| 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. |
| Location: |
Middle East, island
in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
35 00 N, 33 00 E
|
| Map
references: |
Middle East |
| 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
|
| Area
- comparative: |
about 0.6 times
the size of Connecticut |
| Land
boundaries: |
0 km |
| Coastline: |
648 km |
| Maritime
claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions): |
territorial sea:
12 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the
depth of exploitation |
| Climate: |
temperate; Mediterranean
with hot, dry summers and cool winters |
| Terrain: |
central plain with
mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains
along southern coast |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Olympus 1,951
m |
| Natural
resources: |
copper, pyrites,
asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment
|
| Land
use: |
arable land:
14.4%
permanent crops: 4.5%
other:
81.1% (2001 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
382 sq km (2001
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
moderate earthquake
activity; droughts |
| Environment
- current issues: |
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 |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
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
|
| Geography
- note: |
the third largest
island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia)
|
| Population: |
775,927 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
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.) |
| Median
age: |
total: 34.4
years
male: 33.4 years
female: 35.5
years (2004 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
0.55% (2004 est.)
|
| Birth
rate: |
12.66 births/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
7.63 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0.43 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
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.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
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 |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
77.46 years
male: 75.11 years
female:
79.92 years (2004 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
1.85 children born/woman
(2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.1% (2003 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 77%, Turkish
18%, other 5% (2001) |
| 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.) |
Fact Book Page 1 | Fact
Book Page 2 | Fact Book Page 3
|
