The Department of Statistics and Research announces that it has published the report «Family Budget Survey, 1996/97». The report provides detailed data on the expenditure pattern of households, the distribution of income by source, as well as other information on the standard of living of the population.

The survey which was carried out during the period September 1996 – August 1997, was the eighth in the series of «Household surveys» carried out on a regular basis since 1966. The survey was based on a sample of 2.645 households in both urban and rural areas of Cyprus.

The main findings of the survey are:

• The average annual consumption expenditure amounted to £12.442, £13.497 per urban household and £10.422 per rural household.
• About 20% of the expenditure is spent on housing, 19% on transport (mainly purchase and maintemamce of cars), almost 19% on food, 7% on clothing and footwear, 7% on furnishing and equipment of house, almost 6% on education, 6% on leisure and entertainment, 5% on health, 4% on hotels and restaurants and 8% on other goods and services.

• Payments of household, other than consumption expenditure, amounted to £5.506 per year, £6.014 in urban areas and £4.535 in rural areas. These payments referred to investments and repayments of loans (mainly for housing purposes and purchase of transport equipment).

• The mean annual household net income in 1997 amounted to £12.660. Urban households received £13.912 on average and rural household £10.625.

• On the bases of the distribution of households in income groups, almost 50% of households received an annual net income between £10.000 and £25.000; 42% of the households received up to £10.000 while 8% over £25.000.

• Receipts of households, which refer to revenue of non-recurring nature, amounted to £4.916 in 1997, £5.247 in urban areas and £4.282 in rural. Loans taken accounted for 54,2% of the total and withdrawals from savings 26,4%.
• The proportion of households owning a car increased to 81% in 1997 compared to 76% in 1991 and 62% in 1984. Furthermore one out of every three households possesses two cars and one out of every fifteen possesses three or more cars.
• Refrigerators and colour television sets are now available in almost every household. Washing machine is now available in 91% of the households compared to 84% in 1991.
• Central heating and air-conditioning facilities are now available in 26% and 19% of households respectively, compared to 14% and 11% in 1992.

The report is available from the Government Printing Office at the price of £12.00 per copy.