1993 Edition

Area

total area: 9,250 km2 land area: 9,240 km2 comparative area: about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut

Climate

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

Coastline

648 km

Environment

moderate earthquake activity; water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, seasonal disparity in rainfall, and most potable resources concentrated in the Turkish-Cypriot area)

International disputes

1974 hostilities divided the island into two de facto autonomous areas, a Greek area controlled by the Cypriot Government (60% of the island's land area) and a Turkish-Cypriot area (35% of the island) that are separated by a narrow UN buffer zone; in addition, there are two UK sovereign base areas (about 5% of the island's land area)

Irrigated land

350 km2 (1989)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 40% permanent crops: 7% meadows and pastures: 10% forest and woodland: 18% other: 25%

Location

in the eastern Mediterreanean Sea, 97 km west of Syria and 64 km west of Turkey

Map references

Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources

copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment

Terrain

central plain with mountains to north and south

Birth rate

17.14 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate

7.74 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Greek 78%, Turkish 18%, other 4%

Greek area

282,000 by occupation: services 57%, industry 29%, agriculture 14% (1991)

Infant mortality rate

9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Languages

Greek, Turkish, English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.98 years male: 73.75 years female: 78.31 years (1993 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1987) total population: 94% male: 98% female: 91%

Nationality

noun: Cypriot(s) adjective: Cypriot

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population

723,371 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate

0.94% (1993 est.)

Religions

Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian, Apostolic, and other 4%

Total fertility rate

2.34 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Turkish area

72,000 by occupation: services 57%, industry 22%, agriculture 21% (1991)

Administrative divisions

6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos

Capital

Nicosia

Chief of State and Head of Government

President Glafkos CLERIDES (since 28 February 1993) note: Rauf R. DENKTASH has been president of the Turkish area since 13 February 1975; Dervish EROGLU has been prime minister of the Turkish area since 20 July 1985

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 in May 1985

Digraph

CY

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael E. SHERIFIS chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 462-5772 consulate general:

Executive branch

president, Council of Ministers (cabinet); note - there is a president, prime minister, and Council of Ministers (cabinet) in the Turkish area

FAX

[357] (2) 459-571

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 with a red crescent and red star on a white field

Greek Cypriot

Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL; Communist Party), Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS; Democratic Rally (DISY), Glafkos CLERIDES; Democratic Party (DIKO), Spyros KYPRIANOU; United Democratic Union of the Center (EDEK), Vassos LYSSARIDIS; Socialist Democratic Renewal Movement (ADISOK), Mikhalis PAPAPETROU; Liberal Party, Nikos ROLANDIS; Free Democrats, George VASSILIOU

House of Representatives

last held 19 May 1991; 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

Independence

16 August 1960 (from UK)

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

based on common law, with civil law modifications

Legislative branch

unicameral House of Representatives (Vouli Antiprosopon); note - there is a unicameral Assembly of the Republic (Cumhuriyet Meclisi) in the Turkish area

Member of

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

Names

conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus conventional short form: Cyprus

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 October (15 November is celebrated as Independence Day in the Turkish area)

New York note

Representative of the Turkish area in the US is Namik KORMAN, office at 1667 K Street, NW, Washington DC, telephone (202) 887-6198

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)

President

last held 14 February 1993 (next to be held February 1998); results - Glafkos CLERIDES 50.3%, George VASSILIOU 49.7%

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Turkish area

National Unity Party (UBP), Dervis EROGLU; Communal Liberation Party (TKP), Mustafa AKINCI; Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Ozker OZGUR; New Cyprus Party (YKP), Alpay DURDURAN; Social Democratic Party (SDP), Ergun VEHBI; New Birth Party (YDP), Ali Ozkan ALTINISHIK; Free Democratic Party (HDP), Ismet KOTAK; Nationalist Justice Party (MAP), Zorlu TORE; United Sovereignty Party, Arif Salih KIRDAG; Democratic Party (DP), Hakki ATUN; Fatherland Party (VP), Orhan UCOK; CTP, TKP, and YDP joined in the coalition Democratic Struggle Party (DMP) for the 22 April 1990 legislative election; the CTP and TKP boycotted the byelection of 13 October 1991, in which 12 seats were at stake; the DMP was dissolved after the 1990 election

Turkish Area

President: last held 22 April 1990 (next to be held April 1995); results - Rauf R. DENKTASH 66%, Ismail BOZKURT 32.05%

Assembly of the Republic: last held 6 May 1990 (next to be held May 1995); results - UBP (conservative) 54.4%, DMP 44.4% YKP 0.9%; seats - (50 total) UBP (conservative) 45, SDP 1, HDP 2, YDP 2; note - by-election of 13 October 1991 was for 12 seats; DP delegates broke away from the UBP and formed their own party after the last election; seats as of July 1992 UBP 34, SPD 1, HDP 1, YDP 2, DP 10, independents 2

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

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert E. LAMB embassy: corner of Therissos Street and Dositheos Street, Nicosia mailing address: APO AE 09836 telephone: [357] (2) 465151

Agriculture

contributes 6% to GDP and employs 14% of labor force in the south; major crops - potatoes, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, citrus fruits; vegetables and fruit provide 25% of export revenues

Budget

revenues $1.7 billion; expenditures $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $350 million (1993)

Currency

1 Cypriot pound (#C) = 100 cents; 1 Turkish lira (TL) = 100 kurus

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (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

Electricity

620,000 kW capacity; 1,770 million kWh produced, 2,530 kWh per capita (1991)

Exchange rates

NA

Exports

$875 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: citrus, potatoes, grapes, wine, cement, clothing and shoes partners: UK 23%, Greece 10%, Lebanon 10%, Germany 5%

External debt

$1.9 billion (1991)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Greek area

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $6.3 billion (1992)

$11,000 (1992)

5.1% (1991)

2.4% (1991)

Illicit drugs

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

Imports

$2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants, food and feed grains, machinery partners: UK 13%, Japan 12%, Italy 10%, Germany 9.1%

Industrial production

growth rate 0.4% (1991); accounts for 16.5% of GDP

Industries

food, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metal products, tourism, wood products

National product real growth rate

Greek area: 6.5% (1992)

Overview

The Greek Cypriot economy is small, diversified, and prosperous. Industry contributes 16.5% to GDP and employs 29% of the labor force, while the service sector contributes 62% to GDP and employs 57% of the labor force. Rapid growth in exports of agricultural and manufactured products and in tourism have played important roles in the average 6.8% rise in GDP between 1986 and 1990. This progress was temporarily checked in 1991, because of the adverse effects of the Gulf War on tourism. Nevertheless in mid-1991, the World Bank "graduated" Cyprus off its list of developing countries. In contrast to the bright picture in the south, the Turkish Cypriot economy has less than half the per capita GDP and suffered a series of reverses in 1991. Crippled by the effects of the Gulf war, the collapse of the fruit-to-electronics conglomerate, Polly Peck, Ltd., and a drought, the Turkish area in late 1991 asked for a multibillion-dollar grant from Turkey to help ease the burden of the economic crisis. In addition, the Turkish government extended a $100 million loan in November 1992 to be used for economic development projects in 1993. Turkey normally underwrites a substantial portion of the Turkish Cypriot economy.

Turkish area

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $600 million (1990)

5.9% (1990)

$4,000 (1990)

69.4% (1990)

1.5% (1991)

Airports

total: 13 usable: 13 with permanent-surface runways: 10 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 7 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1

Highways

10,780 km total; 5,170 km paved; 5,610 km gravel, crushed stone, and earth

Merchant marine

1,299 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,045,037 GRT/37,119,933 DWT; includes 10 short-sea passenger, 1 passenger-cargo, 463 cargo, 77 refrigerated cargo, 24 roll-on/roll-off, 70 container, 4 multifunction large load carrier, 110 oil tanker, 3 specialized tanker, 3 liquefied gas, 26 chemical tanker, 32 combination ore/oil, 422 bulk, 3 vehicle carrier, 48 combination bulk, 1 railcar carrier, 2 passenger; note - a flag of convenience registry; Cuba owns 27 of these ships, Russia owns 36, Latvia also has 7 ships, Croatia owns 2, and Romania 5

Ports

Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos

Telecommunications

excellent in both the area controlled by the Cypriot Government (Greek area), and in the Turkish-Cypriot administered area; 210,000 telephones; largely open-wire and microwave radio relay; broadcast stations - 11 AM, 8 FM, 1 (34 repeaters) TV in Greek sector and 2 AM, 6 FM and 1 TV in Turkish sector; international service by tropospheric scatter, 3 submarine cables, and satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and EUTELSAT earth stations

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $209 million, 5% of GDP (1990 est.)

Greek area

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

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 185,371; fit for military service 127,536; reach military age (18) annually 5,085 (1993 est.)

Turkish area

Turkish Cypriot Security Force