Background: A former British colony, Cyprus became independent in 1960 after 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 and forced 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. A UN-mediated agreement to reunite Cyprus, the Annan Plan, failed to win approval from both communities in 2004. The most recent round of reunification negotiations was suspended in 2017 after failure to achieve a breakthrough. The entire island joined the EU in 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 have the same legal rights accorded to citizens of other EU states.

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
Border sovereign base areas: Akrotiri 48 km; Dhekelia 108 km

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
Highest point: Mount Olympus 1,951 m
Lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
Mean elevation: 91 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 14% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 10.6% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 3.1% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 0.2% (2023 est.)
Forest: 18.6% (2023 est.)
Other: 67.1% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 269 km² (2020)

Natural hazards: moderate earthquake activity; droughts

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

Population
Total: 1,320,525 (2024 est.)
Male: 675,196
Female: 645,329
Distribution population concentrated in central Nicosia and in the major cities of the south: Paphos, Limassol, and Larnaca
Growth rate: 0.95% (2024 est.)

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% (2011 est.)
Major-language sample(s): ; Το Παγκόσμιο Βιβλίο Δεδομένων, η απαραίτητη πηγή βασικών πληροφοριών. (Greek); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Note: data represent only the Republic of Cyprus

Religions: Eastern Orthodox Christian 89.1%, Roman Catholic 2.9%, Protestant/Anglican 2%, Muslim 1.8%, Buddhist 1%, other (includes Maronite Catholic, Armenian Apostolic, 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: 15.6% (male 105,533/female 100,099)
15-64 years: 70% (male 486,569/female 437,651)
65 years and over: 14.4% (2024 est.) (male 83,094/female 107,579)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 42.9 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 22.2 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 20.6 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 4.8 (2024 est.)
Note: data represent the whole country

Median age
Total: 39.5 years (2024 est.)
Male: 38.2 years
Female: 41 years

Population growth rate: 0.95% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 10.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

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

Urbanization
Urban population: 67% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.76% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 14 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 8.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 80.2 years (2024 est.)
Male: 77.4 years
Female: 83.1 years

Total fertility rate: 1.49 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0.6% of population (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 5.7% (2024 est.); 6.1% (2023 est.); 6.9% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

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: may have been named after Nike, the Greek goddess of victory; the Greek name for the city, Lefkosia, and the Turkish name, Lefkosa, both mean 'White City'

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 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' are Gazimagusa (Famagusta), Girne (Kyrenia), Guzelyurt (Morphou), Iskele (Trikomo), Lefkosa (Nicosia)

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

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Nikos CHRISTODOULIDIS (since 28 February 2023)
Head of government: President Nikos CHRISTODOULIDIS (since 28 February 2023)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (limited to 2 consecutive terms)
Most recent election date: 5 February 2023, with a runoff on 12 February 2023
2023: Nikos CHRISTODOULIDIS elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Nikos CHRISTODOULIDIS (independent) 32%, Andreas MAVROGIANNIS (independent) 29.6%, Averof NEOFYTOU (DISY) 26.1%, Christos CHRISTOU (ELAM) 6%, other 6.3%; percent of vote in second round - Nikos CHRISTODOULIDS 52%, Andreas MAVROGIANNIS 48%
2018: 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%
Expected date of next election: 2,028
Note 1: vice presidency reserved for a Turkish Cypriot, but the post has been vacant since 1974 because Turkish Cypriots do not participate in the Republic of Cyprus Government
Note 2: under the 1960 constitution, 3 ministerial posts are reserved for Turkish Cypriots, appointed by the vice president, but Greek Cypriots currently hold the positions

Legislative branch
Legislature name: House of Representatives (Vouli Antiprosopon)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 80 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: proportional representation
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 5 years
Most recent election date: 5/30/2021
Parties elected and seats per party: Democratic Rally (DISY) (17); Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL) (15); Democratic Party (DIKO) (9); National Popular Front (ELAM) (4); Movement of Social Democrats (EDEK) (4); Democratic Alignment (DIPA) (4); Cyprus Green Party (KOP) (3)
Percentage of women in chamber: 14.3%
Expected date of next election: May 2026
Note: the area of Cyprus that Turkish Cypriots administer has a separate unicameral Assembly of the Republic, or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats); members are directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote

Flag description: a copper-colored silhouette of the island is centered on a white field above two crossed green olive branches

National anthem
Title: 'Ymnos eis tin Eleftherian' (Hymn to Freedom)
Lyrics/music: Dionysios SOLOMOS/Nikolaos MANTZAROS
History: adopted 1966; Cyprus uses the Greek national anthem; the Turkish Cypriot community in Cyprus uses Turkey's national anthem

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 3 (all cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 3.4% (2024 est.); 2.8% (2023 est.); 7.2% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 3.4% (2024 est.); 2.8% (2023 est.); 7.2% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 58.9% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 18.6% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 20.5% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: -1.6% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 96.7% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -93.1% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.2% (2024 est.)
Industry: 10.3% (2024 est.)
Services: 76.9% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Industries: tourism, food and beverage processing, cement and gypsum, ship repair and refurbishment, textiles, light chemicals, metal products, wood, paper, stone and clay products
Note: area administered by Turkish Cypriots - foodstuffs, textiles, clothing, ship repair, clay, gypsum, copper, furniture

Industrial production growth rate: 4.6% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 772,300 (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 5.7% (2024 est.); 6.1% (2023 est.); 6.9% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 5.7% (2024 est.); 6.1% (2023 est.); 6.9% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $14.39 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $13.733 billion (2023 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 24.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $35.12 billion (2024 est.); $32.922 billion (2023 est.); $32.563 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: ships, refined petroleum, packaged medicine, cheese, scented mixtures (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $33.802 billion (2024 est.); $32.556 billion (2023 est.); $31.486 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, ships, cars, packaged medicine, coal tar oil (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 2.288 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 5.197 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 146.11 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 79.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 16% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 3.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 46,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 71.6 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 22,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 45,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 6.837 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 100,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 6.737 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 107.188 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 270,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 29 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 1.43 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 149 (2021 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 91% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 357,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 39 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 1.7% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.8% of GDP (2023 est.); 1.8% of GDP (2022 est.); 1.8% of GDP (2021 est.); 1.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 14 (2025)

Heliports: 68 (2025)

Merchant marine
Total: 1,005 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 243, container ship 154, general cargo 211, oil tanker 47, other 350