Population Numbers Debate: Call for New Census

North Cyprus News - Kyrenia - Traffic

Today, July 11, marks World Population Day, a date recognised by the United Nations. In the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), debates over population figures continue due to the absence of an official census for 13 years. Various political figures have shared their perspectives on this issue, Kibris Postasi reports.

Interior Minister Dursun Oğuz dismissed claims that the TRNC’s population exceeds 407,000, emphasising the lack of evidence. Irfan Tansel Demir, President of the Statistics Office, confirmed the projected population as 407,000. Former Interior Minister Ayşegül Baybars criticised these figures as superficial, calling for a new census. Meanwhile, Mahmut Özçınar, President of the Union of Cyprus Turkish Municipalities (KTBB), linked increased water consumption to tourist activities, implying it skewed population estimates.

Kibris Postasi sought opinions from key figures on World Population Day, established by the UN in 1989 when the global population reached 5 billion. The TRNC’s last census occurred in 2011, leaving a 13-year gap filled with only estimates. This lack of accurate data has caused issues in traffic, hospitals, and schools.

Minister Oğuz reiterated that the Statistics Office is the authoritative source for population data, and he noted that the rumours of a population exceeding 407,000 lack supporting documents. Demir, head of the Statistics Office, provided specific figures: 59,984 students in schools and around 10,000 children aged 0-2. He also mentioned that, as of May, there were 170,104 people with registered residence permits, and the number of individuals with expired permits was minimal, between 1,000-2,000.

North Cyprus News - Ayşegül-Baybars
[Former Minister for the Interior – Ayşegül Baybars]
Former interior minister Ayşegül Baybars stressed the necessity of a new census for effective social and economic planning, criticising the 13-year gap since the last census. This gap has led to inaccuracies affecting per capita income regulations, and allocations for schools, hospitals, public officials, and police.

Özçınar argued that apart from illegal entries, the population data is well-documented, noting the clear numbers of people entering by air and sea, citizens, those with work permits, soldiers, and registered students. He attributed the increased water usage to tourists, as detailed by Nicosia Turkish Municipality (LTB) Mayor Mehmet Harmancı, who reported a significant rise in water brought to Nicosia from Turkey—from 4,586,732 tons in 2017 to 8,432,402 tons in 2023.

Interior Minister Oğuz announced an agreement with 15 out of 18 municipalities for the digital database system project (MAKS). This project aims to provide accurate population data through address-based censuses once all municipalities are ready. Demir added that population projections in 2011 indicated a population of 407,000, with notable concentration in Kyrenia and Iskele. He refuted claims of the population being as high as 1 million or 600,000, describing estimates based on water and phone subscriptions as unrealistic.

Demir revealed plans for a data-driven census by 2025, following the completion of the Address-Based Registration System. He emphasised that the number of illegally residing individuals in the TRNC is insignificant, with expired permits affecting a maximum of 1,000-2,000 people.

Former interior minister Baybars criticised the government for not properly registering the population and for promoting illegal living through amnesties, which she argued undermines state seriousness. She advocated for making the census a policy priority, highlighting its importance for planning and infrastructure development.

Kibris Postasi

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