One of the Safest Countries in the World: A Discussion on the Security of Cyprus

Immigrating to Cyprus to understand life in Cyprus: Many friends may have some understanding of the security situation in Cyprus—having a crime rate that is one-fifth of Europe, it is one of the lower crime countries in Europe. However, it is only when you truly arrive there that you can genuinely feel the sense of security where doors can be left unlocked and items can be left unattended.

Here are a few phenomena that many friends have observed. Firstly, banks in Cyprus do not use bulletproof glass; the cash and non-cash areas are both face-to-face, which is probably unimaginable in our country.

The second observation is that the walls of all communities or villas are only about 1 meter high, making it very easy for someone to enter.

The third observation is that the apartment building doors and entry doors almost never have security doors; most building doors are made of glass, and the entry doors feel similar to our indoor doors. Security windows are virtually non-existent; some windows have aluminum roller shutters, but these are not for security, rather for shading, as the Mediterranean sun is quite strong. Villas also do not have security doors or windows.

The fourth observation is that if you ask Chinese residents who have lived there for about ten years whether they have ever seen a fight, their answers are surprisingly the same: “There should be fights, but I have never seen one.” It is astonishing that they have not witnessed a fight in ten years, which is quite a contrast to our country where physical confrontations are common.

The fifth observation is that when staying in hotels, there is no need to pay a deposit; you simply pay for the days you stay and return the key to the front desk while saying “Thank you” as you leave.

On the streets, police are hardly seen, which is a common occurrence in Cyprus. The local security is indeed very good compared to the rest of Europe, not because of the strength of law enforcement, but due to the high overall quality of the citizens. Jokingly, one might say, “The security in Cyprus is so good that being a police officer can feel quite boring.”