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CYPRUS
Map of CYPRUS
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Location:
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Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey |
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Geographic coordinates:
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35 00 N, 33 00 E |
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Area:
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total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus)
land: 9,240 sq km
water: 10 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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total: 150.4 km (approximately)
border sovereign base areas: Akrotiri 47.4 km, Dhekelia 103 km (approximately) |
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Coastline:
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648 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
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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: Mount 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: 10.81%
permanent crops: 4.32%
other: 84.87% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
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400 sq km (2003) |
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Total renewable water resources:
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0.4 cu km (2005) |
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 0.21 cu km/yr (27%/1%/71%)
per capita: 250 cu m/yr (2000) |
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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, 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 |
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Population:
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792,604 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 19.5% (male 78,922/female 75,523)
15-64 years: 68.5% (male 275,223/female 267,798)
65 years and over: 12% (male 41,592/female 53,546) (2008 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%, other (includes Maronite and Armenian Apostolic) 4% |
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Languages:
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Greek, Turkish, English |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.6%
male: 98.9%
female: 96.3% (2001 census) |
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Country name:
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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" (TRNC) |
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Government type:
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republic
note: a separation 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 that followed a Greek junta-supported 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), which is recognized only by Turkey |
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Capital:
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name: Nicosia (Lefkosia)
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 |
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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) |
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Independence:
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16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriots proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but these proclamations are only recognized by Turkey |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots celebrate 15 November (1983) as Independence Day
Source: http://cia.gov
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