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 communities 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 overthrow the elected president of Cyprus was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish Cypriot administered area declared itself the 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' ('TRNC'), but it is recognized only by Turkey. An UN-mediated agreement, the Annan Plan, failed to win approval by both communities in 2004. In February 2014, after a hiatus of nearly two years, the leaders of the two communities resumed formal discussions under UN auspices aimed at reuniting the divided island. The most recent round of negotiations to reunify the island were suspended in July 2017 after failure to achieve a breakthrough. 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 'TRNC.' However, individual Turkish Cypriots able to document their eligibility for Republic of Cyprus citizenship legally enjoy the same rights accorded to other citizens of EU states.

Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 33 00 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 9,251 km² (of which 3,355 km² are in north Cyprus)
Land: 9,241 km²
Water: 10 km²
Comparative: about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries
Total: 156 km
Bordersovereignbaseareas: Akrotiri 48 km, Dhekelia 108 km

Coastline: 648 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguouszone: 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
Highest point: Mount Olympus 1,951 m
Lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
Mean elevation: 91 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 13.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 9.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 3.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 0.4% (2018 est.)
Forest: 18.8% (2018 est.)
Other: 67.8% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 460 km² (2012)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 110 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Industrial: 17 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Agricultural: 184 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 780 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Natural hazards: moderate earthquake activity; droughts

Geography
Note: the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia); several small Cypriot enclaves exist within the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area

Population
Distribution: population concentrated in central Nicosia and in the major cities of the south: Paphos, Limassol, and Larnaca: 1,281,506 (July 2021 est.)
Growth rate: 1.11% (2021 est.)
Below poverty line: 14.7% (2018 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Cypriot(s)
Adjective: Cypriot

Ethnic groups: Greek 98.8%, other 1% (includes Maronite, Armenian, Turkish-Cypriot), unspecified 0.2% (2011 est.)
Note: data represent only the Greek-Cypriot citizens in the Republic of Cyprus

Languages: Greek (official) 80.9%, Turkish (official) 0.2%, English 4.1%, Romanian 2.9%, Russian 2.5%, Bulgarian 2.2%, Arabic 1.2%, Filipino 1.1%, other 4.3%, unspecified 0.6%; note - data represent only the Republic of Cyprus (2011 est.)
Major language samples:

Religions: Orthodox Christian 89.1%, Roman Catholic 2.9%, Protestant/Anglican 2%, Muslim 1.8%, Buddhist 1%, other (includes Maronite, Armenian Church, Hindu) 1.4%, unknown 1.1%, none/atheist 0.6% (2011 est.)
Note: data represent only the government-controlled area of Cyprus

Age structure
0-14 years: 15.69% (male 102,095/female 96,676)
15-24 years: 12.29% (male 84,832/female 70,879)
25-54 years: 47.12% (male 316,710/female 280,167)
55-64 years: 11.92% (male 72,476/female 78,511)
65 years and over: 12.97% (male 71,053/female 93,277) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 44.9
Youth dependency ratio: 24
Elderly dependency ratio: 20.9
Potential support ratio: 4.8 (2020 est.) data represent the whole country

Median age
Total: 37.9 years
Male: 36.7 years
Female: 39.4 years (2020 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.11% (2021 est.)

Birth rate: 10.76 births/1000 population (2021 est.)

Death rate: 6.9 deaths/1000 population (2021 est.)

Net migration rate: 7.29 migrant(s)/1000 population (2021 est.)

Population distribution: population concentrated in central Nicosia and in the major cities of the south: Paphos, Limassol, and Larnaca

Urbanization
Urban population: 66.9% of total population (2021)
Rate of urbanization: 0.76% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 269,000 NICOSIA (capital) (2018)

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, industrial wastes, and pesticides; coastal degradation; erosion; loss of wildlife habitats from urbanization
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 16.79 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 6.63 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 0.86 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.2 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 29.2 years (2019 est.)
Note: data represent only government-controlled areas

Maternal mortality ratio: 6 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 8.61 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 10.45 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 6.67 deaths/1000 live births (2021 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.51 years
Male: 76.7 years
Female: 82.46 years (2021 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.48 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 100% of population
Improved rural: 100% of population
Improved total: 100% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: 0% of population
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 6.8% (2018)

Physicians density: 1.95 physicians/1000 population (2016)

Hospital bed density: 3.4 beds/1000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 100% of population
Improved rural: 98.4% of population
Improved total: 99% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: 1.6% of population
Unimproved total: 1% of population (2017 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2017 est.)
People living with hivaids: <1000 (2017 est.)
Deaths: <100 (2017 est.)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 21.8% (2016)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: 5.8% of GDP (2017)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.1%
Male: 99.5%
Female: 98.7% (2015)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 16 years
Male: 16 years
Female: 16 years (2019)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 18.2%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 24.4%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 12.3% (2020 est.)

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus
Conventional short form: Cyprus
Local long form: Kypriaki Dimokratia/Kibris Cumhuriyeti
Local short form: Kypros/Kibris
Etymology: the derivation of the name 'Cyprus' is unknown, but the extensive mining of copper metal on the island in antiquity gave rise to the Latin word 'cuprum' for copper
Note: the Turkish Cypriot community, which administers the northern part of the island, refers to itself as the 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' or 'TRNC' ('Kuzey Kibris Turk Cumhuriyeti' or 'KKTC')

Government type: Republic of Cyprus - presidential republic; 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' (self-declared) - parliamentary republic with enhanced presidency
Note: a separation of the two main ethnic communities inhabiting the island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified when a Greek military-junta-supported coup attempt prompted the Turkish military intervention in July 1974 that gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the only internationally recognized government on the island; on 15 November 1983, then Turkish Cypriot 'President' Rauf DENKTAS declared independence and the formation of the 'TRNC,” which is recognized only by Turkey

Capital
Name: Nicosia (Lefkosia/Lefkosa)
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
Etymology: a mispronunciation of the city's Greek name Lefkosia and its Turkish name Lefkosa, both of which mean 'White City'; the Greek name may derive from the Greek phrase 'leuke ousia' ('white estate')

Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Ammochostos (Famagusta); (all but a small part located in the Turkish Cypriot community), Keryneia (Kyrenia; the only district located entirely in the Turkish Cypriot community), Larnaka (Larnaca; with a small part located in the Turkish Cypriot community), Lefkosia (Nicosia; a small part administered by Turkish Cypriots), Lemesos (Limassol), Pafos (Paphos); note - the 5 'districts' of the 'TRNC' are Gazimagusa (Famagusta), Girne (Kyrenia), Guzelyurt (Morphou), Iskele (Trikomo), Lefkosa (Nicosia)

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 recognized only by Turkey

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

Constitution
History: ratified 16 August 1960; note - in 1963, the constitution was partly suspended as Turkish Cypriots withdrew from the government; Turkish-held territory in 1983 was declared the 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' ('TRNC'); in 1985, the 'TRNC' approved its own constitution
Amendments: constitution of the Republic of Cyprus - proposed by the House of Representatives; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership of the 'Greek Community' and the 'Turkish Community'; however, all seats of Turkish Cypriot members have remained vacant since 1964; amended many times, last in 2020;
constitution of the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” - proposed by at least 10 members of the 'Assembly of the Republic'; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total Assembly membership and approval by referendum; amended 2014

Legal system: mixed legal system of English common law and civil law with European law supremacy

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

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descentonly: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cyprus
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Nikos ANASTASIADIS (since 28 February 2013); the president is both chief of state and head of government; note - vice presidency reserved for a Turkish Cypriot, but vacant since 1974 because Turkish Cypriots do not participate in the Republic of Cyprus Government
Head of government: President Nikos ANASTASIADIS (since 28 February 2013)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - under the 1960 constitution, 3 of the ministerial posts reserved for Turkish Cypriots, appointed by the vice president; positions currently filled by Greek Cypriots
Elections and appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term; election last held on 28 January 2018 with a runoff on 4 February 2018 (next to be held in February 2023)
Election results: Nikos ANASTASIADIS reelected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Nikos ANASTASIADIS (DISY) 35.5%, Stavros MALAS (AKEL) 30.2%, Nicolas PAPADOPOULOS (DIKO) 25.7%, other 8.6%; percent of vote in second round - Nikos ANASTASIADIS 56%, Stavros MALAS 44%
Note: the first round of the TRNC presidential election, originally scheduled for 26 April 2020, was postponed to 11 October 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the second round was held on 18 October 2020; percent of vote in the first round - Ersin TATAR (UBP) 32.4%, Mustafa AKINCI (independent) 29.8%, Tufan ERHURMAN (RTP) 21.7%, Kudret OZERSAY (independent) 5.7%, Erhan ARIKLI (YDP) 5.4%, Serdar DENKTAS (independent) 4.2%, other 0.8%; percent of vote in the second round - Ersin TATAR 51.7%, Mustafa AKINCI 48.3%

Legislative branch
Description: area under government control: unicameral House of Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to Greek Cypriots, 24 to Turkish Cypriots, but only those assigned to Greek Cypriots are filled; members directly elected by both proportional representation and preferential vote; members serve 5-year terms); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: unicameral 'Assembly of the Republic' or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members directly elected to 5-year terms by proportional representation system using a hybrid d'Hondt method with voter preferences for individual candidates
Elections: area under government control: last held on 30 May 2021 (next to be held in 2026); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: last held on 7 January 2018 (next to be held in 2023, unless early election called)
Election results: area under government control: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - DISY 27.8%, AKEL 22.3%, DIKO 11.3%, ELAM 6.8%, EDEK-SP 6.7%, DiPa 6.1%, Movement of Ecologists - Citizens' Cooperation 4.4%, other 14.6%; seats by party/coalition - DISY 17, AKEL 15, DIKO 9, ELAM 4, EDEK-SP 4, DiPa 4, Movement of Ecologists - Citizens' Cooperation 3; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 'Assembly of the Republic' - percent of vote by party - UBP 35.6%, CTP 20.9%, HP 17.1%, TDP 8.6%, DP 7.8%, YDP 7%, 3%; seats by party - UBP 21, CTP 12, HP 9, DP 3, TDP 3, YDP 2

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court of Cyprus (consists of 13 judges, including the court president); note - the highest court in the 'TRNC' is the 'Supreme Court' (consists of 8 'judges,' including the 'court president')
Judge selection and term of office: Republic of Cyprus Supreme Court judges appointed by the president of the republic upon the recommendation of the Supreme Court judges; judges can serve until age 68; 'TRNC Supreme Court' judges appointed by the 'Supreme Council of Judicature,' a 12-member body of judges, the attorney general, appointees by the president of the 'TRNC,' and by the 'Legislative Assembly,' and members elected by the bar association; judge tenure NA
Subordinate courts: Republic of Cyprus district courts; Assize Courts; Administrative Court; specialized courts for issues relating to family, industrial disputes, the military, and rent control; 'TRNC Assize Courts'; 'district and family courts'

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Marios LYSIOTIS (since 17 September 2018)
In the us chancery: 2,211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 462-5,772
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 483-6,710
In the us email address and website:
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Judith Gail GARBER (since 18 March 2019)
From the us embassy: Metochiou and Ploutarchou Street, 2,407, Engomi, Nicosia
From the us mailing address: 5,450 Nicosia Place, Washington DC  20,521-5,450
From the us telephone: [357] (22) 393,939
From the us FAX: [357] (22) 780,944
From the us email address and website:

Flag description: centered on a white field is a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the island has long been famous for its copper deposits) above two olive-green-colored, crossed olive branches; the branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek and Turkish communities
Note:

National symbols: Cypriot mouflon (wild sheep), white dove; national colors: blue, white

National anthem
Name: 'Ymnos eis tin Eleftherian' (Hymn to Liberty)
Lyrics and music: Dionysios SOLOMOS/Nikolaos MANTZAROS
Note: adopted 1960; Cyprus adopted the Greek national anthem as its own; the Turkish Cypriot community in Cyprus uses the anthem of Turkey

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

Real gdp growth rate: 3.08% (2019 est.)

5.25% (2018 est.)

5.16% (2017 est.)

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2010 dollars

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 68.7% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 14.9% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 21.1% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: -0.7% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 63.8% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -67.8% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2% (2017 est.)
Industry: 12.5% (2017 est.)
Services: 85.5% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: milk, potatoes, pork, sheep milk, goat milk, barley, wheat, poultry, olives, tangerines/mandarins

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

Industrial production growth rate: 13.4% (2017 est.)

Labor force: 416,000 (2019 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 3.8%
By occupation industry: 15.2%
By occupation services: 81% (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate: 7.07% (2019 est.)

8.37% (2018 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 18.2%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 24.4%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 12.3% (2020 est.)

Population below poverty line: 14.7% (2018 est.)

Gini index
Coefficient distribution of family income: 31.4 (2017 est.)

32.4 (2013 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.3%
Highest 10: 28.8% (2014)

Budget
Revenues: $8.663 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: $8.275 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: $1.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 39.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt: 97.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
Note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment

Revenue
From forest resources forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 0.2% (2019 est.)

1.4% (2018 est.)

0.5% (2017 est.)

Current account balance: -$1.578 billion (2019 est.)

-$958 million (2018 est.)

Exports: $16.1 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

$17.92 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$19.02 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Partners: India 9%, Greece 9%, Libya 8%, United Kingdom 7% (2019)
Commodities: ships, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, cheese, crude petroleum (2019)

Imports: $17.58 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

$18.2 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$18.6 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Partners: Greece 16%, Italy 10%, Turkey 8%, Russia 5%, Germany 5%, United Kingdom 5%, China 5% (2019)
Commodities: refined petroleum, ships, cars, coal tar oil, packaged medicines (2019)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $888.2 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$817.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt external: $213.19 billion (2019 est.)

$231.885 billion (2018 est.)

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2020)
Production: 4.618 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption: 4.355 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 1.77 million kW (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 85% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources: 15% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products consumption: 49,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products exports: 500 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 49,240 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Proven reserves: 141.6 billion m³ (1 January 2014 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 311,439 (2020)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 35.07 (2020 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 1,230,706 (2020)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 138.6 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media: mixture of state and privately run TV 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 7 privately owned TV and 21 radio broadcast stations plus 6 radio and 4 TV channels of local universities, plus 1 radio station of military, security forces and 1 radio station of civil defense cooperation, as well as relay stations from Turkey (2019)

Internet
Country code: .cy
Users total: 1.04 million (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 90.8% (2020 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 332,080 (2020)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37.4 (2020 est.)

Military expenditures: 1.75% of GDP (2020 est.)

1.6% of GDP (2019)

1.8% of GDP (2018)

1.6% of GDP (2017)

1.4% of GDP (2016)

Military and security forces: Republic of Cyprus: Cypriot National Guard (Ethniki Froura, EF, includes Army Land Forces, Naval Command, Air Command) (2021)

Military service age and obligation: Cypriot National Guard (CNG): 18-50 years of age for compulsory military service for all Greek Cypriot males; 17 years of age for voluntary service; 14-month service obligation (2021)

Terrorist groups: Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix T

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 401,408 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 20,000 mt-km (2018)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 5B

Airports
Total: 15 (2013)
With paved runways total: 13
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 7
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (2013)

Heliports: 9 (2013)

Pipelines: 0 km oil

Roadways
Total: 19,901 km (2016)
Governmentcontrol: 12,901 km (includes 272 km of expressways) (2016)
Paved: 8,631 km (2016)
Unpaved: 4,270 km (2016)
TurkishCypriotcontrol: 7,000 km (2011)

Merchant marine
Total: 1,051
By type: bulk carrier 269, container ship 182, general cargo 197, oil tanker 59, other 344 (2021)

Ports and terminals
Major seaport areaundergovernmentcontrol: Larnaca, Limassol, Vasilikos
Major seaport areaadministeredbyTurkishCypriots: Famagusta, Kyrenia

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 1,000-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 EU 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
Refugees country of origin: 8,797 (Syria) (2020)
IDPs: 228,000 (both Turkish and Greek Cypriots; many displaced since 1974) (2020)
Stateless persons: 56 (2020)
Note: 29,826 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-November 2021)

Illicit drugs: vulnerable to money laundering from illegal drugs