Iceland	8.1
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
42	Chile	43.4
43	Croatia	43.9
44	Ireland	44.4
45	Cyprus	45.4
46	Bulgaria	45.4
47	Serbia	45.8
48	Uruguay	46.6
49	Belarus	48.5
	World Avg	84.96
q=197.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Iceland and Denmark₅₃. The worst countries are S. Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia₅₃. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₅₄.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”
Bill Emmott (2017)₅₅

27 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Intellectual Endeavours, metric system adoption rate, Religiosity, IQ, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Maths, Science & Reading, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₅₃, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₅₃.

For more, see:

" Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

7.1. Modernity Datasets

#metric #research #science

Research & Development Higher is better
Pos.		2016 % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.29₅₆
2	Israel	4.11₅₆
3	Japan	3.58₅₆
	...
58=	Senegal	0.54₅₇
59	UAE	0.49₅₈
60=	Uganda	0.48₅₇
60=	Cyprus	0.48₅₉
62=	Costa Rica	0.47₅₈
62=	Qatar	0.47₆₀
62=	Cuba	0.47₅₉
65=	Macedonia	0.44₅₉
	The Mediterranean Avg	1.08
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better₄₀
Pos.		2017 Rank₄₀
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
	...
28	Serbia	28
29	Canada	29
30	Romania	30
31	Cyprus	31
32	Ireland	32
33	Croatia	33
34	Israel	34
35	Barbados	35
	The Mediterranean Avg	58.7
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Metric System Adoption Rate Higher is better₆₁
Pos.		2025 %₆₁
1=	Slovakia	100
1=	Poland	100
1=	Portugal	100
	...
36=	Honduras	95
36=	Vietnam	95
36=	Venezuela	95
36=	Cyprus	95
36=	Uzbekistan	95
36=	Uruguay	95
36=	Croatia	95
36=	Guatemala	95
	The Mediterranean Avg	95
	World Avg	92
q=187. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

Officially adopted metric in 1980. Progression:

1960 (70%): British legacy; metric in science/administration.
1970 (85%): Metrication accelerates; commerce standardizes.
1980 (95%): Metric dominant; miles legacy removed.
2000 (95%).
2025 (95%).

7.2. Education Datasets

#cyprus #education #english #maths #science

In the 1990s, Cyprus was one of only ten countries to increase its expected duration of education by over 3 years.₆₂

Secondary Education Higher is better₆₃
Pos.		2018₆₃
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
56	Sri Lanka	82.8%
57	Bosnia & Herzegovina	81.2%
58	Malaysia	80.8%
59	Cyprus	80.3%
60	Singapore	79.6%
61	Italy	79.6%
62	Hong Kong	79.4%
63	Chile	79.3%
	The Mediterranean Avg	69.8%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better₆₄
Pos.		2021 Years₆₄
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
45	Kazakhstan	15.8
46	UAE	15.7
47	Barbados	15.7
48	Cyprus	15.6
49	Brazil	15.6
50	Georgia	15.6
51	St Kitts & Nevis	15.4
52	Tunisia	15.4
	The Mediterranean Avg	15.1
	World Avg	13.5
q=193. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Maths, Science & Reading Higher is better₆₅
Pos.		2015 Score₆₅
1	Singapore	1655
2	Hong Kong	1598
3	Japan	1586
	...
44	Chile	1329
45	Bulgaria	1319
46=	Romania	1313
46=	Cyprus	1313
48	UAE	1298
49	Uruguay	1290
50	Turkey	1273
51	Trinidad & Tobago	1269
	The Mediterranean Avg	1331
	World Avg	1389
q=70.

7.3. Technology and Information Datasets

#modernity #technology #the_internet

Internet Users (2020s) Higher is better
Pos.		Internet Users (2020s)
1=	Iceland	99%
1=	Kuwait	99%
1=	UAE	99%
	...
35	Estonia	91%
36	Latvia	91%
37	Kazakhstan	91%
38	Cyprus	91%
39	Russia	90%
40	Hungary	90%
41	Israel	89%
42	Malta	89%
	The Mediterranean Avg	84.2%
	World Avg	67.8%
q=188. Also scored for 1990s-2020s.

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better₆₆
Pos.		2017 Ratio₆₆
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
78=	Costa Rica	0.1
78=	Serbia	0.1
80=	Liechtenstein	0.0
80=	Cyprus	0.0
82=	Philippines	0.0
82=	Macedonia	0.0
82=	Pakistan	0.0
82=	Paraguay	0.0
	The Mediterranean Avg	2.98
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

Digital Quality of Life Higher is better₆₇
Pos.		2024₆₇
1	Germany	77.9%
2	Finland	76.9%
3	France	73.9%
	...
28	Latvia	63.2%
29	Portugal	62.8%
30	Slovenia	62.3%
31	Cyprus	61.6%
32	New Zealand	61.1%
33	Croatia	61.1%
34	Malta	61.0%
35	Slovakia	60.7%
	The Mediterranean Avg	54.2%
	World Avg	48.4%
q=121.

8. Cyprus's Culture, Peace and Inequality

#charitability #culture #equality #human_development #inequality #peace

Compared to The Mediterranean (2025)₆₈
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₆₈
1	Slovenia	29.0
2	France	30.3
3	Malta	31.8
4	Spain	36.9
5	Italy	39.3
6	Cyprus	40.0
7	Croatia	51.6
8	Greece	54.8
9	Israel	56.6
10	Albania	63.3
11	Montenegro	72.6
12	Bosnia & Herzegovina	73.7
13	Tunisia	77.0
	The Mediterranean Avg	70.40
q=21.

Culture, Peace & Inequality (2025)₆₈
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₆₈
1	Denmark	10.4
2	Netherlands	11.8
3	Finland	12.2
	...
25	Portugal	38.1
26	Hungary	38.3
27	Italy	39.3
28	Cyprus	40.0
29	USA	40.1
30	Poland	41.2
31	Estonia	41.4
32	S. Korea	42.3
	World Avg	80.47
q=183.

This is the final pillar of the Social and Moral Development Index; it has 39 datasets, including multiple decades of data on resisting corruption, Creativity and Culture, overall happiness, Open Trading, Aid and Development, passport utility (so far), personal financial stability, World Giving Index, its Global Peace Index rating, Peacekeeping and Security, Refugees and UN Treaties, the impact of terrorism, poverty (so far), life expectancy inequality, Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) and Multidimensional Poverty.

For more, see:

"Which are the Countries for International Contributions, Creativity, Peace and Inequality?" by Vexen Crabtree (2026).

8.1. National Culture Datasets

#charity #corruption #cyprus #freedom #happiness #internationalism #morals #politics

Corruption Higher is better₆₉
Pos.		2022 Points₆₉
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
49=	Fiji	53.0
49=	Slovakia	53.0
51=	Grenada	52.0
51=	Cyprus	52.0
51=	Greece	52.0
54=	Rwanda	51.0
54=	Malta	51.0
54=	Saudi Arabia	51.0
	The Mediterranean Avg	42.90
	World Avg	42.98
q=180. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Thoughout the 2010s, Cyprus's score on the Corruption Perception Index declined drastically; it was amongst the 10 countries with the worse rise in perceived corruption that decade.

Creativity & Culture Lower is better₄₀
Pos.		2017 Rank₄₀
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
	...
41	Malaysia	41
42	Namibia	42
43	St Vincent & Grenadines	43
44	Cyprus	44
45	Japan	45
46	Moldova	46
47	Greece	47
48	Australia	48
	The Mediterranean Avg	70.5
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Happiness Higher is better₇₀
Pos.		2024 Score₇₀
1	Finland	7.7
2	Denmark	7.5
3	Iceland	7.5
	...
64	Malaysia	6.0
65	Peru	5.9
66	Russia	5.9
67	Cyprus	5.9
68	China	5.9
69	Hungary	5.9
70	Trinidad & Tobago	5.9
71	Montenegro	5.9
	The Mediterranean Avg	5.62
	World Avg	5.58
q=147. Also scored for 2010s.

Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better₄₀
Pos.		2017 Rank₄₀
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
	...
35	UK	35
36	Italy	36
37	Estonia	37
38	Cyprus	38
39	Bulgaria	39
40	Turkey	40
41	Marshall Islands	41
42	Malta	42
	The Mediterranean Avg	62.8
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Passport Reach (2020s) Higher is better₇₁
Pos.		Passport Reach (2020s) Q₇₁
1	Singapore	192.2
2	Japan	192.0
3	S. Korea	190.7
	...
35	Malaysia	179.8
36	Liechtenstein	179.2
37	UAE	178.0
38	Cyprus	177.0
39	Croatia	176.2
40	Monaco	175.3
41	Chile	174.7
42	Bulgaria	174.5
	The Mediterranean Avg	121.7
	World Avg	108.8
q=195. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

Personal Financial Stability in the 2020s Higher is better₇₂
Pos.		Personal Financial Stability in the 2020s Score₇₂
1	Denmark	9.06
2	Switzerland	9.00
3	Finland	8.96
	...
26	France	8.17
27	Malta	8.15
28	Costa Rica	8.00
29	Cyprus	7.97
30	Estonia	7.94
31	Italy	7.86
32	Israel	7.85
33	Slovenia	7.83
	The Mediterranean Avg	6.61
	World Avg	6.46
q=165.

World Giving Index Higher is better₇₃
Pos.		2022 %₇₃
1	Indonesia	68.0
2	Kenya	61.0
3	USA	59.0
	...
64=	Turkey	40.0
64=	Hungary	40.0
64=	India	40.0
64=	Cyprus	40.0
68=	Malawi	39.0
68=	Slovenia	39.0
68=	Burkina Faso	39.0
68=	Tajikistan	39.0
	The Mediterranean Avg	33.9
	World Avg	39.6
q=125. Also scored for 2010s.

8.2. Peace Versus Instability Datasets

#extremism #human_development #peace #politics #religious_violence #terrorism

Global Peace Index Lower is better₇₄
Pos.		2023 Score₇₄
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
61	Bosnia & Herzegovina	1.89
62	Jordan	1.90
63	Zambia	1.90
64	Cyprus	1.90
65	Serbia	1.92
66	Armenia	1.93
67	France	1.94
68	Panama	1.94
	The Mediterranean Avg	2.11
	World Avg	2.07
q=163. Also scored for 2010s.

Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better₄₀
Pos.		2017 Rank₄₀
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
	...
70	Zimbabwe	70
71	Spain	71
72	USA	72
73	Cyprus	73
74	Jamaica	74
75	Guyana	75
76	Fiji	76
77	Iceland	77
	The Mediterranean Avg	91.2
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better₄₀
Pos.		2017 Rank₄₀
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
	...
14	Italy	14
15	Spain	15
16	France	16
17	Cyprus	17
18	Slovenia	18
19	New Zealand	19
20	Luxembourg	20
21	Ireland	21
	The Mediterranean Avg	59.9
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism Lower is better₇₅
Pos.		2019 Score₇₅
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
	...
38	Djibouti	0.32
39	Bulgaria	0.37
40=	Albania	0.42
40=	Cyprus	0.42
42=	Lithuania	0.46
42=	Sierra Leone	0.46
44	Jamaica	0.47
45	Poland	0.48
	The Mediterranean Avg	3.48
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

8.3. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #poverty #social_development

Poverty (2020s) Lower is better₇₆
Pos.		Poverty (2020s) %₇₆
1	Malaysia	0.01%
2	Bhutan	0.01%
3	Cyprus	0.02%
4	Thailand	0.03%
5	Ukraine	0.03%
6	Czechia	0.03%
7	Kazakhstan	0.04%
8	Russia	0.04%
9	Belgium	0.06%
10	Netherlands	0.07%
11	France	0.08%
12	Moldova	0.09%
	The Mediterranean Avg	2.12%
	World Avg	11.40%
q=106. Also scored for 1980s-2020s.

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better₇₇
Pos.		2019₇₇
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
20=	Belgium	3.60
20=	Estonia	3.60
20=	Montenegro	3.60
20=	Cyprus	3.60
20=	Denmark	3.60
25=	Australia	3.70
25=	Austria	3.70
27=	France	3.80
	The Mediterranean Avg	6.98
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better₇₈
Pos.		2023 %₇₈
1	Slovakia	24.1%₇₉
2	Slovenia	24.3%₇₉
3	Belarus	24.4%₈₀
	...
37=	Myanmar	30.7%₈₁
37=	Austria	30.7%₇₉
39	Uzbekistan	31.2%₈₂
40	Cyprus	31.3%₇₉
41=	Mongolia	31.4%₈₂
41=	Malta	31.4%₈₀
43	France	31.5%₇₉
44	Taiwan	31.6%₇₉
	The Mediterranean Avg	32.6%
	World Avg	36.5%
q=167. Also scored for 1980s-2010s.

9. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Pew Forum polling over the decades has found the following adherency rates:₈₃:

	2010	2020
Christian	65.5%	67.7%
Muslim	26.6%	24.4%
Unaffiliated	6.48%	6.57%
Buddhist	0.637%	0.558%
Other	0.443%	0.454%
Hindu	0.283%	0.267%
Jewish	<0.1%	<0.1%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, other (includes Maronite and Armenian Apostolic) 4%₈₄.

Links:

A List of All Religions and Belief Systems