The 2008 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
00 N, 33 00 E
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus) land: 9,240 sq km water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
total: 150.4 km (approximately) border sovereign base areas: Akrotiri 47.4 km, Dhekelia 103 km (approximately)
Coastline:
648 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 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: Mount Olympus 1,951 m
Natural resources:
copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment
Land use:
arable land: 10.81% permanent crops: 4.32% other: 84.87% (2005)
Irrigated land:
400 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.4 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.21 cu km/yr (27%/1%/71%) per capita: 250 cu m/yr (2000)
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, 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
Geography - note:
the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia)
People
Cyprus
Population:
792,604 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
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.)
Median age:
total: 35.3 years male: 34.3 years female: 36.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.522% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
12.56 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.76 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15–64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.75 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.34 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.15 years male: 75.75 years female: 80.67 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.79 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer 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%, other (includes Maronite and
Armenian Apostolic) 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% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6.3% of GDP (2004)
Government
Cyprus
Country name:
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)
Government type:
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
Capital:
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
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 Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Independence:
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