Cyprus
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Geography
People
Government
Economy
Communications
Transportation
Military
Transnational Issues

Cyprus
Geography
Location: Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey
Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 33 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:
total: 9,250 sq km (note3,355 sq km are in the Turkish Cypriot area)
land: 9,240 sq km
water: 10 sq km
Areacomparative: about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 648 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate, Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters
Terrain: central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant
plains along southern coast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Olympus 1,952 m
Natural resources: copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth
pigment
Land use:
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 13%
other: 70% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 390 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: moderate earthquake activity
Environmentcurrent issues: water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, seasonal disparity
in rainfall; sea water intrusion to island's largest aquifier; increased salinization
in the north); water pollution from sewage and industrial wastes; coastal
degradation; loss of wildlife habitats from urbanization
Environmentinternational agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
People
Population: 748,982 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25% (male 94,006; female 89,256)
15-64 years: 65% (male 245,739; female 241,935)
65 years and over: 10% (male 33,989; female 44,057) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.69% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 13.93 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 7.51 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7.97 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.79 years
male: 74.62 years
female: 79.07 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.03 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Cypriot(s)
adjective: Cypriot
Ethnic groups: Greek 78% (99.5% of the Greeks live in the Greek Cypriot area; 0.5%
of the Greeks live in the Turkish Cypriot area), Turkish 18% (1.3% of the
Turks live in the Greek Cypriot area; 98.7% of the Turks live in the Turkish
Cypriot area), other 4% (99.2% of the other ethnic groups live in the Greek
Cypriot area; 0.8% of the other ethnic groups live in the Turkish Cypriot
area)
Religions: Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, and other
4%
Languages: Greek, Turkish, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94%
male: 98%
female: 91% (1987 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus
conventional short form: Cyprus
note: the Turkish Cypriot area refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)
Data code: CY
Government type: republic
note: a disaggregation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the island
began after the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further
solidified following the Turkish intervention in July 1974 following a Greek
junta-based coup attempt, which gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto control
in the north; Greek Cypriots control the only internationally recognized government;
on 15 November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared independence
and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC), which
has been recognized only by Turkey; both sides publicly call for the resolution
of intercommunal differences and creation of a new federal system of government
National capital: Nicosia
note: the Turkish Cypriot area's capital is Lefkosa (Nicosia)
Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos;
noteTurkish Cypriot area administrative divisions include Kyrenia, all
but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts of Nicosia and Larnaca
Independence: 16 August 1960 (from UK)
note: Turkish Cypriot area proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975 from Republic
of Cyprus
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October
note: Turkish Cypriot area celebrates 15 November as Independence Day
Constitution: 16 August 1960; negotiations to create the basis for a new or revised
constitution to govern the island and to better relations between Greek and
Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently; in 1975 Turkish Cypriots created
their own constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated
State of Cyprus," which was renamed the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus"
in 1983; a new constitution for the Turkish Cypriot area passed by referendum
on 5 May 1985
Legal system: based on common law, with civil law modifications
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Glafcos CLERIDES (since 28 February 1993); notethe president
is both the chief of state and head of government; post of vice president
is currently vacant; under the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved for
a Turkish Cypriot
head of government: President Glafcos CLERIDES (since 28 February 1993); notethe president
is both the chief of state and head of government; post of vice president
is currently vacant; under the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved for
a Turkish Cypriot
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and vice president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last
held 15 February 1998 (next to be held NA February 2003)
election results: Glafcos CLERIDES elected president; percent of voteGlafcos CLERIDES
50.8%, George IAKOVOU 49.2%
note: Rauf R. DENKTASH has been "president" of the Turkish Cypriot area since
13 February 1975 ("president" elected by popular vote for a five-year term);
elections last held 15 and 22 April 1995 (next to be held NA April 2000);
resultsRauf R. DENKTASH 62.5%, Dervis EROGLU 37.5%; Dervis EROGLU has been
"prime minister" of the Turkish Cypriot area since 16 August 1996; there is
a Council of Ministers (cabinet) in the Turkish Cypriot area
Legislative branch: unicameralGreek Cypriot area: House of Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon
(80 seats of which only 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots are filled; members
are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); Turkish Cypriot area:
Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members are elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Greek area: last held 26 May 1996 (next to be held May 2001); Turkish
area: last held 12 December 1993 (next to be held December 1998)
election results: Greek area: House of Representativespercent of vote by partyDISY
34.5%, AKEL (Communist) 33.0%, DIKO 16.4%, EDEK 8.1%, KED 3.7%, others 4.1%;
seats by partyDISY 20, AKEL (Communist) 19, DIKO 10, EDEK 5, KED 2; Turkish
area: Assembly of the Republicpercent of vote by partyUBP 29.9%, DP
29.2%, CTP 24.2% TKP 13.3%, others 3.4%; seats by partyUBP (conservative)
17, DP 15, CTP 13, TKP 5; as of 13 May 1997, seats by partyUBP 18, DP 13,
CTP 13, TKP 5, independent 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the Supreme Council of Judicature
note: there is also a Supreme Court in the Turkish Cypriot area
Political parties and leaders: Greek Cypriot area: Restorative Party of the Working People or AKEL
(Communist Party) Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS; Democratic Rally or DISY Nikos
ANASTASIADHIS; Democratic Party or DIKO Spyros KYPRIANOU; United Democratic
Union of Cyprus or EDEK Vassos LYSSARIDIS; Eurodemocratic Renewal Movement
Alexis GALANOS; United Democrats Movement or EDI (formerly Free Democrats
Movement or KED) George VASSILIOU; New Horizons Nikolaos KOUTSOU, secretary
general; Ecologists Yeoryios PERDHIKIS; Turkish Cypriot area: National
Unity Party or UBP Dervis EROGLU; Communal Liberation Party or TKP Mustafa
AKINCI; Republican Turkish Party or CTP Mehmet ALI TALAT; Unity and Sovereignty
Party or BEP Arif Salih KIRDAG; Democratic Party or DP Serdar DENKTASH;
National Birth Party or UDP Enuer EMIN; New Cyprus Party of YKP Alpay DURDURAN;
Our Party or BP Okyay SADIKOGLU
Political pressure groups and leaders: Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation or PEO (Communist controlled); Confederation
of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West); Federation of Turkish Cypriot Labor
Unions or Turk-Sen; Confederation of Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is
International organization participation: C, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Andros A. NIKOLAIDES
chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: 1 (202) 462-5772
FAX: 1 (202) 483-6710
consulate(s) general: New York
note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot area in the US is Ahmet ERDENGIZ,
office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC, telephone 1 (202) 887-6198
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth C. BRILL
embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, Engomi, Nicosia
mailing address: P. O. Box 4536, FPO AE 09836
telephone: 357 (2) 776400
FAX: 357 (2) 780944
Flag description: white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name Cyprus
is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two green crossed olive branches
in the center of the flag; the branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation
between the Greek and Turkish communities
note: the Turkish Cypriot flag has a horizontal red stripe at the top and
bottom between which is a red crescent and red star on a white field
Economy
Economyoverview: The Greek Cypriot economy is small and prosperous, but highly susceptible
to external shocks. Industry contributes 22% to GDP and employs 25% of the
labor force, while the service sector contributes 73% to GDP and employs 62%
of the labor force. Erratic growth rates in the 1990s reflect the economy's
vulnerability to swings in tourist arrivals, caused by political instability
on the island and fluctuations in economic conditions in Western Europe. The
Turkish Cypriot economy has about one-third the per capita GDP of the south.
Because it is recognized only by Turkey, it has had much difficulty arranging
foreign financing, and foreign firms have hesitated to invest there. The economy
remains heavily dependent on agriculture and government service, which together
employ about half of the work force. Moreover, the small, vulnerable economy
has suffered because the Turkish lira is legal tender. To compensate for the
economy's weakness, Turkey provides direct and indirect aid to nearly every
sector. In January 1997, Turkey signed a $250 million economic cooperation
accord with the Turkish Cypriot area to support tourism, education, and industry.
GDP: purchasing power parity$11.19 billion (Greek Cypriot area: purchasing
power parity$9.75 billion; Turkish Cypriot area: purchasing power parity
- $1.44 billion) (1997 est.)
GDPreal growth rate: 2.4% (Greek Cypriot area: 2.5%; Turkish Cypriot area: 1.7%) (1997 est.)
GDPper capita: purchasing power parity$13,500 (Greek Cypriot area: purchasing power
parity$15,000; Turkish Cypriot area: purchasing power parity$8,000)
(1997 est.)
GDPcomposition by sector: Greek Cypriot area: agriculture 4.4%; industry 22.4%; services 73.2%
(1996); Turkish Cypriot area: agriculture 10%; industry 24.6%; services 65.4%
(1995)
Inflation rateconsumer price index: Greek Cypriot area: 3.5% (1997 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 87.5% (1997
est.)
Labor force:
total: Greek Cypriot area: 299,700
by occupation: services 62%, industry 25%, agriculture 13% (1995)
total: Turkish Cypriot area: 76,500 (1996)
by occupation: services 66%, industry 11%, agriculture 23% (1995)
Unemployment rate: Greek Cypriot area: 3.3% (1997 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 6.4% (1996)
Budget:
revenues: Greek Cypriot area$2.9 billion, Turkish Cypriot area$171 million
expenditures: Greek Cypriot area$3.4 billion, including capital expenditures of
$345 million, Turkish Cypriot area$306 million, including capital expenditures
of $56.8 million (1997 est.)
Industries: food, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metal products, tourism, wood
products
Industrial production growth rate: Greek Cypriot area: -4% (1996); Turkish Cypriot area: 5.1% (1995)
Electricitycapacity: 666,000 kW (1995)
Electricityproduction: 2.6 billion kWh (1995)
Electricityconsumption per capita: 3,530 kWh (1995)
Agricultureproducts: potatoes, citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables
Exports:
total value: Greek Cypriot area: $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: citrus, potatoes, grapes, wine, cement, clothing and shoes
partners: Russia 19.1%, Bulgaria 16.4%, UK 11.3%, Greece 6.3%, Germany 4.8%
total value: Turkish Cypriot area: $70.5 million (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: citrus, potatoes, textiles
partners: Turkey 48.2%, UK 21.3%, other EU 13.7%
Imports:
total value: Greek Cypriot area: $3.6 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants, food and feed grains, machinery
partners: US 17.8%, UK 11.9%, Italy 9.7%, Germany 7.5%, Greece 7.6%
total value: Turkish Cypriot area: $318.4 million (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: food, minerals, chemicals, machinery
partners: Turkey 55.3%, UK 13.8%, other EU 11.6%
Debtexternal: Greek Cypriot area: $1.56 billion (1997)
Economic aid: Greek Cypriot area: recipient$187 million (1990-94) in grants; Turkish
Cypriot area: recipient$700 million (1990-97) from Turkey in grants and
loans that are usually forgiven
Currency: 1 Cypriot pound (£C) = 100 cents; 1 Turkish lira (TL) = 100 kurus
Exchange rates: Cypriot pounds per US1$0.5326 (January 1998), 0.5135 (1997), 0.4663
(1996), 0.4522 (1995), 0.4915 (1994), 0.4970 (1993); Turkish liras (TL) per
US$1187,477 (November 1997), 81,405 (1996), 45,845.1 (1995), 29,608.7 (1994),
10,984.6 (1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: Greek Cypriot area: 367,000 (1996 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 80,000
(1996 est.)
Telephone system: excellent in both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot areas
domestic: open wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay
international: tropospheric scatter; 3 coaxial and 5 fiber-optic submarine cables;
satellite earth stations3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean),
2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations: Greek Cypriot area: AM 4, FM 36, shortwave 1, Turkish Cypriot area:
AM 2, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios: Greek Cypriot area: 500,000 (1996 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 130,000
(1996 est.)
Television broadcast stations: Greek Cypriot area: 8 (repeaters 34); Turkish Cypriot area: 2
Televisions: Greek Cypriot area: 300,000 (1996 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 90,000
(1996 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: Greek Cypriot area: 10,415 km; Turkish Cypriot area: 2,350 km
paved: Greek Cypriot area: 5,947 km; Turkish Cypriot area: 1,370 km
unpaved: Greek Cypriot area: 4,468 km (1996 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 980
km
Ports and harbors: Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos, Vasilikos Bay
Merchant marine:
total: 1,533 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 23,330,565 GRT/37,272,825 DWT
ships by type: bulk 471, cargo 568, chemical tanker 23, combination bulk 48, combination
ore/oil 12, container 139, liquefied gas tanker 5, oil tanker 142, passenger
7, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 54, roll-on/roll-off cargo 42, short-sea
passenger 16, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 2
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 45 countries among
which are Greece 673, Germany 159, Russia 57, Latvia 28, Netherlands 25, Japan
24, Cuba 22, China 18, Belgium 17, and Poland 14; Cyprus owns 78 additional
ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,623,560 DWT that operate under the registries
of Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, Cambodia, Cayman Islands, Hong
Kong, Liberia, Malta, Panama, and Philippines (1997 est.)
Airports: 15 (1997 est.)
Airportswith paved runways:
total: 12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airportswith unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 4 (1997 est.)
Military
Military branches: Greek Cypriot area: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG; includes air
and naval elements); Hellenic Forces Regiment on Cyprus (ELDYK); Greek Cypriot
Police; Turkish Cypriot area: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (TCSF), Turkish
Forces Regiment on Cyprus (KTKA), Turkish mainland army units
Military manpowermilitary age: 18 years of age
Military manpoweravailability:
males age 15-49: 192,389 (1998 est.)
Military manpowerfit for military service:
males: 132,252 (1998 est.)
Military manpowerreaching military age annually:
males: 6,220 (1998 est.)
Military expendituresdollar figure: $405 million (1996)
Military expenditurespercent of GDP: 5.4% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputesinternational: 1974 hostilities divided the island into two de facto autonomous areas,
a Greek Cypriot area controlled by the internationally recognized Cypriot
Government (59% of the island's land area) and a Turkish-Cypriot area (37%
of the island), that are separated by a UN buffer zone (4% of the island);
there are two UK sovereign base areas within the Greek Cypriot portion of
the island
Illicit drugs: transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and container traffic
to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey; some cocaine transits as well
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