Cyprus

§1. Cyprus Introduction

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
  talks on the status of Cyprus resumed in December 1999 to prepare the
  ground for meaningful negotiations leading to a comprehensive settlement.

§2. Cyprus Geography

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 kmē (of which 3,355 kmē are in the Turkish Cypriot area)
  land: 9,240 kmē
  water: 10 kmē

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: 12%
  permanent crops: 5%
  permanent pastures: 0%
  forests and woodland: 13%
  other: 70% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:
  390 kmē (1993 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

§3. Cyprus People

Population:
  762,887 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 22.95% (male 89,532; female 85,518)
  15-64 years: 66.26% (male 255,368; female 250,140)
  65 years and over: 10.79% (male 35,864; female 46,465) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.59% (2001 est.)

Birth rate:
  13.08 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate:
  7.65 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  7.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.89 years male: 74.6 years
  female: 79.3 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.93 children born/woman (2001 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 78% (99.5% of the Greeks live in the Greek Cypriot area; 0.5% of the
  Greeks live in the Turkish Cypriot area), Turkish 18% (1.3% of the Turks
  live in the Greek Cypriot area; 98.7% of the Turks live in the Turkish
  Cypriot area), other 4% (99.2% of the other ethnic groups live in the Greek
  Cypriot area; 0.8% of the other ethnic groups live in the Turkish Cypriot
  area)

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: 94%
  male: 98%
  female: 91% (1987 est.)

§4. Cyprus Government

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 Glafcos CLERIDES (since 28 February 1993); 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 Glafcos CLERIDES (since 28 February 1993);
    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 15 February 1998 (next to be held NA February 2003)
  election results: Glafcos CLERIDES reelected president; percent of vote -
    Glafcos CLERIDES 50.8%, George IAKOVOU 49.2%
  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

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)
  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)
  election results: Greek Cypriot area: House of Representatives - percent of
    vote by party - NA%; 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

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the Supreme Council of Judicature)
  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]; 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) [Vassos LYSSARIDIS]; United Democrats Movement or EDE (formerly
    Free Democrats Movement or KED) [George VASSILIOU]; Turkish Cypriot area:
    Communal Liberation Party or TKP [Mustafa AKINCI]; 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, Inmarsat, Intelsat, 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
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710
  consulate(s) general: New York
  note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot area in the US is Ahmet
    ERDENGIZ; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone [1] (202)
    887-6198

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Donald K. BANDLER embassy: corner of Metochiou
    and Ploutarchou Streets, Engomi, 2407 Nicosia
  mailing address: P. O. Box 4536, FPO AE 09836
  telephone: [357] (2) 776400
  FAX: [357] (2) 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

§5. Cyprus Economy

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 on the island
  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 shortage is a growing problem, and several
  desalination plants are planned. The Turkish Cypriot economy has about
  one-fifth the population and one-third 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. Moreover, the small,
  vulnerable economy has suffered because the Turkish lira is legal tender.
  To compensate for the economy's weakness, Turkey provides direct and
  indirect aid to tourism, education, industry, etc.

GDP:
  Greek Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $9.7 billion (2000 est.);
    Turkish Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $830 million (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  Greek Cypriot area: 4.2% (2000 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 4.9% (1999
    est.)

GDP - per capita:
  Greek Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.); Turkish
    Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $5,300 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  Greek Cypriot area: agriculture 6.3%, industry 22.4%, services 71.3%
    (1998); Turkish Cypriot area: agriculture 11.8%, industry 20.5%, services
    67.7% (1998)

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: 4.2% (2000 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 58% (1999 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: 3.6% (2000 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 6% (1998 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: Greek Cypriot area - $2.9 billion (2000 est.); Turkish Cypriot
    area - $294 million (2000 est.)
  expenditures: Greek Cypriot area - $3.2 billion, including capital
    expenditures of $324 million (2000 est.); Turkish Cypriot $495 million,
    including capital expenditures of $60 million (2000 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)

Electricity - production:
  2.951 billion kWh (1999); Turkish Cypriot area: NA kWh

Electricity - production by source:
  fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption:
  2.744 billion kWh (1999); Turkish Cypriot area: NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products:
  potatoes, citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables

Exports:
  Greek Cypriot area: $1 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.); Turkish Cypriot area:
    $51.1 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities:
  Greek Cypriot area: citrus, potatoes, grapes, wine, cement, clothing and
    shoes; Turkish Cypriot area: citrus, potatoes, textiles

Exports - partners:
  Greek Cypriot area: UK 17.3%, Greece 9.7%, Russia 7.0%, Lebanon 5.2%
    (1999); Turkish Cypriot area: Turkey 51%, UK 31%, other EU 16.5% (1999)

Imports:
  Greek Cypriot area: $3.6 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.); Turkish Cypriot area:
    $402 million (f.o.b., 1999)

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: UK 11.2%, US 10.6%, Italy 8.8%, Greece 8.2%, Germany
    6.7% (1999); Turkish Cypriot area: Turkey 58.6%, UK 12.5%, 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) that are usually forgiven

Currency:
  Greek Cypriot area: Cypriot pound (CYP); Turkish Cypriot area: Turkish lira
    (TRL)

Currency code:
  CYP; TRL

Exchange rates:
  Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.6146 (January 2001), 0.6208 (2000), 0.5423
  (1999), 0.5170 (1998), 0.5135 (1997), 0.4663 (1996); Turkish liras per US
  dollar - 677,621 (December 2000), 625,219 (2000), 418,783 (1999), 260,724
  (1998), 151,865 (1997), 81,405 (1996)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Cyprus Communications

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:
  80,000 (2000)

§7. Cyprus Transportation

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: 1,328 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 22,905,542 GRT/36,312,219
    DWT
  ships by type: barge carrier 2, bulk 431, cargo 438, chemical tanker 23,
    combination bulk 36, combination ore/oil 4, container 140, liquefied gas
    6, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 143, refrigerated
    cargo 40, roll on/roll off 42, short-sea passenger 9, specialized tanker
    2, vehicle carrier 3
  note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
    convenience: Austria 8, Belgium 7, China 10, Cuba 10, Denmark 2, Germany
    79, Greece 385, Hong Kong 9, Croatia 2, India 5, Iran 1, Israel 4, Italy
    2, Japan 19, South Korea 3, Latvia 10, Lithuania 1, Monaco 1, Netherlands
    13, Norway 11, Poland 9, Portugal 3, Russia 42, Singapore 1, Spain 5,
    Sudan 2, Sweden 3, Switzerland 2, UAE 6, UK 8, Ukraine 2, US 9, Venezuela
    2 (2000 est.)

Airports:
  15 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Heliports:
  7 (2000 est.)

§8. Cyprus Military

Military branches:
  Greek Cypriot area: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG; includes air and
    naval elements), Hellenic Forces Contingent on Cyprus (ELDYK), Greek
    Cypriot Police; Turkish Cypriot area: Turkish Cypriot Security Force
    (TCSF), Turkish mainland army units

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 198,275 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 136,147 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 6,616 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $370 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.2% (FY00)

§9. Cyprus Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  1974 hostilities divided the island into two de facto autonomous areas, a
  Greek Cypriot area controlled by the internationally recognized Cypriot
  Government (59% of the island's land area) and a Turkish-Cypriot area (37%
  of the island), that are separated by a UN buffer zone (4% of the island);
  there are two UK sovereign base areas mostly within the Greek Cypriot
  portion of the island

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
