Map of Cyprus | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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Background: A former British colony Cyprus became independent in 1960 following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head in December 1963 when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia. Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964 sporadic intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into enclaves throughout the island. In 1974 a Greek Government-sponsored attempt to seize control of Cyprus was met by military intervention from Turkey which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In 1983 the Turkish-held area declared itself the 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' ('TRNC') but it is recognized only by Turkey. The election of a new Cypriot president in 2008 served as the impetus for the UN to encourage both the Turkish and Cypriot Governments to reopen unification negotiations. In September 2008 the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities started negotiations under UN auspices aimed at reuniting the divided island. The entire island entered the EU on 1 May 2004 although the EU acquis - the body of common rights and obligations - applies only to the areas under direct government control and is suspended in the areas administered by Turkish Cypriots. However individual Turkish Cypriots able to document their eligibility for Republic of Cyprus citizenship legally enjoy the same rights accorded to other citizens of European Union states.


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Location: Middle East island in the Mediterranean Sea south of Turkey

Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N 33 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 9,251 km²
Rank: 170
Land: 9,241 km²
Water: 10 km²
Comparative: about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries
Total: 150.4 km
Border sovereign base areas: Akrotiri 47.4 km Dhekelia 103 km (approximately)

Coastline: 648 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate: temperate; Mediterranean with hot dry summers and cool 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
Extremes highest point: Mount Olympus 1951 m

Natural resources: copper pyrites asbestos gypsum timber salt marble clay earth pigment

Land use
Arable land: 10.81%
Permanent crops: 4.32%
Other: 84.87% (2005)

Irrigated land: 400 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 0.4 km³ (2005)

Natural hazards: moderate earthquake activity; droughts

Geography
Note: the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia)


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Population: 796,740 (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 159
Growth rate: 0.519% (2009 est.)
Growth rate rank: 154
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Cypriot
Adjective: Cypriot

Ethnic groups: Greek 77% Turkish 18% other 5% (2001)

Languages: Greek Turkish English

Religions: Greek Orthodox 78% Muslim 18% other (includes Maronite and Armenian Apostolic) 4%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 19.1%
15-64 years: 68.5% (male 276,890/female 269,267)
65 years and over: 12.3% (male 42,961/female 55,072) (2009 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 35.5 years
Male: 34.5 years
Female: 36.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.519% (2009 est.)
Rank: 154

Birth rate: 12.57 births/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 161

Death rate: 7.8 deaths/1000 population (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 113

Net migration rate: 0.42 migrant(s)/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 66

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 70% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments seasonal disparity in rainfall sea water intrusion to island's largest aquifer increased salination in the north); water pollution from sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of wildlife habitats from urbanization
International agreements party to: Air Pollution Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants Air Pollution-Sulfur 94 Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Environmental Modification Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Marine Dumping Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 6.6 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 174
Male: 8.14 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 4.98 deaths/1000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.33 years
Rank: 45
Male: 75.91 years
Female: 80.86 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Rank: 162

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 143
People living with hivaids: fewer than 1000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 142
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 6.3% of GDP (2004)
Rank: 35

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97.6%
Male: 98.9%
Female: 96.3% (2001 census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 14 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 14 years (2006)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus
Conventional short form: Cyprus
Local long form: Kypriaki Dimokratia/Kibris Cumhuriyeti
Local short form: Kypros/Kibris
Note: the Turkish Cypriot community which administers the northern part of the island refers to itself as the 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' ('TRNC')

Government type: republic
Note: a separation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in July 1974 that followed a Greek junta-supported coup attempt 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 is recognized only by Turkey

Capital
Name: Nicosia
Geographic coordinates: 35 10 N 33 22 E
Time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Famagusta Kyrenia Larnaca Limassol Nicosia Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions include Kyrenia all but a small part of Famagusta and small parts of Nicosia (Lefkosia)

Dependent areas

Independence: 16 August 1960 (from the UK); note - Turkish Cypriots proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983 but these proclamations are only recognized by Turkey

National holiday: Independence Day 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots celebrate 15 November (1983) as Independence Day

Constitution: 16 August 1960
Note: from December 1963 the Turkish Cypriots no longer participated in the government; negotiations to create the basis for a new or revised constitution to govern the island and for better relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently since the mid-1960s; in 1975 following the 1974 Turkish intervention Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution and governing bodies within the 'Turkish Federated State of Cyprus' which became the 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)' when the Turkish Cypriots declared their independence in 1983; a new constitution for the 'TRNC' passed by referendum on 5 May 1985 although the 'TRNC' remains unrecognized by any country other than Turkey

Legal system: based on English common law with civil law modifications; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Demetris CHRISTOFIAS ; note - the 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 Demetris CHRISTOFIAS (since 28 February 2008)
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 17 and 24 February 2008 (next to be held in February 2013)
Election results: Demetris CHRISTOFIAS elected president; percent of vote (first round) - Ioannis KASOULIDES 33.5% Demetris CHRISTOFIAS 33.3% Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 31.8%; (second round) Demetris CHRISTOFIAS 53.4% Ioannis KASOULIDES 46.6%
Note: Mehmet Ali TALAT became 'president' of the 'TRNC' 24 April 2005 after 'presidential' elections on 17 April 2005; results - Mehmet Ali TALAT 55.6% Dervis EROGLU 22.7%; Ferdi Sabit SOYER is 'TRNC prime minister' and heads the Council of Ministers (cabinet) in coalition with 'Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister' Turgay AVCI

Legislative branch: unicameral - area under government control: House of Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots 24 to Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned to Greek Cypriots are filled; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: area under government control: last held 21 May 2006 (next to be held in 2010); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: last held 19 April 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
Election results: area under government control: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - AKEL 31.1% DISY 30.3% DIKO 17.9% EDEK 8.9% EURO.KO 5.8% Greens 2.0%; seats by party - AKEL 18 DISY 18 DIKO 11 EDEK 4 EURO.KO 4 Greens 1; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Assembly of the Republic - percent of vote by party - UBP 44.1% CTP 29.3% DP 10.6% other 16%; seats by party - UBP 26 CTP 15 DP 5 other 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president and vice president)
Note: there is also a Supreme Court in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots

Political parties and leaders
Area under government control: Democratic Party or DIKO [Marios KAROYIAN]; Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADES]; European Party or EURO.KO [Demetris SYLLOURIS]; Fighting Democratic Movement or ADIK [Dinos MIKHAILIDES]; Green Party of Cyprus [George PERDIKIS]; Movement for Social Democrats or EDEK [Yiannakis OMIROU]; Progressive Party of the Working People or AKEL [Andros KYPRIANOU]; United Democrats or EDI [Michalis PAPAPETROU]
Area administered by turkish cypriots: Centrist Party or HP [Rasit PERTEV]; Communal Democracy Party or TDP [Mehmet CAKICIL]; Cyprus Socialist Party or KSP [Yusuf ALKIM]; Democratic Party or DP [Serder DENKTASH]; Freedom and Reform Party or ORP [Turgay AVCI]; National Unity Party or UBP [Dervis EROGLU]; Nationalist Justice Party or MAP [Ata TEPE]; New Cyprus Party or YKP [Murat KANATLI]; Politics for the People Party or HIS [Ahmet YONLUER]; Republican Turkish Party or CTP [Ferdi Sabit SOYER]; United Cyprus Party or BKP [Izzet IZCAN]

International organization participation: Australia Group C CE EBRD EIB EMU EU FAO IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt IFAD IFC IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA NAM (guest) NSG OAS (observer) OIF (associate member) OPCW OSCE PCA UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNIFIL UNWTO UPU WCL WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Andreas KAKOURIS
In the us chancery: 2,211 R Street NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 462-5,772 462-0873
In the us fax: [1] (202) 483-6,710
In the us consulate general: New York
In the us note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot community in the US is Hilmi AKIL; office at 1667 K Street NW Washington DC; telephone [1] (202) 887-6,198
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Frank C. URBANCIC Jr.
From the us embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets 2,407 Engomi Nicosia
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 24,536 1385 Nicosia
From the us telephone: [357] (22) 393,939
From the us fax: [357] (22) 780,944

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 Republic of Northern Cyprus' flag has a white field with narrow horizontal red stripes positioned a small distance from the top and bottom edges between which is centered a red crescent and a red five-pointed star

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The area of the Republic of Cyprus under government control has a market economy dominated by the service sector which accounts for 78% of GDP. Tourism financial services and real estate are the most important sectors. Erratic growth rates over the past decade reflect the economy's reliance on tourism which often fluctuates with political instability in the region and economic conditions in Western Europe. Nevertheless the economy in the area under government control has grown at a rate well above the EU average since 2000. Cyprus joined the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM2) in May 2005 and adopted the euro as its national currency on 1 January 2008. An aggressive austerity program in the preceding years aimed at paving the way for the euro helped turn a soaring fiscal deficit (6.3% in 2003) into a surplus of 1.2% in 2008 and reduced inflation to 5.1%. This prosperity will come under pressure in 2009 as construction and tourism slow in the face of reduced foreign demand triggered by the ongoing global financial crisis. Growth is expected to slow to less than 2% which would be its lowest level since 2003. As in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots water shortages are a perennial problem; a few desalination plants have been added to existing plants over the last year and are now on line. After 10 years of drought the country received substantial rainfall from 2001-04. Since then rainfall has been well below average making water rationing a necessity.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 115
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 106

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 58
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.1%
Industry: 19.6%
Services: 78.3% (2008 est.)

Agriculture products: citrus vegetables barley grapes olives vegetables; poultry pork lamb; dairy cheese

Industries: tourism food and beverage processing cement and gypsum production ship repair and refurbishment textiles light chemicals metal products wood paper stone and clay products

Industrial production growth rate: 4.1% (2008 est.)
Rank: 64

Labor force: 397,000 (2008 est.)
Rank: 155
By occupation agriculture: 8.5%
By occupation industry: 20.5%
By occupation services: 71% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate: 3.9% (2007 est.)
Rank: 42

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index: 29 (2005)
Rank: 118

Budget
Revenues: $11.19 billion
Expenditures: $10.96 billion (2008 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 74.9% of GDP (2004 est.)
Rank: 37

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.4% (2007 est.)
Rank: 81

Central bank discount rate: 5% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 98
Note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 6.74% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 124

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit: $52.09 billion (31 December 2007)
Rank: 42

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 63

Current account balance: -$2.595 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 156

Exports: $1.483 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 133
Commodities: citrus potatoes pharmaceuticals cement and clothing
Partners: Greece 20.1% UK 10.8% Germany 6% (2008)

Imports: $7.957 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 91
Commodities: consumer goods petroleum and lubricants intermediate goods machinery transport equipment
Partners: Greece 16.9% Italy 10.7% UK 8.7% Germany 8.3% Israel 8.2% China 5.3% Netherlands 4.1% France 4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $6.507 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 127

Debt external: $26.97 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 62

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $13.83 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 69

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $5.591 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 50

Exchange rates: euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.) Cypriot pounds (CYP) per US dollar - 0.4286 (2007) 0.4586 (2006) 0.4641 (2005) 0.4686 (2004)


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Electricity
Production: 4.502 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 115
Consumption: 4.277 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 115
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 191
Consumption: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 192
Exports: 0 m³ (2008)
Exports rank: 191
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 182
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2009 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 189

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: area under government control: 413,300 (2008); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 86,228 (2002)
Main lines in use rank: 102
Mobile cellular: area under government control: 1.017 million (2008); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 147,522 (2002)
Mobile cellular rank: 143

Telephone system
General assessment: excellent in both area under government control and area administered by Turkish Cypriots
Domestic: open-wire fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
International: country code - 357 (area administered by Turkish Cypriots uses the country code of Turkey - 90); a number of submarine cables including the SEA-ME-WE-3 combine to provide connectivity to Western Europe the Middle East and Asia; tropospheric scatter; satellite earth stations - 8 (3 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean 2 Eutelsat 2 Intersputnik and 1 Arabsat)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .cy
Hosts: 185,451 (2009)
Hosts rank: 63
Users: 334,400 (2008)
Users rank: 121

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 3.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 34

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG): 18-50 years of age for compulsory military service for all Greek Cypriot males; 17 years of age for voluntary service; women may volunteer for a 3-year term; length of normal service is 25 months (2009)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 15 (2009)
Rank: 144
With paved runways total: 13
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 6
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2009)
With unpaved runways total: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Heliports: 9 (2009)

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 14,630 km
Rank: 123
Paved: area under government control: 7,979 km (includes 257 km of expressways); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 1370 km
Unpaved: area under government control: 4,301 km; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 980 km (2006)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 858
Rank: 13
By type: bulk carrier 295 cargo 182 chemical tanker 63 container 193 liquefied gas 10 passenger 5 passenger/cargo 24 petroleum tanker 58 refrigerated cargo 10 roll on/roll off 12 specialized tanker 1 vehicle carrier 5
Foreign owned: 690 (Austria 1 Belgium 2 Canada 2 Chile 1 China 10 Cuba 1 Denmark 4 Estonia 5 Germany 189 Greece 259 Hong Kong 2 India 2 Iran 10 Ireland 3 Israel 4 Italy 7 Japan 21 South Korea 1 Latvia 1 Lebanon 1 Netherlands 22 Norway 18 Philippines 1 Poland 18 Portugal 1 Russia 50 Singapore 3 Slovenia 4 Spain 6 Sweden 2 Syria 2 Ukraine 4 UAE 9 UK 19 US 5)
Registered in other countries: 256 (Antigua and Barbuda 18 Bahamas 25 Belize 1 Burma 1 Cambodia 7 Comoros 1 Georgia 1 Germany 2 Gibraltar 1 Greece 7 Liberia 63 Malta 31 Marshall Islands 37 Netherlands 8 Netherlands Antilles 21 Panama 19 Poland 1 Russia 2 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1 Samoa 1 Singapore 1 Tonga 1 Turkey 2 UK 2 unknown 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals: area under government control: Larnaca Limassol Vasilikos;; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Famagusta Kyrenia


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Disputes international: hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto autonomous entities the internationally recognized Cypriot Government and a Turkish-Cypriot community (north Cyprus); the 1000-strong UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has served in Cyprus since 1964 and maintains the buffer zone between north and south; on 1 May 2004 Cyprus entered the European Union still divided with the EU's body of legislation and standards (acquis communitaire) suspended in the north; Turkey protests Cypriot Government creating hydrocarbon blocks and maritime boundary with Lebanon in March 2007

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Idps: 210,000 (2007)

Illicit drugs: minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and container traffic to Europe especially from Lebanon and Turkey; some cocaine transits as well; despite a strengthening of anti-money-laundering legislation remains vulnerable to money laundering; reporting of suspicious transactions in offshore sector remains weak (2008)