The Statistical Service announces that it has published the annual report “Construction and Housing Statistics 1999”. The report provides data, inter alia, on the output, capital formation, inputs, new dwellings completed, building permits and price indices of labour cost and materials, for the construction sector.

2. The main developments in the Construction sector in 1999 were:

The sector recorded a negative rate of growth of 0,9% in 1999 compared to a negative rate of 0,3% in 1998. This is attributed mostly to the lower rate of growth of civil engineering projects of the sector.

Gross output, at current market prices, increased by 2,3% and reached £667,0 million in 1999 compared to £ 652,0 million in 1998. Of the gross output, 42% was for dwellings, 23% for non-residential buildings (hotels, shops, offices, factories etc), 22% for civil engineering projects (roads, dams etc) and the remaining 13% accounted for repairs.

Labour cost during 1999 increased by 3,4% compared to 1998. The overall price index of construction materials decreased by 3,6% over 1998.

New dwellings completed in 1999 decreased by 4,1% and amounted to 6.327 units compared to 6.599 in the previous year. The average area per dwelling completed in 1999 was 220 square metres for houses and 120 square metres for apartments compared to 219 and 118 in 1998.

Employment in the sector increased from 24,1 thousand persons in 1998 to 24,2 thousand in 1999 and accounted for 8,3% of the total gainfully employed population.

3. The Report is available from the Government Printing Office in Nicosia at the price of C£7,00.