AGIOS ELIAS

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Agios Ilias or Agios Elias is a small village located in the Karpasia/Karpaz peninsula, six kilometersnortheast of Trikomo/Yeni iskele and two kilometers from Famagusta Bay. Agios Ilias means “Saint Elijah” in Greek. In 1975, Turkish Cypriots changed the name to Yarköy, literally meaning “village of a cliffcliff.” 
 
 
Historical Population:

As can be seen from the chart above, in the Ottoman census of 1831 Christians (Greek Cypriots) constituted the only inhabitants of the village. Throughout the British period, the village was almost solely inhabited by Greek Cypriots. Its population steadily increased from 398 in 1891, to 631 in 1946. However, there was a significant drop in 1960 to 422.

Displacement:

All of the village’s inhabitants were displaced in 1974. Between July and August 1974 they fled from the advancing Turkish army to the southern part of the island. Currently, like the rest of the displaced Greek Cypriots, the Greek Cypriots of Agios Ilias are scattered throughout the island’s south, with large pockets in towns. The number of the Agios Ilias Greek Cypriots who were displaced in 1974 was around 360 (355 in the 1973 census).

Current Inhabitants:

Today the village is inhabited by Turkish nationals who settled in the village in 1976. They derive mainly from the Acıpayam and Çardak districts of Denizli province of Turkey. The 2006 census puts the village’s population at 348. 


 
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