A former British colony, Cyprus became independent in 1960 following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia. Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic intercommunal violence continued, forcing most Turkish Cypriots into enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek Government-sponsored attempt to overthrow the elected president of Cyprus was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish Cypriot administered area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC"), but it is recognized only by Turkey. A UN-mediated agreement, the Annan Plan, failed to win approval by both communities in 2004. In February 2014, after a hiatus of nearly two years, the leaders of the two communities resumed formal discussions under UN auspices aimed at reuniting the divided island. Talks were suspended in October 2014, but resumed in earnest in May 2015 following the election of a new Turkish Cypriot "president." The entire island entered the EU on 1 May 2004, although the EU acquis - the body of common rights and obligations - applies only to the areas under the internationally recognized government, and is suspended in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots. However, individual Turkish Cypriots able to document their eligibility for Republic of Cyprus citizenship legally enjoy the same rights accorded to other citizens of EU states.
Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey; note - Cyprus views itself as part of Europe; geopolitically, it can be classified as falling within Europe, the Middle East, or both
35 00 N, 33 00 E
Middle East
total: 9,251 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus)
land: 9,241 sq km
water: 10 sq km
about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut
total: 156 km
border sovereign base areas: Akrotiri 48 km, Dhekelia 108 km
648 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains along southern coast
mean elevation: 91 m
elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Olympus 1,951 m
copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment
agricultural land: 13.4%
arable land 9.8%; permanent crops 3.2%; permanent pasture 0.4%
forest: 18.8%
other: 67.8% (2011 est.)
460 sq km (2012)
moderate earthquake activity; droughts
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
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia)
1.38% (2016 est.)
1,205,575 (July 2016 est.)
noun: Cypriot(s)
adjective: Cypriot
Greek 98.8%, other 1% (includes Maronite, Armenian, Turkish-Cypriot), unspecified 0.2%
note: data represent only the government-controlled area of Cyprus (2011 est.)
Greek (official) 80.9%, Turkish (official) 0.2%, English 4.1%, Romanian 2.9%, Russian 2.5%, Bulgarian 2.2%, Arabic 1.2%, Filipino 1.1%, other 4.3%, unspecified 0.6%
note: data represent only the government-controlled area of Cyprus (2011 est.)
Orthodox Christian 89.1%, Roman Catholic 2.9%, Protestant/Anglican 2%, Muslim 1.8%, Buddhist 1%, other (includes Maronite, Armenian Church, Hindu) 1.4%, unknown 1.1%, none/atheist 0.6%
note: data represent only the government-controlled area of Cyprus (2011 est.)
0-14 years: 15.58% (male 96,582/female 91,296)
15-24 years: 14.37% (male 94,262/female 78,982)
25-54 years: 46.99% (male 298,368/female 268,080)
55-64 years: 11.26% (male 65,005/female 70,752)
65 years and over: 11.8% (male 61,581/female 80,667) (2016 est.)
total dependency ratio: 41.6%
youth dependency ratio: 23.4%
elderly dependency ratio: 18.2%
potential support ratio: 5.5% (2015 est.)
total: 36.4 years
male: 35.1 years
female: 38 years (2016 est.)
11.4 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)
6.7 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)
9.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)
population concentrated in central Nicosia and in the major cities of the south: Paphos, Limassol, and Larnaca
urban population: 66.9% of total population (2015)
rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
NICOSIA (capital) 251,000 (2014)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
7 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
total: 8.1 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)
total population: 78.7 years
male: 75.8 years
female: 81.6 years (2016 est.)
1.47 children born/woman (2016 est.)
7.4% of GDP (2014)
2.33 physicians/1,000 population (2012)
3.5 beds/1,000 population (2011)
improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
0.06% (2013 est.)
400 (2013 est.)
fewer than 100 (2013 est.)
24.5% (2014)
604% of GDP (2013)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.1%
male: 99.5%
female: 98.7% (2015 est.)
total: 14 years
male: 14 years
female: 15 years (2014)
28.5
note: data represent only government-controlled areas (2010 est.)
total: 35.9%
male: 37.4%
female: 34.6% (2014 est.)
demographic data for Cyprus represent the population of the government-controlled area and the area administered by Turkish Cypriots, unless otherwise indicated
Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots celebrate 15 November (1983) as "Republic Day"
conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus
conventional short form: Cyprus
local long form: Kypriaki Dimokratia/Kibris Cumhuriyeti
local short form: Kypros/Kibris
note: the Turkish Cypriot community, which administers the northern part of the island, refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" or "TRNC" ("Kuzey Kibris Turk Cumhuriyeti" or "KKTC")
etymology: the derivation of the name "Cyprus" is unknown, but the extensive mining of copper metal on the island in antiquity gave rise to the Latin word "cuprum" for copper
Republic of Cyprus - presidential democracy; Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (self-declared) - semi-presidential democracy
note: a separation of the two main ethnic communities inhabiting the island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified when a Greek military-junta-supported coup attempt prompted the Turkish intervention in July 1974 that gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the only internationally recognized government on the island; on 15 November 1983, then Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTAS declared independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC"), which is recognized only by Turkey
name: Nicosia (Lefkosia/Lefkosa)
geographic coordinates: 35 10 N, 33 22 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
6 districts; Ammochostos (Famagusta); (all but a small part located in the Turkish Cypriot community), Keryneia (Kyrenia; the only district located entirely in the Turkish Cypriot community), Larnaka (Larnaca; with a small part located in the Turkish Cypriot community), Lefkosia (Nicosia; a small part administered by Turkish Cypriots), Lemesos (Limassol), Pafos (Paphos); note - the 5 "districts" of the "TRNC" are Gazimagusa (Famagusta), Girne (Kyrenia), Guzelyurt (Morphou), Iskele (Trikomo), Lefkosia (Nicosia)
16 August 1960 (from the UK); note - Turkish Cypriots proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but these proclamations are recognized only by Turkey
ratified 16 August 1960; amended 1996, 2013; note - in 1963, the constitution was partly suspended as Turkish Cypriots withdrew from the government; Turkish-held territory in 1983 was declared the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC"); in 1985, the "TRNC" approved its own constitution (2016)
mixed legal system of English common law and civil law with European law supremacy
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cyprus
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Nikos ANASTASIADIS (since 28 February 2013); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; vice president (vacant); note - vice presidency reserved for Turkish Cypriot
head of government: President Nikos ANASTASIADIS (since 28 February 2013)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - under the 1960 constitution, 3 of the ministerial posts reserved for Turkish Cypriots, appointed by the vice president; positions currently filled by Greek Cypriots
elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term; election last held on 17 and 24 February 2013 (next to be held in February 2018)
election results: Nikos ANASTASIADIS elected president; percent of vote in first round - Nikos ANASTASIADIS (DISY) 45.5%, Stavros MALAS (AKEL) 26.9%, Giorgos LILLIKAS (SP) 24.9%, other 2.7%; percent of vote in second round - Nikos ANASTASIADIS 57.5%, Savros MALAS 42.5%
note: Mustafa AKINCI assumed office as "president" of the "TRNC" on 30 April 2015; percent of vote in first round (19 April 2015) - Dervis EROGLU (UBP) 28.2%, Mustafa AKINCI (TDP) 26.9%, other 44.9%; percent of vote in runoff (26 April 2015) - AKINCI 60.5%, EROGLU 39.5%; Huseyin OZGURGUN is "TRNC prime minister" since 8 April 2016
description: area under government control: unicameral House of Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to Greek Cypriots, 24 to Turkish Cypriots, but only those assigned to Greek Cypriots are filled; members directly elected by both proportional representation and preferential vote; members serve 5-year terms); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members directly elected by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)
elections: area under government control: last held on 22 May 2016 (next to be held in May 2021); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: last held on 28 July 2013 (next to be held on July 2018)
election results: area under government control: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - DISY 30.7%, AKEL 25.7%, DIKO 14.5%, KS-EDEK 6.2%, Citizen's Alliance 5.0% Solidarity Movement 5.2%, other 11.7%; seats by party - DISY 18, AKEL 16, DIKO 9, KS-EDEK 3, Citizen's Alliance 3, Solidarity Movement 3, other 7; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: "Assembly of the Republic" - percent of vote by party - CTP-BG 38.4%, UBP 27.3%, DP-UG 23.2%, TDP 7.4%, other 3.7%; seats by party - CTP-BG 21, UBP 14, DP-UG 12, TDP 3
highest court(s): Supreme Court of Cyprus (consists of 13 judges including the court president); note - the highest court in the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)" is the "Supreme Court" (consists of 8 "judges" including the "court president")
judge selection and term of office: Republic of Cyprus Supreme Court judges appointed by the president of the republic upon the recommendation of the Supreme Court judges; judges can serve until age 68; "TRNC Supreme Court" judges appointed by the "Supreme Council of Judicature," a 12-member body of judges, the attorney general, appointees - 1 each by the president of the "TRNC" and by the "Legislative Assembly" - and 1 member elected by the bar association; judge tenure NA
subordinate courts: Republic of Cyprus district courts; Assize Courts; specialized courts for issues relating to family, industrial disputes, military, and rent control; "TRNC Assize Courts"; "district and family courts"
area under government control:
Citizens' Alliance or SP [Giorgos LILLIKAS]
Democratic Party or DIKO [Nikolas PAPADOPOULOS]
Democratic Rally or DISY [Averof NEOPHYTOU (of Neofytou)]
Ecological and Environmental Movement or KOP (Green Party) [Giorgos PERDIKIS]
European Party or EVROKO [Dimitris SYLLOURIS]
Movement of Social Democrats-United Democratic Center Union or KS-EDEK [Marinos SIZOPOULOS]
National Popular Front or ELAM [Christos CHRISTOU]
Progressive Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist party) [Andros KYPRIANOU]
Solidarity Movement [Eleni THEOCHAROUS]
United Democrats or EDI [Praxoula ANTONIADOU]
area administered by Turkish Cypriots:
Communal Democracy Party or TDP [Cemal OZYIGIT]
Cyprus Socialist Party or KSP [Mehmet BIRINCI]
Democrat Party- National Forces or DP-UG [Serdar DENKTAS]
National Justice Party or UAP [Fatma SOLMAZ]
National Unity Party or UBP [Huseyin OZGURGUN]
New Cyprus Party or YKP [Murat KANATLI]
People's Party or HP [Kudret OZERSAY]
Republican Turkish Party-United Forces or CTP-BG [Mehmet Ali TALAT]
Social Democratic Party or SDP [Tozun TUNALI]
United Cyprus Party or BKP [Izzet IZCAN]
Cypriot mouflon (wild sheep), white dove; national colors: blue, white
Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK [Nikos MOYSEOS] (pro-West)
Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation or PEO [Pambis KYRITSIS] (Communist controlled)
area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Confederation of Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is
Federation of Turkish Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen [Asian BICAKLI]
Australia Group, C, CD, CE, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
chief of mission: Ambassador Leonidas PANTELIDIS (since 27 June 2016)
chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772, 462-0873
FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710
consulate(s) general: New York
note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot community in the US is Ismet KORUKOGLU; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone [1] (202) 887-6198
chief of mission: Ambassador Kathleen Ann DOHERTY (since 7 October 2015)
embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, 2407 Engomi, Nicosia
mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nicosia
telephone: [357] (22) 393939
FAX: [357] (22) 780944
white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the island has long been famous for its copper deposits) 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 Republic of Northern Cyprus" flag retains the white field of the Cyprus national flag but displays narrow horizontal red stripes positioned a small distance from the top and bottom edges between which are centered a red crescent and a red five-pointed star; the banner is modeled after the Turkish national flag but with the colors reversed
name: "Ymnos eis tin Eleftherian" (Hymn to Liberty)
lyrics/music: Dionysios SOLOMOS/Nikolaos MANTZAROS
note: adopted 1960; Cyprus adopted the Greek national anthem as its own; the Turkish Cypriot community in Cyprus uses the anthem of Turkey
1.5% (2016 est.)
The area of the Republic of Cyprus under government control has a market economy dominated by the service sector, which accounts for more than four-fifths of GDP. Tourism, financial services, shipping, and real estate have traditionally been the most impo
During the first five years of EU membership, the Cyprus economy grew at an average rate of about 4%, with unemployment between 2004 and 2008 averaging about 4%. However, the economy tipped into recession in 2009 as the ongoing global financial crisis and
Shortly after the election of President Nikos ANASTASIADES in February 2013, Cyprus reached an agreement with the Troika on a $13 billion bailout that triggered a two-week bank closure and the imposition of capital controls that remained partially in plac
In October 2013, a US-Israeli consortium completed preliminary appraisals of hydrocarbon deposits in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which revealed an estimated gross mean reserve of about 130 billion cubic meters. Though exploration continues in C
$29.26 billion (2016 est.)
$28.47 billion (2015 est.)
$28.05 billion (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
$19.93 billion (2015 est.)
2.8% (2016 est.)
1.5% (2015 est.)
-2.5% (2014 est.)
$34,400 (2016 est.)
$33,600 (2015 est.)
$32,700 (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
9.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
11.7% of GDP (2015 est.)
8.6% of GDP (2014 est.)
household consumption: 69.1%
government consumption: 15.3%
investment in fixed capital: 11.3%
investment in inventories: 1.9%
exports of goods and services: 60.9%
imports of goods and services: -58.5% (2016 est.)
agriculture: 2.3%
industry: 10.4%
services: 87.2% (2016 est.)
citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables; poultry, pork, lamb; dairy, cheese
tourism, food and beverage processing, cement and gypsum, ship repair and refurbishment, textiles, light chemicals, metal products, wood, paper, stone and clay products
415,100 (2016 est.)
agriculture: 3.8%
industry: 15.2%
services: 81% (2014 est.)
11.8% (2016 est.)
14.9% (2015 est.)
NA%
lowest 10%: 3.3%
highest 10%: 28.8% (2014)
34.8 (2014 est.)
32.4 (2013 est.)
revenues:: $7.588 billion
expenditures:: $7.809 billion (2016 est.)
38.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
-1.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
104.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
108.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by subnational entities, as well as int
calendar year
-0.3% (2016 est.)
-2.1% (2015 est.)
0.05% (31 December 2013)
0.3% (31 December 2010)
note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
4.5% (31 December 2016 est.)
4.69% (31 December 2015 est.)
$3.975 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$4.031 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply for the entire euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 18 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of
$43.41 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$47.99 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
$57.96 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$59.58 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$2.692 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$4.031 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$2.105 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
-$184 million (2016 est.)
-$704 million (2015 est.)
$2.635 billion (2016 est.)
$2.759 billion (2015 est.)
citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals, cement, clothing
Greece 10.9%, Ireland 10.2%, UK 7.2%, Israel 6% (2015)
$6.042 billion (2016 est.)
$6.286 billion (2015 est.)
consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants, machinery, transport equipment
Greece 25.7%, UK 9.1%, Italy 8%, Germany 7.5%, Israel 5.5%, China 4.8%, Netherlands 4.1% (2015)
$776.8 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$807.6 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$95.28 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
$103.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
$142.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$140.4 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$136.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$135.2 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
0.9214 (2016 est.)
0.885 (2015 est.)
0.885 (2014 est.)
0.7634 (2013 est.)
0.78 (2012 est.)
electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
4.1 billion kWh (2014 est.)
3.9 billion kWh (2014 est.)
0 kWh (2013 est.)
0 kWh (2013 est.)
1.7 million kW (2014 est.)
90% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
10% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
0 bbl (1 January 2016 es)
0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
45,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)
0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
46,690 bbl/day (2013 est.)
0 cu m (2013 est.)
0 cu m (2013 est.)
0 cu m (2013 est.)
0 cu m (2013 est.)
141.6 billion cu m (1 January 2014 es)
9.1 million Mt (2013 est.)
total subscriptions: 323,707
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 27 (July 2015 est.)
total: 1.111 million
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 93 (July 2015 est.)
general assessment: excellent in both area under government control and area administered by Turkish Cypriots
domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 357 (area administered by Turkish Cypriots uses the country code of Turkey - 90); a number of submarine cables, including the SEA-ME-WE-3, combine to provide connectivity to Western Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; tropospheric scatter; s
mixture of state and privately run TV and radio services; the public broadcaster operates 2 TV channels and 4 radio stations; 6 private TV broadcasters, satellite and cable TV services including telecasts from Greece and Turkey, and a number of private ra (2007)
.cy
total: 853,000
percent of population: 71.7% (July 2015 est.)
number of registered air carriers: 2
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 23,404
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 230,600 mt-km (2015)
5B (2016)
15 (2013)
total: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2013)
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2013)
9 (2013)
total: 20,006 km
government control: 13,006 km (includes 2,277 km of expressways)
paved: 8,564 km
unpaved: 4,442 km
Turkish Cypriot control: 7,000 km (2011)
total: 838
by type: bulk carrier 278, cargo 163, chemical tanker 77, container 201, liquefied gas 11, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 25, petroleum tanker 62, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 9, vehicle carrier 4
foreign-owned: 622 (Angola 1, Austria 1, Belgium 3, Bermuda 1, Canada 2, China 6, Denmark 6, Estonia 6, France 16, Germany 192, Greece 201, Hong Kong 2, India 4, Iran 10, Ireland 3, Italy 6, Japan 16, Netherlands 23, Norway 14, Philippines 1, Poland 24, Portugal 2, Russia 4
registered in other countries: 152 (Bahamas 23, Cambodia 4, Comoros 2, Finland 1, Gibraltar 1, Greece 3, Hong Kong 3, Liberia 9, Malta 32, Marshall Islands 40, Norway 1, Panama 5, Russia 13, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Sierra Leone 2, Singapore 6, unknown 4) (2010)
major seaport(s): area under government control: Larnaca, Limassol, Vasilikos; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Famagusta, Kyrenia
Republic of Cyprus: Cypriot National Guard (Ethniki Froura, EF; includes naval and air elements); Northern Cyprus: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK) (2014)
Cypriot National Guard (CNG): 18-50 years of age for compulsory military service for all Greek Cypriot males; 17 years of age for voluntary service; 14-month service obligation (2016)
2.1% of GDP (2013)
2.05% of GDP (2012)
2.14% of GDP (2011)
2.05% of GDP (2010)
hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto autonomous entities, the internationally recognized Cypriot Government and a Turkish-Cypriot community (north Cyprus); the 1,000-strong UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has served in Cyprus since 1964 and maintains the buffer zone between north and south; on 1 May 2004, Cyprus entered the EU still divided, with the EU's body of legislation and standards (acquis communitaire) suspended in the north; Turkey protests Cypriot Government creating hydrocarbon blocks and maritime boundary with Lebanon in March 2007
IDPs: 272,000 (both Turkish and Greek Cypriots; many displaced since 1974) (2015)
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; despite a strengthening of anti-money-laundering legislation, remains vulnerable to money laundering; reporting of suspicious transactions in offshore sector remains weak (2008)
