party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note:
the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and
Sardinia)
People Cyprus
Population:
771,657 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 21.9% (male 86,446; female 82,769)
15–64 years: 67% (male 261,404; female 255,409)
65 years and over: 11.1% (male 37,345; female 48,284) (2003 est.)
Median age:
total: 34.2 years
male: 33.1 years
female: 35.2 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
0.56% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
12.77 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
7.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 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 (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.54 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 9.43 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.27 years
male: 74.94 years
female: 79.71 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.88 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 1,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Cypriot(s)
adjective: Cypriot
Ethnic groups:
Greek 85.2%, Turkish 11.6%, other 3.2% (2000)
Religions:
Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, and
other 4%
Languages:
Greek, Turkish, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.6%
male: 98.9%
female: 96.3% (2003 est.)
Government Cyprus
Country name:
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)
Government type:
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)
Capital:
Nicosia
Administrative divisions:
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 Lefkosa (Nicosia) and Larnaca
Independence:
16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriot area proclaimed
self-rule on 13 February 1975
National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriot area
celebrates 15 November (1983) as Independence Day
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 Cypriot area passed by referendum on 5
May 1985
Legal system:
based on common law, with civil law modifications
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
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: