As can be seen from the chart above, Yialousa was always predominantly inhabited by Greek Cypriots. In the Ottoman census of 1831, Christians constituted the sole population. During the first half of the twentieth century, the population increased steadily from 2,033 in 1901 to 3,186 in 1931. However in 1946, the population of the village declined drastically to 2,768. This negative trend continued until 1973, when the population of the village was estimated at 2,460. Goodwin claims that Yialousa did not grow between 1931 and 1960 because of the economic hardship prevailing in the region at the time. During this period many people from Yialousa and surrounding villages migrated to the UK, US and Australia to find a better life. The other important reason for the decline is that, until 1946, Ayia Trias village was included within Yialousa’s village borders and was counted as part of Yialousa in censuses.
Displacement:
Most of the Yialousa Greeks were initially not displaced in August 1974, when the Turkish army and Turkish Cypriot fighters reached the village. The village had an enclaved Greek Cypriot population of 1,909 as late as October 1975. By early December 1975, this number was down to 537. The number of enclaved persons dropped further to 310 by July 1977, and by April 1978 only two Greek Cypriots remained. The restrictions such as freedom of movement and education rights imposed on them were the major causes of their departure. The other important reason was family reunifications. When 139 fighting-age males of the village were taken to POW camps and later exchanged with Turkish Cypriot POWs from the south, they ended up on other side of the divide. Consequently, many families left the village to reunite with them in south Cyprus. They were not allowed back. From the above-mentioned POWs, eleven went missing, never to be seen again. In addition, the arrival of displaced Turkish Cypriots from Tylliria in 1976 also accelerated their departure. After the Vienna agreements, UNFICYP established an operation post there in August 1975. Currently, like the rest of the displaced Greek Cypriots, the Greek Cypriots of Yialousa are scattered throughout the island’s south, with large pockets in towns. The number of the Yialousa Greek Cypriots who were displaced in 1974 was around 2500 (2460 in the 1973 census).
Current Inhabitants:
Following the unfortunate departure of the Yialousa Greeks in 1975-78, the town was repopulated by Turkish Cypriots from the Tylliria region in northwest Cyprus. The displaced Turkish Cypriots mainly came from villages such as Kokkina(050) (now a military exclave), Alevga(014), Mansoura(66), Sellain T’Appi(095) and Agios Theodoros(009). Over the last twenty years, many European citizens, Turkish nationals and wealthy Turkish Cypriots from elsewhere in the island’s north (including returnees from abroad) have also bought property, built houses, and settled here. The 2006 census puts the village’s population at 1,640.
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