Cyprus

Cyprus

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Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

Middle East, island in the Mediterreanean Sea, south of Turkey

Area

Land Boundaries

0 km

Coastline

648 km

Maritime Claims

International Disputes

1974 hostilities divided the island into two facto autonomous areas, a Greek area controlled by the 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 U.K. sovereign base areas within the Greek Cypriot portion of the island

Climate

Temperate, Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters

Terrain

Central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains along southern coast
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Olympus 1,952 m

Natural Resources

Land Use

Irrigated Land

350 sq km (1989)

Environment

PEOPLE

Population

Greek Area

602,656 (July 1995 est.) (94.9% Greek, 0.3% Turk, 4.8% other)

Turkish Area

133,980 (July 1995 est.) (2.1% Greek, 97.7% Turk, 0.2% other)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

25% (male 97,400; female 92,110) (July 1996 est.)
26% (male 97,723; female 92,179) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

64% (male 240,716; female 238,039) (July 1996 est.)
64% (male 236,693; female 234,929) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

11% (male 33,340; female 43,004) (July 1996 est.)
10% (male 32,922; female 42,190) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.11% (1996 est.)
0.88% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

15.39 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
16.27 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

7.66 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
7.48 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

3.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

8.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
8.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total Fertility Rate

2.19 children born/woman (1996 est.)
2.3 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic Divisions

Religions

Languages

Greek, Turkish, English

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write (1987 est.)

Labor Force

Greek Area

294,100

By occupation:

Turkish Area

75,320

By occupation:

GOVERNMENT

Names

Note: The Turkish area refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic" or the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus"

Abbreviation

The Turkish area is sometimes referred to as the TRNC which is short for "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus"

Digraph

CY

Type

Republic

Note: A disaggregation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the island began after the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified following the Turkish invasion of the island in July 1974, which 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), which has been recognized only by Turkey; both sides publicly call for the resolution of intercommunal differences and creation of a new federal system of government

Capital

Nicosia

Note: The Turkish area's capital is Lefkosa (Nicosia)

Administrative Divisions

6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos; note - Turkish area administrative divisions include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts of Nicosia and Larnaca

Independence

16 August 1960 (from U.K.)

Note: Turkish area proclaimed self-rule on NA February 1975 from Republic of Cyprus

National Holiday

Independence Day, 1 October

Note: Turkish area celebrates 15 November 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 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

Note: Rauf R. DENKTASH has been president of the Turkish area since 13 February 1975; Hakki ATUN has been prime minister of the Turkish area since 1 January 1994; there is a Council of Ministers (cabinet) in the Turkish area; elections last held 15 and 22 April 1995 (next to be held April 2000); results - Rauf R. DENKTASH 62.5%, Dervis EROGLU 37.5%

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

Greek Area

House of Representatives (Vouli Antiprosopon): elections last held 19 May 1991 (next to be held NA); results - DISY 35.8%, AKEL (Communist) 30.6%, DIKO 19.5%, EDEK 10.9%; others 3.2%; seats - (56 total) DISY 20, AKEL (Communist) 18, DIKO 11, EDEK 7

Turkish Area

Assembly of the Republic (Cumhuriyet Meclisi): elections last held 12 December 1993 (next to be held NA); results - UBP 29.9%, DP 29.2%, CTP 24.2% TKP 13.3%, others 3.4%; seats - (50 total) UBP (conservative) 15, DP 16, CTP 13, TKP 5, UDP 1

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court; note - there is also a Supreme Court in the Turkish area

Political Parties and Leaders

Greek Area

Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL, Communist Party), Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS; Democratic Rally (DISY), Ioannis MATSIS; Democratic Party (DIKO), Spyros KYPRIANOU; United Democratic Union of the Center (EDEK), Vassos LYSSARIDIS; Socialist Democratic Renewal Movement (ADISOK), Mikhalis PAPAPETROU; Liberal Party, Nikolaos ROLANDIS; Free Democrats, Yeoryios VASSILIOU; New Horizons, Nikolaos KOUTSOU, secretary general

Turkish Area

National Unity Party (UBP), Dervis EROGLU; Communal Liberation Party (TKP), Mustafa AKINCI; Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Mehmet ALI TALAT; New Cyprus Party (YKP), Alpay DURDURAN; Free Democratic Party (HDP), Ismet KOTAK; Nationalist Justice Party (MAP), Zorlu TORE; Unity and Sovereignty Party (BEP), Arif Salih KIRDAG; Democratic Party (DP), Serdar DENKTASH; National Birth Party (UDP), Enver EMIN; the HDP, MAP, and VP merged under the label National Struggle Unity Party (MMBP) to compete in the 12 December 1993 legislative election

Other Political or Pressure Groups

United Democratic Youth Organization (EDON, Communist controlled); Union of Cyprus Farmers (EKA, Communist controlled); Cyprus Farmers Union (PEK, pro-West); Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation (PEO, Communist controlled); Confederation of Cypriot Workers (SEK, pro-West); Federation of Turkish Cypriot Labor Unions (Turk-Sen); Confederation of Revolutionary Labor Unions (Dev-Is)

Member of

C, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarset, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

National Anthem

Flag

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

The Greek Cypriot economy is small and prosperous, but highly susceptible to external shocks. Industry contributes 25% to GDP and employs 26% of the labor force, while the service sector contributes 70% to GDP and employs 62% of the labor force. After surging 9.7% in 1992, economic growth slowed to 1.6% in 1993 - its lowest level in two decades - because of the decline in tourist arrivals associated with the recession in Western Europe, Cyprus' main trading partner, and the loss in export competitiveness due to a sharp rise in unit labor costs. However, real GDP picked up in 1994 and 1995, as inflation fell from 4.7% to about 3%. Economic prospects appear favorable for 1996: real GDP is likely to grow between 3% and 4%, and inflation is likely to rise slightly to 3.5%-4.5%. The Turkish Cypriot economy has less than 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. The economy 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. Economic growth sharply dropped during 1994 because of the severe economic crisis affecting the mainland, and inflation soared to 215%. To compensate for the economy's weakness, Turkey provides direct and indirect aid to nearly every sector; financial support has risen and now equals in value about one-third of Turkish Cypriot GDP.

National Product

Greek Area

GDP - purchasing power parity - $7.8 billion (1995 est.); $7.3 billion (1994 est.)

Turkish Area

GDP - purchasing power parity - $520 million (1995 est.); $510 million (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

Greek Area

2.5% (1997)
5% (1995 est.)
5% (1994 est.)

Turkish Area

0.5% (1995 est.)
-4% (1994 est.)

National Product Per Capita

Greek Area

$13,000 (1995 est.)
$12,500 (1994 est.)

Turkish Area

$3,900 (1995 est.)
$3,500 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

Greek Area

3.5% (1997)
3% (1995 est.)
4.8% (1993)

Turkish Area

215% (1994)
63.4% (1992)

Unemployment Rate

Greek Area

3.3% (1997)
2.7% (1994)
2.3% (1993)

Turkish Area

1.6% (1994)
1.2% (1992)

Budget

Exports Greek Area

$968 million (f.o.b., 1994)
$868 million (f.o.b., 1993)

Commodities:

Partners:

Exports Turkish Area

$59 million (f.o.b., 1994)

Commodities:

Partners:

Imports Greek Area

$2.7 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
$2.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993)

Commodities:

Partners:

Imports Turkish Area

$330 million (f.o.b., 1994)

Commodities:

Partners:

External Debt Greek Area

$1.4 billion (1994)
$2.4 billion (1993)

Industrial Production Greek Area

Growth rate 3.7% (1994); 0.1% (1993); accounts for 24.9% of GDP

Industrial Production Turkish Area

Growth rate 2.6% (1992); accounts for 22.9% of GDP

Electricity

Industries

Agriculture

Contributes 5.6% to GDP (Greek Area); 11.4% (turkish Area) and employs 12.5% (Greek Area); 23.5% (turkish Area) of labor force; major crops - potatoes, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, citrus fruits; vegetables and fruit provide 25% of export revenues

Illicit Drugs

Transit point for heroin via air routes and container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey

Economic Aid

Currency

(Greek Area) 1 Cypriot pound (£C) = 100 cents
(Turkish Area) 1 Turkish lira (TL) = 100 kurus

Exchange Rates

Cypriot pounds per $US1 - 0.4628 (January 1996), 0.4522 (1995), 0.4915 (1994), 0.4970 (1993), 0.4502 (1992), 0.4633 (1991), 0.4572 (1990)
Turkish liras (TL) per US$1 - 60,502.1 (January 1996), 45,845.1 (1995), 29,608.7 (1994), 10,984.6 (1993), 6,872.4 (1992), 4,171.8 (1991), 2,608.6 (1990)

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

0 km

Highways

Greek Area

Turkish Area

Ports

Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Vasilikos Bay

Merchant Marine

Note: A flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 48 countries among which are Greece 706, Germany 171, Russia 44, Netherlands 31, Belgium 30, Japan 29, Cuba 21, UK 17, Spain 14, and Hong Kong 13 (1995 est.)

Airports

Heliports

4 (1995 est.)

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

331,000 telephones; excellent in both the area controlled by the Cypriot Government (Greek area), and in the Turkish-Cypriot administered area; largely open-wire and microwave radio relay

Radio

Greek Sector

Turkish Sector

Television

Greek Sector

Turkish Sector

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

Greek Area

Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG; includes air and naval elements), Greek Cypriot Police

Turkish Area

Turkish Cypriot Security Force

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 190,372; males fit for military service 130,880; males reach military age (18) annually 5,749 (1996 est.)

Defense Expenditures

Exchange rate conversion - $493 million, 5.6% of GDP (1995)

History
World Atlas