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Cyprus Youth Stay With Parents Longer Than EU Average

Young people in Cyprus leave their parents’ homes at an average age of 27, slightly later than the EU average of 26, according to new Eurostat data released for International Youth Day.

The survey covers people aged 15 to 29, who account for around 17% of Cyprus’ population.

Employment And Education

Cyprus has a relatively high youth employment rate, with 55.2% of young people reporting that they are employed, compared with 49.1% across the EU. At the same time, youth unemployment has fallen significantly over the past decade, dropping from 24.5% in 2015 to 9.3% in 2025.

Education levels are also relatively high, with 30.6% of young people in Cyprus holding higher education qualifications. Online learning is gaining ground as well. In 2025, 27.4% of young people attended online courses, while 21% reported having digital skills above the basic level.

Social Media And Life Satisfaction

Social media remains particularly widespread among young people in Cyprus, with 99.3% saying they use social media. That was the highest rate recorded across the EU.

Despite differences in employment, education and living arrangements, Cypriot young people reported relatively high levels of life satisfaction.

On a scale from zero to 10, they gave their lives an average score of 7.7.

Europe’s Busiest Ports Show The Scale Of Maritime Trade

Maritime transport carried roughly 13 billion tonnes of goods worldwide in 2024, highlighting its central role in global trade and supply chains. EU ports handled about 3.4 billion tonnes, or 26% of the global total, while nearly 90% of the bloc’s external freight trade is carried by sea.

Rotterdam And Antwerp-Bruges Lead The EU

Rotterdam was the EU’s busiest port in 2024, handling 397.3 million tonnes of goods. Antwerp-Bruges ranked second with 243.7 million tonnes, putting the two northern European hubs well ahead of the rest.

Hamburg ranked third at 97 million tonnes, followed by Spain’s Algeciras at 81.5 million tonnes and Amsterdam at 78.8 million tonnes. France’s HAROPA port complex, covering Le Havre and Rouen, handled 76.6 million tonnes, while Gdansk recorded 71 million tonnes.

Marseille and Valencia followed with 66 million and 64.5 million tonnes, respectively. Romania’s Constanta completed the top 10 at 57.6 million tonnes, reflecting the Black Sea’s role in Europe’s wider trade network.

Europe’s Second Tier Of Major Ports

Several ports handled between 40 million and 56 million tonnes in 2024. Barcelona recorded 55.5 million tonnes, followed by Trieste at 53.5 million, Genoa at 47.4 million and Sines at 44.1 million.

Piraeus handled 43.7 million tonnes, while Germany’s Bremerhaven recorded 42.5 million. Sweden’s Göteborg handled 38.5 million tonnes and Dunkerque in France 36.8 million.

Netherlands Leads By National Port Volume

Looking at total cargo across each country’s ports, the Netherlands ranked first with 538.1 million tonnes in 2024. Italy followed with 488.6 million tonnes and Spain with 486 million tonnes, putting all three well ahead of the rest of the EU.

Belgium ranked fourth at 274.9 million tonnes, followed by Germany at 273.9 million and France at 269.8 million. Greece, Sweden and Poland each handled more than 100 million tonnes, showing the breadth of Europe’s maritime network.

Turkey Expands The Regional Picture

Including EU candidate countries and EFTA members puts Turkey in second place with 524.7 million tonnes, behind the Netherlands. Norway ranked eighth with 212.1 million tonnes and handled 212.1 million tonnes.

The European Commission has described maritime transport as a long-standing driver of European economic development. Its role now extends beyond moving cargo, with ports increasingly tied to supply chains, energy security and industrial policy.

In March 2026, the Commission adopted two strategies focused on competitiveness, sustainability, security and resilience across the EU’s waterborne sector, including ports, shipping and shipbuilding.

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