Location: Island in the north-eastern Mediterranean Sea, 35 N-33 E

Area: total area: 9,251 sq 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, wet winters

Terrain: central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains along southern coast

Natural resources: copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment

Land use:

arable land and uncultivated agricultural land 26%

permanent crops: 7%

forest and woodland: 20%

other: 47% (residential areas, roads, commercial and industrial sites, etc)

Environment:

current issues: water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, seasonal disparity in rainfall; water pollution from sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of wildlife habitats from urbanization)

natural hazards: moderate earthquake activity

international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; Biodiversity, Climate Change

People

Population:

total: 732,900 (84.7% Greek Cypriots, 12.3% Turkish Cypriots, 3.0% others)

Government Controlled area: 641,700 (July 1995 est.)

Turkish occupied area: 91,000 (July 1995 est.)

Total population figures do not include illegal settlers from Turkey, estimated at over 90,000

Population growth rate: 0.9% (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.5 years

Nationality:

noun: Cypriot(s)

adjective: Cypriot

Religions: Greek Orthodox 84.7%, Muslim 12.3%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, and other 3%

Languages: Greek and Turkish, (English is widely spoken)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1992 est.)

total population: 94%

Labor force:

Government controlled area: 303,100 (1995)

by occupation: Primary sectors 11% (1995)

Secondary sectors 25.0% (1995)

Tertiary sectors 64% (1995)

Government

Names:

conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus

conventional short form: Cyprus

Type: Republic

Note: On 15 November 1983, the part of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus which has been occupied by Turkey since the Turkish invasion of 1974, (approx. 37% of the territory of the Republic) unilaterally declared itself independent. The "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus", as it called itself is an unrecognized and illegal entity. It was condemned by the UN Security Council (Resolutions 541 and 550), which declared it legally invalid, called for its immediate withdrawal and upon all states not to recognize it and not to facilitate or in any way assist it. No country in the world had recognized the illegal entity except Turkey.

Capital: Nicosia

Independence: 16 August 1960 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legislative branch: Unicameral

House of Representatives (Vouli Antiprosopon): seats 80 total. There are currently 56 elected parliamentarians, while 24 seats are reserved for the Turkish Cypriots.

Member of: C, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Flag: white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name Cyprus is delivered from the latin world for copper) above two green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches symbolize the hope for peace.

Economy

General characteristics: The basic characteristics of the Cyprus economy are the small size of the domestic market and the business units, as well as its open character.

The structure of the economy of Cyprus is characterized by the great significance of tourism and other private services. Cyprus has gradually moved from being an exporter of minerals (mainly copper and asbestos) and agricultural products (mainly citrus) in the 1960-1974 period, and an exporter of manufactured consumer goods (mainly clothing) in the second half of the 1970s, into an international tourist center and a regional services center during the 1980s and the first half of the 1990s. During the last few years particularly worth noting is the rapid expansion of transit trade, shipping, and the activities of off-shore companies, while tourism has remained an important sector of the Cypriot economy.

National product:

Government controlled area: GDP - purchasing power parity - $8.7 billion (1995 est.)

National product per capita:

Government controlled area: $13,969 (1995 est.)

Budget (1995) $2.8 billion (Revenues) and $2.9 (expenditures)

Exports: $1.4 million (f.o.b., 1996)

commodities: citrus, potatoes, grapes, wine, cement, clothing and shoes, pharmaceutical products, preserved fruit and juices, wines, footwear and dairy products

Partners: UK 10%, Greece 6%, Germany 4%, Russia 18%, Bulgaria 15%

Imports: $3.6 billion (c.i.f., 1996)

commodities: consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants, food and feed grains, machinery

partners: UK 11%, Japan 6%, Italy 9%, Germany 7%, US 17%, Greece 7%

Industrial production: growth rate 3.0% (1996); accounts for 12% of GDP (1996)

Electricity:

capacity: 690,000 kW

production: 2.6 billion kWh

consumption per capita: 3,586 kWh (1996)

Industries: food, beverages, clothing, footwear, pharmaceuticals non metallic mineral products, metal products, wood products.

Agriculture: contributes 6% to GDP and employs 11% of labor force

major crops: potatoes, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, citrus fruits; vegetables and fruit provide around 25% of export revenues

Economic aid:

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Jm (FY70-89), $292 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $250 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $62 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $24 million

Currency: 1 Cypriot pound ( C)=100 cents

Exchange rates: Cypriot pounds per $US1 - 0.4522 (1995), 0.4915 (1994), 0.4970 (1993), 0.4502 (1992), 0.4615 (1991), 0.4572 (1990)

Transportation

Length of public roads (1995)

Cyprus has developed a road network which services the transportation needs of tourism, industry, agriculture, trade and the public

Total: 10,150 km

paved: 5,781 km

unpaved: 4,369 km

Ports: Limassol, Larnaca, Vasilikos Bay, Paphos, Moni, Zygi, Dhekelia, Akrotiri, Famagusta* and Kyrenia* Karavostasi*

*Declared closed by the Government of Cyprus

Merchant marine:

total: 4,793 arrivals of ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 15,700,052 NRT, passenger 1017, containers 948, tanker 577, vehicle carriers 407, bulk carriers 81, other cargo vessels 1,713. NOTE: a flag of convenience registry includes 60 countries among which are ships of Cyprus 1,198, Honduras 587, Greece 417, Syria 290, Ukraine 278, Antigua and Barbados 240, St. Vincent 236, Panama 221, Malta 190 and Germany 149.

Airports:

International airports: 2, Larnaca and Paphos

(Nicosia International Airport closed as a result of the Turkish invasion)

Communications

Cyprus Telecommunications Authority

With what is probably the best telecommunications network in the Eastern Mediterranean region, the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (CYTA) is committed to meeting the market's ever expanding needs as well as its own ambitious goal of becoming a hub in the area. An extensive international telecommunications network, a rich portfolio of services, a nearly fully digital network and a density of 56 direct exchange lines per 100 of the population are only part of what CYTA has to offer.

Telephone system includes 347,343 telephone exchange lines

Radio:

Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC)

AM and FM (Also short-wave for listeners abroad)

66 Private Radio stations (1994)

Television:

Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC)

3 private Television Stations

1 cable television network

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