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Background:
|
Independence
from the UK was approved in 1960, with constitutional
guarantees by the Greek Cypriot majority to the Turkish
Cypriot minority. In 1974, a Greek-sponsored attempt to seize
the government was met by military intervention from Turkey,
which soon controlled almost 40% of the island. In 1983, the
Turkish-held area declared itself the "Turkish Republic
of Northern Cyprus," but it is recognized only by Turkey.
UN-led direct talks between the two sides to reach a
comprehensive settlement to the division of the island began
in January 2002 and will reach a culmination when a referendum
of all Cypriots is held on 21 April 2004, just 10 days before
the Greek part of Cyprus is scheduled to join the EU.
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|
Location:
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Middle East,
island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey |
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Map references:
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Middle
East |
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Area:
|
total:
9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in the Turkish Cypriot
area)
water: 10 sq km
land: 9,240 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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about 0.6 times
the size of Connecticut |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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648 km |
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Climate:
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temperate;
Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters |
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Terrain:
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central plain
with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant
plains along southern coast |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Olympus 1,951 m |
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Natural resources:
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copper, pyrites,
asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment |
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Land use:
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arable land:
14.4%
permanent crops: 4.5%
other: 81.1% (2001 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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382 sq km (2001
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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moderate
earthquake activity; droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Air Pollution, 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
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants |
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Geography - note:
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the third largest
island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia) |
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Population:
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775,927 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
21.4% (male 84,850; female 81,235)
15-64 years: 67.4% (male 264,441; female 258,150)
65 years and over: 11.2% (male 38,058; female 49,193)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
34.4 years
male: 33.4 years
female: 35.5 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.55% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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12.66
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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7.63 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0.43 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
7.36 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 9.19 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 77.46 years
male: 75.11 years
female: 79.92 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.1% (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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less than 1,000
(1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Cypriot(s)
adjective: Cypriot |
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Ethnic groups:
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Greek 77%,
Turkish 18%, other 5% (2001) |
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Religions:
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Greek Orthodox
78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, and other 4% |
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Languages:
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Greek, Turkish,
English |
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Literacy:
|
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.6%
male: 98.9%
female: 96.3% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Republic of Cyprus
conventional short form: Cyprus
note: the Turkish Cypriot area refers to itself as the
"Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC) |
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Government type:
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republic
note: a disaggregation of the two ethnic communities
inhabiting the island began following the outbreak of communal
strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified after
the Turkish intervention in July 1974 after a Greek
junta-based coup attempt 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), recognized only by Turkey; both
sides publicly support a settlement based on a federation
(Greek Cypriot position) or confederation (Turkish Cypriot
position) |
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Capital:
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Nicosia |
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Administrative divisions:
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6 districts;
Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos; note -
Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions include
Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts of
Lefkosia (Nicosia) and Larnaca |
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Independence:
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16 August 1960
(from UK); note - Turkish Cypriot area proclaimed self-rule on
13 February 1975 |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day,
1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriot area celebrates 15
November (1983) as Independence Day |
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Constitution:
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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 Cypriot area passed by referendum
on 5 May 1985 |
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Legal system:
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based on common
law, with civil law modifications |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under
the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish
Cypriot
head of government: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS
(since 1 March 2003); note - the president is both the chief
of state and head of government; post of vice president is
currently vacant; under the 1960 constitution, the post is
reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the
president and vice president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a
five-year term; election last held 16 February 2003 (next to
be held NA February 2008)
note: Rauf R. DENKTASH has been "president"
of the Turkish Cypriot area since 13 February 1975
("president" elected by popular vote for a five-year
term); elections last held 15 April 2000 (next to be held NA
April 2005); results - Rauf R. DENKTASH reelected president
after the other contender withdrew; Mehmet Ali TALAT has been
"prime minister" of the Turkish Cypriot area since
mid-January 2004; there is a Council of Ministers (cabinet) in
the Turkish Cypriot area
election results: Tassos PAPADOPOULOS elected
president; percent of vote - Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 51.5%,
Glafkos KLIRIDIS 38.8%, Alekos MARKIDIS 6.6% |
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Legislative branch:
|
unicameral -
Greek Cypriot area: House of Representatives or Vouli
Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots, 24
to Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned to Greek
Cypriots are filled; members are elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms); Turkish Cypriot area: Assembly of the
Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members are elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
election results: Greek Cypriot area: House of
Representatives - percent of vote by party - AKEL 34.71%, DISY
34%, DIKO 14.84%, KISOS 6.51%, others 9.94%; seats by party -
AKEL (Communist) 20, DISY 19, DIKO 9, KISOS 4, others 4;
Turkish Cypriot area: Assembly of the Republic - percent of
vote by party - CTP 35.8%, UBP 32.3%, Peace and Democratic
Movement 13.4%, DP 12.3%; seats by party - CTP 19, UBP 18,
Peace and Democratic Movement 6, DP 7
elections: Greek Cypriot area: last held 27 May 2001
(next to be held NA May 2006); Turkish Cypriot area: last held
14 December 2003 (next to be held NA December 2008) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court
(judges are appointed jointly by the president and vice
president)
note: there is also a Supreme Court in the Turkish
Cypriot area |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Greek Cypriot
area: Democratic Party or DIKO [Tassos PAPADOPOULOS];
Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADHIS]; Fighting
Democratic Movement or ADIK [Dinos MIKHAILIDIS]; Green Party
of Cyprus [George PERDIKIS]; New Horizons [Nikolaus KOUTSOU];
Restorative Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist
Party) [Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS]; Social Democrats Movement or
KISOS (formerly United Democratic Union of Cyprus or EDEK) [Yiannakis
OMIROU]; United Democrats Movement or EDE [George VASSILIOU];
Turkish Cypriot area: Democratic Party or DP [Serder DENKTASH];
National Birth Party or UDP [Enver EMIN]; National Unity Party
or UBP [Dervis EROGLU]; Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU];
Patriotic Unity Movement or YBH [Alpay DURDURAN]; Peace and
Democratic Movement [Mustafa AKINCI]; Republican Turkish Party
or CTP [Mehmet ALI TALAT] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Confederation of
Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West); Confederation of
Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of Turkish
Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation
or PEO (Communist controlled) |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Euripides L. EVRIVIADES
chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710
note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot area in the
US is Ahmet ERDENGIZ; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington,
DC; telephone [1] (202) 887-6198
consulate(s): New York
consulate(s) general: New York
telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Michael KLOSSON
embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets,
Engomi, 2407 Nicosia
mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nikosia
telephone: [357] (22) 776400
FAX: [357] (22) 780944 |
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Economy - overview:
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The Greek Cypriot
economy is prosperous but highly susceptible to external
shocks. Erratic growth rates over the past decade reflect the
economy's vulnerability to swings in tourist arrivals, caused
by political instability in the region and fluctuations in
economic conditions in Western Europe. Economic policy is
focused on meeting the criteria for admission to the EU. EU-driven
tax reforms in 2003 have introduced fiscal imbalances, which,
coupled with a sluggish tourism sector, have resulted in
growing fiscal deficits. As in the Turkish sector, water
shortages are a perennial problem; a few desalination plants
are now on-line. After 10 years of drought, the country
received substantial rainfall from 2001-03, alleviating
immediate concerns. The Turkish Cypriot economy has roughly
one-third of the per capita GDP of the south. Because it is
recognized only by Turkey, it has had much difficulty
arranging foreign financing and investment. It remains heavily
dependent on agriculture and government service, which
together employ about half of the work force. To compensate
for the economy's weakness, Turkey provides grants and loans
to support economic development. Ankara provided $200 million
in 2002 and pledged $450 million for the 2003-05 period.
Future events throughout the island will be highly influenced
by the outcome of negotiations on the UN-sponsored agreement
to unite the Greek and Turkish areas. |
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GDP:
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Greek Cypriot
area: purchasing power parity - $8.9 billion (2003 est.);
Turkish Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $1.217 billion
(2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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Greek Cypriot
area: 1.6% (2003 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 2.6% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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Greek Cypriot
area: purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2003 est.); Turkish
Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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Greek Cypriot
area: agriculture 4.9%; industry 19.9%; services 75.6%
Turkish Cypriot area: agriculture 10.6%; industry
20.5%; services 68.9% (2003) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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Greek Cypriot
area: 4% (2003 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 12.6% (2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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Greek Cypriot
area: 306,000; Turkish Cypriot area: 95,025 (2000) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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Greek Cypriot
area: services 75.6%, industry 19.4%, agriculture 4.9% (2003);
Turkish Cypriot area: services 68.9%, industry 20.5%,
agriculture 10.6% (2003) |
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Unemployment rate:
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Greek Cypriot
area: 3.4%; Turkish Cypriot area: 5.6% (2003 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
Greek Cypriot area - $4.4 billion, Turkish Cypriot area -
$231.3 million (2002 est.)
expenditures: Greek Cypriot area - $539 million,
including capital expenditures of $539 million, Turkish
Cypriot area - $432.8 million, including capital expenditures
of NA (2003 est.) |
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Industries:
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food, beverages,
textiles, chemicals, metal products, tourism, wood products |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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Greek Cypriot
area: -1.4% (2002); Turkish Cypriot area: -0.3% (2002) |
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Electricity - production:
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3.401 billion
kWh; Turkish Cypriot area: NA kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
100%
other: 0% (2001)
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
|
Greek Cypriot
area: 3.163 billion kWh; Turkish Cypriot area: NA kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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49,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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potatoes, citrus,
vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables, poultry, pork,
lamb, kids, dairy |
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Exports:
|
Greek Cypriot
area: $1.054 billion f.o.b. Turkish Cypriot area: $46 million
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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Greek Cypriot
area: citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals, cement, clothing and
cigarettes; Turkish Cypriot area: citrus, potatoes, textiles |
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Exports - partners:
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UK 26.7%, Greece
6.6%, France 4.9%, Poland 4.3% (2002) |
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Imports:
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Greek Cypriot
area: $4.637 billion f.o.b.; Turkish Cypriot area: $301
million f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
Greek Cypriot
area: consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants, intermediate
goods, machinery, transport equipment; Turkish Cypriot area:
food, minerals, chemicals, machinery |
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Imports - partners:
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Russia 17.1%,
Greece 7.1%, Germany 6.6%, France 6.4%, UK 6.3%, Italy 6.3%,
South Korea 5.4%, Japan 5.1% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
|
Greek Cypriot
area: $8 billion; Turkish Cypriot area: $NA (2002) |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
Greek Cypriot
area - $17 million (1998); Turkish Cypriot area - $700 million
from Turkey in grants and loans (1990-97), which are usually
forgiven (1998) |
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Currency:
|
Greek Cypriot
area: Cypriot pound (CYP); Turkish Cypriot area: Turkish lira
(TRL) |
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Currency code:
|
CYP; TRL |
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Exchange rates:
|
Cypriot pounds
per US dollar - 0.52 (2003), 0.61 (2002), 0.64 (2001), 0.62
(2000), 0.54 (1999), Turkish lira per US dollar 1.505 million
(2003), 1.507 million (2002), 1,225,590 (2001), 625,218
(2000), 418,783 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
|
calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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Greek Cypriot
area: 405,000 (1998); Turkish Cypriot area: 83,162 (1998) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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Greek Cypriot
area: 68,000 (1998); Turkish Cypriot area: 70,000 (1999) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: excellent in both the Greek Cypriot and
Turkish Cypriot areas
domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave
radio relay
international: country code - 357; tropospheric
scatter; 3 coaxial and 5 fiber-optic submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2
Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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Greek Cypriot
area: AM 7, FM 60, shortwave 1 (1998); Turkish Cypriot area:
AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
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Greek Cypriot
area: 4 (plus 225 low-power repeaters) (September 1995);;
Turkish Cypriot area: 4 (plus 5 repeaters) (September 1995) |
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Internet country code:
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.cy |
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Internet hosts:
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2,692 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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210,000 (2002) |
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Railways:
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0 km |
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Highways:
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total:
13,491 km
note: Greek Cypriot area: 11,141 km; Turkish Cypriot
area: 2,350 km
unpaved: Greek Cypriot area: 4,713 km; Turkish Cypriot
area: 980 km (2000/1996)
paved: Greek Cypriot area: 6,428 km; Turkish Cypriot
area: 1,370 km |
|
Waterways:
|
none |
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Ports and harbors:
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Famagusta,
Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos, Vasilikos |
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Merchant marine:
|
total:
1,066 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 22,016,374 GRT/35,760,004 DWT
registered in other countries: 100 (2003 est.)
by type: bulk 403, cargo 276, chemical tanker 28,
combination bulk 21, combination ore/oil 2, container 145,
liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large load carrier 2,
passenger 8, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 109,
refrigerated cargo 30, roll on/roll off 29,
short-sea/passenger 5, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 3
foreign-owned: Austria 11, Belgium 1, Bulgaria 1,
Canada 6, China 13, Croatia 2, Cuba 8, Egypt 2, Estonia 2,
Germany 210, Greece 499, Guam 1, Hong Kong 5, India 6, Iran 3,
Ireland 1, Israel 3, Italy 2, Japan 20, South Korea 6, Latvia
11, Malta 1, Mexico 1, Monaco 3, Netherlands 18, Norway 7,
Panama 1, Philippines 2, Poland 20, Portugal 2, Russia 51,
Singapore 2, Slovenia 4, Spain 5, Sudan 2, Sweden 6,
Switzerland 1, Ukraine 2, United Kingdom 16, United States 4,
Vietnam 1 |
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Airports:
|
17 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 3 |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.) |
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Heliports:
|
10 (2003 est.) |
|
Military branches:
|
Greek Cypriot
area: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG; including air
and naval elements), Greek Cypriot Police
Turkish Cypriot area: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK) |
|
Military manpower - military age:
|
18 years of age
(2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - availability:
|
males age
15-49: 202,966 (2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - fit for military service:
|
males age
15-49: 139,255 (2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
|
males:
6,614 (2004 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$384 million
(FY02) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
3.8% (FY02) |
|
Disputes - international:
|
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; March 2003 reunification talks
failed, but Turkish-Cypriots later opened their borders to
temporary visits by Greek Cypriots; a UN-brokered peace plan
attempts to break the stalemate over final status before the
Greek Cypriot area enters the EU in May 2004 |
|
Illicit drugs:
|
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 highly vulnerable
to money laundering; identification of benefiting owners and
reporting of suspicious transactions by nonresident-controlled
companies in offshore sector remains weak |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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