Cyprus - Housing

Village homes in Cyprus are generally constructed of stone, sundried mud bricks, and other locally available materials; in the more prosperous rural centers, there are houses of burnt brick or concrete. A growing population has resulted in a shortage of dwellings, especially in urban areas. This was further aggravated by the 1974 war, which resulted in the displacement of more than 200,000 people and the destruction of 36% of the housing stock. The government provided temporary accommodations for about 25,000 displaced people and embarked on a long-term plan to replace the lost housing units. Between 1974 and 1990, 50,227 families were housed in a total of 13,589 low-cost dwellings.

In 1982, the Cyprus Land Development Corporation was formed to address the housing needs of low- and middle-income families, including the replacement of old housing stock. By 1991, the corporation had disposed of 573 building plots and helped construct 391 housing units. Between 1975 and 1991, the private sector constructed 83,197 housing units. The total number of housing units grew from about 75,000 in 1976 to about 125,000 at last estimate.

According to a 2001 census, there were about 292,934 conventional dwellings across the country. Nearly 43% were single, detached houses; nother 20% were apartment blocks. About 35,829 conventional dwellings were built from 1996–2001. Most dwellings have from four to seven rooms. The average household contained three people. About 68% of dwellings were owner occupied. About 5.6% of dwellings are temporary housing sites for refugees.