As can be seen from the chart above, Lapathos was always a mixed village. Although Muslims constituted the majority in 1831 (61%), Greek Cypriots always constituted the majority during the British period. During the first half of the 20th century, while the Greek Cypriot population ratio increased steadily, the Turkish Cypriot ratio declined. In the 1960 census, Turkish Cypriots constituted only 35% of the population. This percentage was almost 42.5% in 1891.
Displacement:
During the 1963-4 intercommunal strife, no one was displaced from the village’s original population; however, the village served temporarily as a reception centre for displaced Turkish Cypriots. According to geographer Richard Patrick, there were nine displaced Turkish Cypriots residing in the village in 1970. In 1974, all of its Greek Cypriot inhabitants were displaced. They fled in August 1974 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 Lapathos are scattered throughout the island’s south, with some pockets in cities. The displaced Greek Cypriot population of Lapathos could be estimated to be around 440 since its population was 435 in 1973.
Current Inhabitants:
Currently the village is mainly inhabited by its original Turkish Cypriot villagers. However, the village was also used for the settlement of some Turkish nationals from the Çarşamba district of the middle Black Sea region of Turkey. There are also some Turkish Cypriot returnees currently living in the village. The 2006 Turkish Cypriot census puts the total population of the village at 475.
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