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