 |
|
Background:
|
Independence from the UK was approved in 1960 with constitutional
guarantees by the Greek Cypriot majority to the Turkish Cypriot
minority. In 1974, a Greek-sponsored attempt to seize the government
was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled
almost 40% of the island. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declared
itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus", but it is recognized
only by Turkey. UN-led direct talks between the two sides to reach
a comprehensive settlement to the division of the island began in
January 2002. |
|
Location:
|
Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey |
|
Geographic
coordinates:
|
35 00 N, 33 00 E |
|
Map
references:
|
Middle East |
|
Area:
|
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 |
|
Area
- comparative:
|
about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut |
|
Land
boundaries:
|
0 km |
|
Coastline:
|
648 km |
|
Maritime
claims:
|
continental
shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 NM |
|
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
highest point: Olympus 1,951 m |
|
Natural
resources:
|
copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth
pigment |
|
Land
use:
|
arable
land: 10.61%
permanent crops: 4.65%
other: 84.74% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated
land:
|
400 sq km (1998 est.) |
|
Natural
hazards:
|
moderate earthquake activity; droughts |
|
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 |
|
Environment
- international agreements:
|
party
to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants |
|
Geography
- note:
|
the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily
and Sardinia)
|
|
Population:
|
767,314 (July 2002
est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years:
22.4% (male 87,981; female 84,168)
15-64 years: 66.6% (male 258,414; female 252,778)
65 years and over: 11% (male 36,607; female 47,366) (2002
est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
0.57% (2002 est.)
|
|
Birth rate:
|
12.91 births/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
7.63 deaths/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
0.43 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
|
Sex ratio:
|
at birth: 1.05
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
7.71 deaths/1,000
live births (2002 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population:
77.08 years
female: 79.5 years (2002 est.)
male: 74.77 years |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
1.9 children born/woman
(2002 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
0.1% (1999 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
400 (1999 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
NA |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Cypriot(s)
adjective: Cypriot |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Greek 85.2%, Turkish
11.6%, other 3.2% (2000) |
|
Religions:
|
Greek Orthodox 78%,
Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, and other 4% |
|
Languages:
|
Greek, Turkish, English
|
|
Literacy:
|
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 98.7%
female: 95% (1999)
|
|
Country name:
|
conventional long
form: Republic of Cyprus
conventional short form: Cyprus
note: the Turkish Cypriot area refers to itself as the "Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC) |
|
Government type:
|
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) |
|
Capital:
|
Nicosia |
|
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 Lefkosa (Nicosia) and Larnaca
|
|
Independence:
|
16 August 1960 (from
UK); note - Turkish Cypriot area proclaimed self-rule on 13 February
1975 |
|
National holiday:
|
Independence Day,
1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriot area celebrates 15 November
(1983) as Independence Day |
|
Constitution:
|
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 |
|
Legal system:
|
based on common law,
with civil law modifications |
|
Suffrage:
|
18 years of age; universal
|
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of state:
President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March 2003); 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 Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since
1 March 2003); 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
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 16 February 2003 (next to be held NA February
2008)
note: Rauf R. DENKTASH has been "president" of the Turkish
Cypriot area since 13 February 1975 ("president" elected by popular
vote for a five-year term); elections last held 15 April 2000 (next
to be held NA April 2005); results - Rauf R. DENKTASH reelected
president after the other contender withdrew; Dervis EROGLU has
been "prime minister" of the Turkish Cypriot area since 16 August
1996; there is a Council of Ministers (cabinet) in the Turkish Cypriot
area
election results: Tassos PAPADOPOULOS elected president;
percent of vote - Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 51.5%, Glafkos KLIRIDIS 38.8%,
Alekos MARKIDIS 6.6% |
|
Legislative branch:
|
unicameral - Greek
Cypriot area: 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); Turkish Cypriot
area: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
election results: Greek Cypriot area: House of Representatives
- percent of vote by party - AKEL 34.71%, DISY 34%, DIKO 14.84%,
KISOS 6.51%, others 9.94%; seats by party - AKEL (Communist) 20,
DISY 19, DIKO 9, KISOS 4, others 4; Turkish Cypriot area: Assembly
of the Republic - percent of vote by party - UBP 40.3%, DP 22.6%,
TKP 15.4%, CTP 13.4%, UDP 4.6%, YBH 2.5%, BP 1.2%; seats by party
- UBP 24, DP 13, TKP 7, CTP 6
elections: Greek Cypriot area: last held 27 May 2001 (next
to be held NA May 2006); Turkish Cypriot area: last held 6 December
1998 (next to be held NA December 2003) |
|
Judicial branch:
|
Supreme Court (judges
are appointed jointly by the president and vice president)
note: there is also a Supreme Court in the Turkish Cypriot
area |
|
Political parties and leaders:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
Democratic Party or DIKO [Tassos PAPADOPOULOS]; Democratic Rally
or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADHIS]; Eurodemocratic Renewal Movement or
KEA [Antonis PASCHALIDES]; Fighting Democratic Movement or ADIK
[Dinos MIKHAILIDIS]; Green Party of Cyprus [George PERDIKIS]; New
Horizons [Nikolaus KOUTSOU]; Restorative Party of the Working People
or AKEL (Communist Party) [Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS]; Social Democrats
Movement or KISOS (formerly United Democratic Union of Cyprus or
EDEK) [Yiannakis OMIROU]; United Democrats Movement or EDE [George
VASSILIOU]; Turkish Cypriot area: Communal Liberation Party or TKP
[Huseyin ANGOLEMLI]; Democratic Party or DP [Salih COSAR]; National
Birth Party or UDP [Enver EMIN]; National Unity Party or UBP [Dervis
EROGLU]; Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU]; Patriotic Unity Movement
or YBH [Izzet IZCAN]; Republican Turkish Party or CTP [Mehmet ALI
TALAT] |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
Confederation of Cypriot
Workers or SEK (pro-West); Confederation of Revolutionary Labor
Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of Turkish Cypriot Labor Unions or
Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation or PEO (Communist controlled)
|
|
International organization participation:
|
Australia Group, C,
CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
chief of mission:
Ambassador Erato KOZAKOU-MARCOULLIS
chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710
note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot area in the US
is Osman ERTUG; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone
[1] (202) 887-6198
consulate(s) general: New York
telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772 |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
chief of mission:
Ambassador Michael KLOSSON
embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, Engomi,
2407 Nicosia
mailing address: P. O. Box 1385, Nikosia, FPO AE 09836
telephone: [357] (22) 776400
FAX: [357] (22) 780944 |
|
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 Cypriot flag has a horizontal red stripe
at the top and bottom between which is a red crescent and red star
on a white field
|
|
Economy - overview:
|
Economic affairs are
affected by the division of the country. The Greek Cypriot economy
is prosperous but highly susceptible to external shocks. Erratic
growth rates in the 1990s reflect the economy's vulnerability to
swings in tourist arrivals, caused by political instability in the
region and fluctuations in economic conditions in Western Europe.
Economic policy is focused on meeting the criteria for admission
to the EU. As in the Turkish sector, water shortages are a perennial
problem; a few desalination plants are now online. The Turkish Cypriot
economy has less than one-half the per capita GDP of the south.
Because it is recognized only by Turkey, it has had much difficulty
arranging foreign financing, and foreign firms have hesitated to
invest there. It remains heavily dependent on agriculture and government
service, which together employ about half of the work force. To
compensate for the economy's weakness, Turkey provides substantial
direct and indirect aid to tourism, education, industry, etc. |
|
GDP:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
purchasing power parity - $9.1 billion (2001 est.); Turkish Cypriot
area: purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (2001 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
2.6% (2001 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 0.8% (2000 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2001 est.); Turkish Cypriot area:
purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2000 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
agriculture 4.6%; industry 19.9%; services 75.5% (2001)
Turkish Cypriot area: agriculture 8.3%; industry 20.7%; services
71% (2000) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
NA% |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage
share:
|
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
Greek Cypriot area:
1.9% (2001 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 53.2% (2001 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
291,000; Turkish Cypriot area: 86,300 (2000) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
services 73%, industry 22%, agriculture 5% (2000); Turkish Cypriot
area: services 56.4%, industry 22.8%, agriculture 20.8% (1998) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
3%; Turkish Cypriot area: 5.6% (1999 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: Greek
Cypriot area - $2.4 billion (Turkish Cypriot area - $300 million)
expenditures: Greek Cypriot area - $3.7 billion, including
capital expenditures of $539 million (Turkish Cypriot area - $500
million, including capital expenditures of $60 million) (2001 est.)
|
|
Industries:
|
food, beverages, textiles,
chemicals, metal products, tourism, wood products |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
2.2% (1999); Turkish Cypriot area: -0.3% (1999) (1999) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
3.13 billion kWh (1999);
Turkish Cypriot area: NA kWh (2000) |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil fuel:
100%
other: 0% (2000)
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0% |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
2.911 billion kWh
(1999); Turkish Cypriot area: NA kWh (2000) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
0 kWh (2000) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
0 kWh (2000) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
potatoes, citrus,
vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables |
|
Exports:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
$851 million f.o.b. (2001 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: $50.7 million
f.o.b. (2000) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
citrus, potatoes, grapes, wine, cement, clothing and shoes; Turkish
Cypriot area: citrus, potatoes, textiles |
|
Exports - partners:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
EU 36% (UK 17%, Greece 8%), Russia 8%, Syria 7%, Lebanon 5%, US
2% (2000); Turkish Cypriot area: Turkey 51%, UK 31%, other EU 16.5%
(1999) |
|
Imports:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
$3.5 billion f.o.b.; Turkish Cypriot area: $424.9 million f.o.b.
(2001 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants, food and feed grains,
machinery; Turkish Cypriot area: food, minerals, chemicals, machinery
|
|
Imports - partners:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
EU 52% (UK 11%, Italy 9%, Greece 9%, Germany 7%), US 10% (2000);
Turkish Cypriot area: Turkey 59%, UK 13%, other EU 13% (1999) |
|
Debt - external:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
$NA; Turkish Cypriot area: $NA |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
Greek Cypriot area
- $17 million (1998); Turkish Cypriot area - $700 million from Turkey
in grants and loans (1990-97) which are usually forgiven (1998)
|
|
Currency:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
Cypriot pound (CYP); Turkish Cypriot area: Turkish lira (TRL) |
|
Currency code:
|
CYP; TRL |
|
Exchange rates:
|
Cypriot pounds per
US dollar - 0.6518 (January 2002), 0.6427 (2001), 0.6208 (2000),
0.5423 (1999), 0.5170 (1998), 0.5135 (1997); Turkish liras per US
dollar - 1,370,629 (January 2002), 1,223,140 (2001), 625,219 (2000),
418,783 (1999), 260,724 (1998), 151,865 (1997) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
calendar year
|
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
405,000 (1998); Turkish Cypriot area: 83,162 (1998) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
68,000 (1998); Turkish Cypriot area: 70,000 (1999) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general assessment:
excellent in both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot areas
domestic: open wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio
relay
international: tropospheric scatter; 3 coaxial and 5 fiber-optic
submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat
|
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
AM 7, FM 60, shortwave 1 (1998); Turkish Cypriot area: AM 3, FM
11, shortwave 1 (1998) |
|
Radios:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
310,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 56,450 (1994) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
4 (plus 225 low-power repeaters) (September 1995); Turkish Cypriot
area: 4 (plus 5 repeaters) (September 1995) |
|
Televisions:
|
Greek Cypriot area:
248,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 52,300 (1994) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.cy |
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
|
6 (2000) |
|
Internet users:
|
150,000 (2002)
|
|
Railways:
|
0 km |
|
Highways:
|
total: Greek
Cypriot area: 10,663 km (1998 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 2,350
km (1996 est.)
paved: Greek Cypriot area: 6,249 km (1998 est.); Turkish
Cypriot area: 1,370 km (1996 est.)
unpaved: Greek Cypriot area: 4,414 km (1998 est.); Turkish
Cypriot area: 980 km (1996 est.) |
|
Waterways:
|
none |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Famagusta, Kyrenia,
Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos, Vasilikos |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total: 1,254
ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 22,802,712 GRT/36,337,768 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as
a flag of convenience: Austria 12, Belgium 2, Bulgaria 2, Canada
3, Chile 2, China 16, Croatia 2, Cuba 11, Finland 1, Germany 229,
Greece 607, Guam 1, Hong Kong 6, India 6, Iran 1, Ireland 1, Israel
5, Italy 1, Japan 26, Latvia 14, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 2, Mexico
1, Monaco 10, Netherlands 30, Norway 23, Panama 1, Philippines 2,
Poland 19, Portugal 2, Russia 57, Singapore 2, Slovenia 2, South
Korea 4, Spain 7, Sudan 2, Sweden 6, Switzerland 4, Turkey 1, Ukraine
1, United Arab Emirates 13, United Kingdom 6, United States 4, Vietnam
1 (2002 est.)
ships by type: barge carrier 2, bulk 438, cargo 378, chemical
tanker 24, combination bulk 31, combination ore/oil 2, container
133, liquefied gas 4, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum
tanker 131, refrigerated cargo 46, roll on/roll off 41, short-sea
passenger 10, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 3 |
|
Airports:
|
15 (2001) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
914 to 1,523 m: 3 |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
|
Heliports:
|
10 (2002)
|
|
Military branches:
|
Greek area:
Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG; including air and naval elements),
Greek Cypriot Police
Turkish area: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK) |
|
Military manpower - military age:
|
18 years of age (2002
est.) |
|
Military manpower - availability:
|
males age 15-49:
200,071 (2002 est.) |
|
Military manpower - fit for military service:
|
males age 15-49:
137,322 (2002 est.) |
|
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
|
males: 6,616
(2002 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$370 million (FY00)
|
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
4.2% (FY00)
|
This page was last updated on 19 March 2003
|
|
