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 Cypriot-occupied 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 Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to reopen unification negotiations. In September 2008 the leaders of the two communities began negotiations under UN auspices aimed at reuniting the divided island; the talks remain ongoing. 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 the internationally recognized government 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: 171
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: 460 km² (2008)

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: 1,120,489 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 159
Growth rate: 1.617% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 70
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Cypriot
Adjective: Cypriot

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

Languages: Greek (official) Turkish (official) English

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

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 16.2%
15-64 years: 73.4% (male 427,752/female 394,578)
65 years and over: 10.4% (male 50,761/female 66,096) (2011 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 34.8 years
Male: 33.5 years
Female: 36.6 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.617% (2011 est.)
Rank: 70

Birth rate: 11.41 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 169

Death rate: 6.45 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 150

Net migration rate: 11.21 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 8

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 70% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 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: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 9.38 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 154
Male: 11.23 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 7.43 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.82 years
Rank: 53
Male: 75.04 years
Female: 80.74 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.45 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 191

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 2.3 physicians/1000 population (2006)
Rank: 59

Hospital bed density: 3.72 beds/1000 population (2006)
Rank: 55

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 121
People living with hivaids: fewer than 1000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 144
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 12.3% (2003)
Rank: 48

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 4.1% of GDP (2007)
Rank: 99

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: 14 years
Female: 14 years (2008)

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 following a Greek military-junta-supported coup attempt that 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) and Larnaca

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 they then called the 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)' when the Turkish Cypriots declared 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: mixed legal system of English common law and civil law with Greek Orthodox religious law influence

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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 on 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% other 1.4%; (second round) Demetris CHRISTOFIAS 53.4% Ioannis KASOULIDES 46.6%
Note: Dervis EROGLU became 'president' of the 'TRNC' on 23 April 2010 after 'presidential' elections on 18 April 2010; results - Dervis EROGLU 50.4% Mehmet Ali TALAT 42.9%; Irsen KUCUK is 'TRNC acting prime minister'

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 elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: area under government control: last held on 22 May 2011 (next to be held in May 2016); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: last held on 19 April 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
Election results: area under government control: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - DISY 34.3% AKEL 32.7% DIKO 15.8% EDEK 8.9% EURO.KO 3.9% other 4.5%; seats by party - DISY 20 AKEL 19 DIKO 9 EDEK 5 EURO.KO 2 other 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); subordinate courts
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 [Praxoula ANTONIADOU]
Area administered by turkish cypriots: Communal Democracy Party or TDP [Mehmet CAKICI]; Cyprus Socialist Party or KSP [Yusuf ALKIM]; Democratic Party or DP [Serdaer DENKTASH]; Freedom and Reform Party or ORP [Turgay AVCI]; National Unity Party or UBP [Irsen KUCUK]; 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 IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS (observer) IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA NSG OAS (observer) OIF OPCW OSCE PCA UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNIFIL UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Pavlos ANASTASIADES
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 Dilek Yavuz YANIK; 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 retains the white field of the Cyprus national flag but displays narrow horizontal red stripes positioned a small distance from the top and bottom edges between which are centered a red crescent and a red five-pointed star; the banner is modeled after the Turkish national flag but with the colors reversed

National symbols: Cypriot mouflon (wild sheep); white dove

National anthem
Name: 'Ymnos eis tin Eleftherian'
Lyricsmusic: Dionysios SOLOMOS/Nikolaos MANTZAROS
Note: adopted 1960; Cyprus adopted the Greek national anthem as its own; the Turkish community in Cyprus uses the anthem of Turkey

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 nearly four-fifths 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 the profitability of 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 4.7%. This prosperity came under pressure in 2009 as construction and tourism slowed in the face of reduced foreign demand triggered by the ongoing global financial crisis. Although Cyprus lagged behind its EU peers in showing signs of stress from the global crisis the economy tipped into recession in 2009 contracting by 1.8% and has been slow to bounce back since posting an anemic growth rate of 0.6% in 2010. In addition the budget deficit is on the rise and reached 5.3% of GDP in 2010 a violation of the EU's budget deficit criteria of no more than 3% of GDP. In response to the country's deteriorating finances Nicosia is promising to implement measures to cut the cost of the state payroll curb tax evasion and revamp social benefits. However it has been slow to act lacking a consensus in parliament and among the social partners for its proposed measures.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 118
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 174

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 62
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.3%
Industry: 16.4%
Services: 81.3% (2010 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: -0.3% (2010 est.)
Rank: 149

Labor force: 407,700 (2010 est.)
Rank: 157
By occupation agriculture: 8.5%
By occupation industry: 20.5%
By occupation services: 71% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate: 4.3% (2009 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: 122

Budget
Revenues: $9.576 billion
Expenditures: $10.81 billion (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -5.3% of GDP (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 150

Taxes and other revenues: 41.3% of GDP (2010 est.)
Rank: 37

Public debt: 58% of GDP (2009 est.)
Rank: 33

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 0.4% (2009 est.)
Rank: 82

Central bank discount rate: 1.75% (31 December 2009)
Rank: 120
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: 7.493% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 133

Stock of narrow money: $4.734 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 92
Note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 17 members of the EMU; individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders

Stock of broad money: $55 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 66

Stock of domestic credit: $80.68 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Rank: 50

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 80

Current account balance: -$1.745 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 148

Exports: $2.137 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 131
Commodities: citrus potatoes pharmaceuticals cement clothing
Partners: Greece 24.5% Germany 10.5% UK 8.6% (2010)

Imports: $8.159 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 96
Commodities: consumer goods petroleum and lubricants machinery transport equipment
Partners: Greece 19% Italy 9.5% Germany 9% UK 8.4% Israel 8% China 5.3% France 5.2% Netherlands 4.6% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.289 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 131

Debt external:

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $26.56 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 60

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $15.76 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 42

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 4.709 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Production rank: 116
Consumption: 4.556 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 116
Exports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 173
Consumption: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 168
Exports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 85
Imports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 110
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2011 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 128

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: area under government control: 414,700 (2010); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 86,228 (2002)
Main lines in use rank: 102
Mobile cellular: area under government control: 1.034 million (2010); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 147,522 (2002)
Mobile cellular rank: 150

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: mixture of state and privately-run television and radio services; the public broadcaster operates 2 TV channels and 4 radio stations; 6 private TV broadcasters satellite and cable TV services including telecasts from Greece and Turkey and a number of private radio stations are available; in areas administered by Turkish Cypriots there are 2 public TV stations 4 public radio stations and privately-owned TV and radio broadcast stations (2007)

Internet
Country code: .cy
Hosts: 187,881 (2010)
Hosts rank: 66
Users: 433,900 (2009)
Users rank: 120

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 3.8% of GDP (2005 est.) (U)
Rank: 27

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 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 (2010)
Rank: 145
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 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (2010)

Heliports: 9 (2010)

Pipelines: oil 0 km

Railways

Roadways
Total: 14,671 km
Rank: 121:

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 839
Rank: 13
By type: bulk carrier 267 cargo 173 chemical tanker 77 container 193 liquefied gas 10 passenger 3 passenger/cargo 24 petroleum tanker 69 refrigerated cargo 6 roll on/roll off 13 vehicle carrier 4
Foreign owned: 637 (Austria 1 Belgium 2 Bermuda 1 Canada 2 Chile 1 China 6 Cuba 1 Denmark 6 Estonia 7 France 16 Germany 189 Greece 216 Hong Kong 2 India 2 Iran 10 Ireland 3 Israel 1 Italy 6 Japan 19 Monaco 1 Netherlands 24 Norway 12 Philippines 1 Poland 20 Portugal 2 Russia 47 Singapore 1 Slovenia 4 Spain 7 Sweden 5 Syria 1 UAE 5 UK 7 Ukraine 2 US 7)
Note: this country allows large numbers of ships owned by foreign entities to be registered in its national shipping registry and to fly its flag; these ships operate under the laws of the flag state
Registered in other countries: 138 (Bahamas 14 Belize 1 Burma 1 Cambodia 8 Comoros 2 Finland 1 Gibraltar 1 Greece 4 Hong Kong 3 Liberia 7 Malta 29 Marshall Islands 38 Norway 1 Panama 8 Russia 11 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2 Sierra Leone 1 Singapore 3 unknown 3) (2010)

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)