‘Humour that has been shaped by centuries of upheaval’

Is Cyprus funny?

The Czech Republic is! According to new international research, it ranks as the most humorous country in the world – known for its dry wit, piercing irony, and quietly subversive sense of humour.

So is Greece. Ranking 6th in the world in the funny stakes, it’s a bastion of expressive self-deprecation; humour that’s been shaped by centuries of upheaval. Laughter, the study notes, is the Hellenic social glue, a way to process hardship collectively and keep conversation, connection and resilience alive.

Cyprus, of course, doesn’t appear at all. Small countries like ours often slip through the cracks of global surveys.

And yet, if humour thrives where people gather, talk, tease, and share stories, Cyprus would surely rank highly. We’re a nation moulded by history, family networks, long conversations, and a deep instinct for finding lightness in difficulty.

Now, this isn’t borne out by smiling studies; Cyprus recently ranked as the world’s 55th most smiley nation – just making it into the top half of the 124 countries assessed.

But smiling and laughing are two very different things: the former is often social, performative or polite – shaped by context, culture and cameras. Laughter is far more spontaneous, embodied and genuine, emerging in moments of real connection rather than presentation.

Which brings us to what science is now discovering about laughter itself.

Laughter isn’t just a reaction to humour – it’s a biological event. When we laugh, the brain releases endorphins, dopamine and serotonin, chemicals linked to pleasure, pain relief and emotional regulation. These neurochemical shifts help reduce stress and promote a sense of connection and wellbeing.

It also has measurable physical effects. Studies suggest laughter can lower cortisol, support immune function, improve blood vessel health and even help regulate blood pressure. In other words, a good laugh doesn’t just feel good – it does good.

Crucially, laughter is social. Research shows we’re far more likely to laugh with others than alone, and that shared laughter strengthens bonds, increases trust and reinforces group cohesion.

Which may explain why cultures built around conversation, community and shared experience seem to value humour so deeply. In places where people talk a lot, tease gently, and gather often, laughter becomes part of the social fabric – a low-cost, high-impact way of easing tension and reinforcing belonging.

So perhaps the more interesting question isn’t whether Cyprus laughs more or less than other countries, or if we consider ourselves a funny nation. It’s whether we fully recognise laughter for what it is: not a distraction from serious life, but one of the ways we’ve learned to live with it.

Laughter, it seems, is just what we need when things get heavy. As, on this island, they so often do!