Statistical information Cyprus 1993

Cyprus in the World
top of pageBackground: Independence from the UK was approved in 1960 with constitutional guarantees by the Greek Cypriot majority to the Turkish Cypriot minority. In 1974 a Greek-sponsored attempt to seize the government was met by military intervention from Turkey which soon controlled almost 40% of the island. In 1983 the Turkish-held area declared itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus but it is recognized only by Turkey.
top of pageLocation: in the eastern Mediterreanean Sea, 97 km west of Syria and 64 km west of Turkey
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the WorldAreaTotal: total: 9,250 km²
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 648 km
Continental shelf: 200 m depth or to depth of exploitation
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Maritime claimsClimate: temperate, Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters
Terrain: central plain with mountains to north and south
ElevationNatural resources: copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment
Land useArable land: 40%
Permanent crops: 7%
Meadows and pastures: 10%
Forest and woodland: 18%
Other: 25%
Irrigated land: 350 km² (1989)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 723,371 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 0.94% (1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: Cypriot(s)
Adjective: Cypriot
Ethnic groups: Greek 78%, Turkish 18%, other 4%
Languages: Greek, Turkish, English
Religions: Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian, Apostolic, and other 4%
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 0.94% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 17.14 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 7.74 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: moderate earthquake activity; water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, seasonal disparity in rainfall, and most potable resources concentrated in the Turkish-Cypriot area)
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 9.3 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 75.98 years
Female: 78.31 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.34 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15 and over can read and write (1987)
Total population: 94%
Male: 98%
Female: 91%
Greek area total: 282,000
By occupation: services 57%, industry 22%, agriculture 21% (1991)
Turkish area total: 72,000
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Republic of Cyprus
Conventional short form: Cyprus
Government type:
republic; 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 invasion of the island in July 1974, 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
Capital: Nicosia
Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca,
Dependent areasIndependence: 16 August 1960 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (15 November is celebrated as Independence Day in the Turkish area)
Greek Cypriot:Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL; Communist
Party), Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS; Democratic Rally (DISY), Glafkos CLERIDES;
Democratic Party (DIKO), Spyros KYPRIANOU; United Democratic Union of the
Center (EDEK), Vassos LYSSARIDIS; Socialist Democratic Renewal Movement (ADISOK), Mikhalis PAPAPETROU; Liberal Party, Nikos ROLANDIS; Free Democrats,
George VASSILIOU
Turkish area total:National Unity Party (UBP), Dervis EROGLU; Communal
Liberation Party (TKP), Mustafa AKINCI; Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Ozker
OZGUR; New Cyprus Party (YKP), Alpay DURDURAN; Social Democratic Party (SDP),
Ergun VEHBI; New Birth Party (YDP), Ali Ozkan ALTINISHIK; Free Democratic
Party (HDP), Ismet KOTAK; Nationalist Justice Party (MAP), Zorlu TORE; United
Sovereignty Party, Arif Salih KIRDAG; Democratic Party (DP), Hakki ATUN;
Fatherland Party (VP), Orhan UCOK; CTP, TKP, and YDP joined in the coalition
Democratic Struggle Party (DMP) for the 22 April 1990 legislative election; the CTP and TKP boycotted the byelection of 13 October 1991, in which 12 seats were at stake; the DMP was dissolved after the 1990 election
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 area passed by referendum in May 1985
Legal system: based on common law, with civil law modifications
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: president, Council of Ministers (cabinet; note - there is a president, prime minister, and Council of Ministers (cabinet) in the Turkish area
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (Vouli Antiprosopon; note - there is a unicameral Assembly of the Republic (Cumhuriyet Meclisi) in the Turkish area
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; note - there is also a Supreme Court in the Turkish area
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
C, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Michael E. SHERIFIS
In the us chancery: 2,211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: (202) 462-5,772
In the us consulate general: New York; Representative of the Turkish area in the US is Namik KORMAN, office at 1667 K Street, NW, Washington DC, telephone (202) 887-6,198
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Robert E. LAMB
From the us embassy: corner of Therissos Street and Dositheos Street, Nicosia
From the us mailing address: APO AE 9,836
From the us telephone: 357 (2) 465,151
From the us fax: 357 (2) 459-571
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; the Turkish cypriot flag has a horizontal red stripe at the top and bottom with a red crescent and red star on a white field
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: The Greek Cypriot economy is small, diversified, and prosperous. Industry contributes 16.5% to GDP and employs 29% of the labor force, while the service sector contributes 62% to GDP and employs 57% of the labor force. Rapid growth in exports of agricultural and manufactured products and in tourism have played important roles in the average 6.8% rise in GDP between 1986 and 1990. This progress was temporarily checked in 1991, because of the adverse effects of the Gulf War on tourism. Nevertheless in mid-1991, the World Bank "graduated" Cyprus off its list of developing countries. In contrast to the bright picture in the south, the Turkish Cypriot economy has less than half the per capita GDP and suffered a series of reverses in 1991. Crippled by the effects of the Gulf war, the collapse of the fruit-to-electronics conglomerate, Polly Peck, Ltd., and a drought, the Turkish area in late 1991 asked for a multibillion-dollar grant from Turkey to help ease the burden of the economic crisis. In addition, the Turkish government extended a $100 million loan in November 1992 to be used for economic development projects in 1993. Turkey normally underwrites a substantial portion of the Turkish Cypriot economy. Greek area: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $6.3 billion (1992) Turkish area: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $600 million (1990) Greek area: 6.5% (1992) Turkish area: 5.9% (1990) Greek area: $11,000 (1992) Turkish area: $4,000 (1990) Greek area: 5.1% (1991) Turkish area: 69.4% (1990) Greek area: 2.4% (1991) Turkish area: 1.5% (1991)
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capitaGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: contributes 6% to GDP and employs 14% of labor force in the south; major crops - potatoes, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, citrus fruits; vegetables and fruit provide 25% of export revenues
Industries: food, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metal products, tourism, wood products
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 0.4% (1991; accounts for 16.5% of GDP
Labor forceUnemployment rateYouth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $1.7 billion; expenditures $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $350 million (1993)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $875 million (f.o.b., 1991)
Commodoties: citrus, potatoes, grapes, wine, cement, clothing and shoes
Partners: UK 23%, Greece 10%, Lebanon 10%, Germany 5%
Imports: $2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
Commodoties: consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants, food and feed grains, machinery
Partners: UK 13%, Japan 12%, Italy 10%, Germany 9.1%
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: NA
top of pageElectricityCoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $209 million, 5% of GDP (1990 est.)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 13
Usable: 13
With permanentsurface runways: 10
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 7
With runways 1220-2439 m: 1
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine:
1,299 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,045,037
GRT/37,119,933 DWT; includes 10 short-sea passenger, 1 passenger-cargo, 463 cargo, 77 refrigerated cargo, 24 roll-on/roll-off, 70 container, 4 multifunction large load carrier, 110 oil tanker, 3 specialized tanker, 3 liquefied gas, 26 chemical tanker, 32 combination ore/oil, 422 bulk, 3 vehicle carrier, 48 combination bulk, 1 railcar carrier, 2 passenger; note - a flag of convenience registry; Cuba owns 27 of these ships, Russia owns 36, Latvia also has 7 ships, Croatia owns 2, and Romania 5
Ports and terminalsCyprus - Transnational issues 1993
top of pageDisputes international: 1974 hostilities divided the island into two de facto autonomous areas, a Greek area controlled by the Cypriot Government (60% of the island's land area) and a Turkish-Cypriot area (35% of the island) that are separated by a narrow UN buffer zone; in addition, there are two UK sovereign base areas (about 5% of the island's land area)
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: transit point for heroin via air routes and container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey