Country Information - Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus

National name: Kypriaki Dimokratia-Kibris Cumhuriyeti

President: Tassos Papadopoulos (2003)

Area: 3,571 sq mi (9,250 sq km)

Population (2005 est.): 780,133 (growth rate: 0.5%); birth rate: 12.6/1000; infant mortality rate: 7.2/1000; life expectancy: 77.7; density per sq mi: 218

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Lefkosia (Nicosia) (in government-controlled area), 197,600

Monetary unit: Cyprus pound

Languages: Greek, Turkish (both official); English

Ethnicity/race: Current: Greek 77%, Turkish 18% (each concentrated almost exclusively in separate areas); other 5% (2001)

Religions: Greek Orthodox 78%, Islam 18%, Marinonite, Armenian Apostolic, and other 4%

Literacy rate: 98% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP : Greek Cypriot area (2004 est.): $15.71 billion; $20,300 per capita; Turkish Cypriot area (2004 est.): $4.54 billion; $7,135 per capita. Real growth rate: Greek Cypriot area: 3.2%; Turkish Cypriot area: 2.6%. Inflation: Greek Cypriot area: 2.4%; Turkish Cypriot area: 12.6% (2003 est.). Unemployment: Greek Cypriot area: 3.2%; Turkish Cypriot area: 5.6%. Arable land: 8%. Agriculture: potatoes, citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables. Labor force: Greek Cypriot area: 330,000; Turkish Cypriot area: 95,025; Greek Cypriot area: services 73%, industry 22%, agriculture 5% (2000); Turkish Cypriot area: services 56.4%, industry 22.8%, agriculture 20.8% (1998). Industries: food, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metal products, tourism, wood products. Natural resources: copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment. Exports: Greek Cypriot area: $1.054 billion (f.o.b., 2003 est.): citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals, cement, clothing and cigarettes; Turkish Cypriot area: $46 million (f.o.b., 2003 est.): citrus, potatoes, textiles. Imports: Greek Cypriot area: $4.637 billion (f.o.b., 2003 est.): consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants, intermediate goods, machinery, transport equipment; Turkish Cypriot area: $301 million (f.o.b., 2003 est.): food, minerals, chemicals, machinery. Major trading partners: UK, Greece, UAE, France, Russia, Germany, Italy, South Korea, Japan.

Member of Commonwealth of Nations

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: Greek Cypriot area: 405,000 (1998); Turkish Cypriot area: 83,162 (1998); mobile cellular: Greek Cypriot area: 68,000 (1998); Turkish Cypriot area: 70,000 (1999). 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); Turkish Cypriot area: 4 (plus 5 repeaters) (Sept. 1995). Televisions: Greek Cypriot area: 248,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 52,300 (1994). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000). Internet users: 150,000 (2002).

Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: Greek Cypriot area: 11,141 km; Turkish Cypriot area: 2,350 km; paved: Greek Cypriot area: 6,428 km; Turkish Cypriot area: 1,370 km; unpaved: Greek Cypriot area: 4,713 km (2000); Turkish Cypriot area: 980 km (1996). Ports and harbors: Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos, Vasilikos. Airports: 16 (2002).

International disputes: hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto autonomous areas, a Greek Cypriot area controlled by the internationally recognized Cypriot Government and a Turkish-Cypriot area, separated by a UN buffer zone; UN deadline on sides accepting a federation plan for reunification have expired, diminishing chances of Turkish-Cypriot participation in EU membership in 2004.