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BASIC FACTS
Official
name
Republic
of Cyprus
Capital
Nicosia
Area*
9,251
sq km
3,572 sq mi
*About 35.4 per cent of land is under Turkish control, and a
further 1.8 per cent forms part of the buffer zone along the
ceasefire line.
Largest
cities (population)
Nicosia
205,000 (2003 estimate)
Limassol 160,733 (2001 estimate)
Larnaca 71,740 (2001 estimate)
Paphos 47,198 (2001 estimate)
Famagusta 20,516 (1989 estimate)
Population
792,604
(2008 estimate)
Population
growth rate
0.52
per cent (2008 estimate)
Population
density
86
persons per sq km (2008 estimate)
222 persons per sq mi (2008 estimate)
Urbanisation
Per
cent urban 69 per cent (2005 estimate)
Per cent rural 31 per cent (2005 estimate)
Life
expectancy
Total
78.2 years (2008 estimate)
Female 80.7 years (2008 estimate)
Male 75.8 years (2008 estimate)
Infant
mortality rate
7
deaths per 1,000 live births (2008 estimate)
Literacy
rate
Total
98 per cent (2005 estimate)
Female 96.9 per cent (2005 estimate)
Male 99.1 per cent (2005 estimate)
Ethnic
divisions
Greek
85 per cent
Turkish 12 per cent
Other 3 per cent
Languages
Greek
(official), Turkish (official), Armenian, Cypriot Spoken
Arabic
Religions
Greek
Orthodox, Muslim, Maronite, Armenian, Apostolic, other
Type
of government
Republic
NOTE: The two ethnic communities on the island began to split apart
in 1963, a separation that became more definite with the Turkish
invasion of 1974, when Turkish Cypriots were given de facto power
in the north. In 1983 northern Cyprus proclaimed its independence,
but this has been recognized only by Turkey, and the Greek Cypriots
continue to control the only internationally recognized government.
Both sides publicly call for some sort of settlement and the
establishment of a new federal system of government.
Independence
August
16, 1960 (from the United Kingdom)
Constitution
August
16, 1960
NOTE: the Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution in 1975
and a new one in May 1985; negotiations have taken place
intermittently to revise or create a new constitution for the
island that would improve relations between Greek and Turkish
Cypriots.
Voting
rights
Universal
at age 18
Economy
Gross
domestic product (GDP) (US$)18,371 million (2006)
GDP per capita (US$) 23,821.90 (2006)
GDP by economic sector
GDP, agriculture 5.1 per cent (1998)
GDP, industry 23.2 per cent (1998)
GDP, services 71.7 per cent (1998)
National
budget (US$)
Total
revenue 7,834 million (2006)
Total expenditure 7,702 million (2006)
Monetary
unit
1
Cypriot pound, consisting of 100 cents; 1 Turkish lira, consisting
of 100 kurus
Exports
Citrus,
potatoes, grapes, wine, cement, clothing, shoes
Imports
Consumer
goods, petroleum and lubricants, food and feed grains,
machinery
Major
trading partners for exports
Russia,
Bulgaria, United Kingdom, Greece, Germany
Major
trading partners for imports
United
States, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Greece
Industries
Food,
beverages, textiles, chemicals, metal products, tourism, clothing,
cement, bricks, wood products
Agriculture
Major
crops: potatoes, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, citrus
fruits
Natural
resources
Copper,
pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth
pigment
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