World Facts Index
 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 latest two-year round of UN-brokered
talks - between the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities
to reach an agreement to reunite the divided island - ended when the Greek
Cypriots rejected the UN settlement plan in an April 2004 referendum. 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. 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.
Geography of Cyprus
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Location:
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Middle East, island in the Mediterranean
Sea, south of Turkey |
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Coordinates:
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35 00 N, 33 00 E |
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Map references:
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Middle East |
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Area:
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total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355
sq km are in the Turkish Cypriot area)
water: 10 sq km
land: 9,240 sq km |
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Area comparative:
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about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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648 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
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Climate:
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temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry
summers and cool winters |
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Terrain:
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central plain with mountains to north and
south; scattered but significant plains along southern coast |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Olympus 1,951 m |
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Natural resources:
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copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber,
salt, marble, clay earth pigment |
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Natural hazards:
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moderate earthquake activity; droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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the third largest island in the
Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia)
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More Geography
Population of Cyprus
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Population:
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792,604 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 20.4% (male 81,776/female 78,272)
15-64 years: 68% (male 270,254/female 263,354)
65 years and over: 11.6% (male 39,536/female 51,109) |
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Median age:
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34.9 years |
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Growth rate:
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0.53% |
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Infant mortality:
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7.04 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 77.82 years
male: 75.44 years
female: 80.31 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.82 children born/woman |
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Nationality:
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noun: Cypriot(s)
adjective: Cypriot |
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Ethnic groups:
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Greek 77%, Turkish 18%, other 5% |
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Religions:
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Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite,
Armenian Apostolic, and other 4% |
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Languages:
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Greek, Turkish, English |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 97.6%
male: 98.9%
female: 96.3%
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Government
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of
Cyprus
note: the Turkish Cypriot area refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus" (TRNC) |
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Government type:
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republic
note: a disaggregation 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 after a Greek junta-based 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), recognized only by Turkey; both
sides publicly support a settlement based on a federation (Greek Cypriot position) or
confederation (Turkish Cypriot position) |
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Capital:
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Nicosia |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 Lefkosia (Nicosia) and
Larnaca |
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Independence:
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16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish
Cypriot area proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975 |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note -
Turkish Cypriot area celebrates 15 November (1983) as Independence Day |
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Constitution:
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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 Cypriot area passed by referendum
on 5 May 1985 |
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Legal system:
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based on common law, with civil law
modifications |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Dimitris CHRISTOFIAS
(since 28 February 2008); 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 Dimitris 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) |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral - Republic of Cyprus: 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); north Cyprus: Assembly of the Republic or
Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly
by the president and vice president)
note: there is also a Supreme Court in the Turkish Cypriot area |
Economy
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 grew by an average of 3.6% per year during the period
of 2000-06, well above the EU average. 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 preceeding
years, aimed at paving the way for the euro, helped turn a soaring fiscal
deficit (6.3% in 2003) into a surplus of 1.5% in 2007. As in the area
administered by Turkish Cypriots, water shortages are a perennial problem; a
few desalination plants are now on line. After 10 years of drought, the
country received substantial rainfall from 2001-04 alleviating immediate
concerns. Rainfall in 2005 and 2006, however, was well below average, making
water rationing a necessity in 2007.
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GDP:
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$21.4 billion (2007 est.) |
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GDP growth rate:
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Republic of Cyprus: 3.8%; north Cyprus: 10.6% |
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GDP per capita:
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Republic of Cyprus: $21,500; north Cyprus: $7,135 |
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GDP composition by sector:
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Republic of Cyprus: agriculture 3.7%; industry
19.8%; services 76.5%
north Cyprus: agriculture 10.6%; industry 20.5%; services 68.9% |
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Inflation rate:
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Republic of Cyprus: 2.6%; north Cyprus: 9.1% |
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Labor force:
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Republic of Cyprus: 370,000, north Cyprus: 95,025 |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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Republic of Cyprus: agriculture 7.4%, industry
38.2%, services 54.4%; north Cyprus: agriculture 14.5%, industry 29%, services
56.5% |
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Unemployment:
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Republic of Cyprus: 4%; north Cyprus: 5.6% |
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Budget:
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revenues: Republic of Cyprus - $6.698 billion
expenditures: Republic of Cyprus - $7.122 billion
revenues: north Cyprus - $231.3 million
expenditures: north Cyprus - $432.8 million |
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Electricity production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
other: 0%
hydro: 0% |
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Industries:
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tourism, food and beverage processing, cement and gypsum
production, ship repair and refurbishment, textiles, light chemicals, metal products,
wood, paper, stone, and clay products |
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Agriculture:
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potatoes, citrus, vegetables, barley,
grapes, olives, vegetables, poultry, pork, lamb, kids, dairy |
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Exports:
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Republic of Cyprus: citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals,
cement, clothing and cigarettes; north Cyprus: citrus, potatoes, textiles |
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Export partners:
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UK 18.5%, Greece 13.4%, France 11.7%, Germany 5.7% |
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Imports:
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Republic of Cyprus: consumer goods, petroleum and
lubricants, intermediate goods, machinery, transport equipment; north Cyprus: vehicles,
fuel, cigarettes, food, minerals, chemicals, machinery |
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Import partners:
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Greece 16.3%, Italy 10.9%, UK 8.9%, Germany 8.3%, Israel
6.5%, China 4.3%, Netherlands 4.1% |
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Currency:
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Republic of Cyprus: Cypriot pound (CYP); Turkish Cypriot
area: Turkish New lira (YTL) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |