Cyprus

Republic of Cyprus - presidential republic; self-declared "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC) - parliamentary republic with enhanced presidency note: a separation of the two main ethnic communities inhabiting the island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified when a Greek military-junta-supported coup attempt prompted the Turkish military intervention in July 1974 that gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the only internationally recognized government on the island; on 15 November 1983, then Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTAS declared independence and the formation of the "TRNC, which is recognized only by Turkey

name: Nicosia (Lefkosia/Lefkosa) 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 etymology: may have been named after Nike, the Greek goddess of victory; the Greek name for the city, Lefkosia, and the Turkish name, Lefkosa, both mean "White City"

chief of state: President Nikos CHRISTODOULIDIS (since 28 February 2023) head of government: President Nikos CHRISTODOULIDIS (since 28 February 2023) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (limited to 2 consecutive terms) most recent election date: 5 February 2023, with a runoff on 12 February 2023 election results: 2023: Nikos CHRISTODOULIDIS elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Nikos CHRISTODOULIDIS (independent) 32%, Andreas MAVROGIANNIS (independent) 29.6%, Averof NEOFYTOU (DISY) 26.1%, Christos CHRISTOU (ELAM) 6%, other 6.3%; percent of vote in second round - Nikos CHRISTODOULIDS 52%, Andreas MAVROGIANNIS 48% 2018: Nikos ANASTASIADIS reelected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Nikos ANASTASIADIS (DISY) 35.5%, Stavros MALAS (AKEL) 30.2%, Nicolas PAPADOPOULOS (DIKO) 25.7%, other 8.6%; percent of vote in second round - Nikos ANASTASIADIS 56%, Stavros MALAS 44% expected date of next election: 2028 note 1: vice presidency reserved for a Turkish Cypriot, but the post has been vacant since 1974 because Turkish Cypriots do not participate in the Republic of Cyprus Government note 2: under the 1960 constitution, 3 ministerial posts are reserved for Turkish Cypriots, appointed by the vice president, but Greek Cypriots currently hold the positions

legislature name: House of Representatives (Vouli Antiprosopon) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 80 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 5/30/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Democratic Rally (DISY) (17); Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL) (15); Democratic Party (DIKO) (9); National Popular Front (ELAM) (4); Movement of Social Democrats (EDEK) (4); Democratic Alignment (DIPA) (4); Cyprus Green Party (KOP) (3) percentage of women in chamber: 14.3% expected date of next election: May 2026 note: the area of Cyprus that Turkish Cypriots administer has a separate unicameral Assembly of the Republic, or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats); members are directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Cyprus (consists of 13 judges, including the court president) judge selection and term of office: Republic of Cyprus Supreme Court judges appointed by the president of the republic on the recommendation of the Supreme Court judges; judges can serve until age 68; "TRNC Supreme Court" judges appointed by the "Supreme Council of Judicature," a 12-member body of judges, the attorney general, appointees by the president of the "TRNC," and by the "Legislative Assembly," and members elected by the bar association; judge tenure NA subordinate courts: Republic of Cyprus district courts; Assize Courts; Administrative Court; specialized courts for issues relating to family, industrial disputes, the military, and rent control; "TRNC Assize Courts"; "TNRC district and family courts" note: the highest court in the TRNC is the Supreme Court (consists of 8 judges, including the court president)

history: ratified 16 August 1960 amendment process: constitution of the Republic of Cyprus -- proposed by the House of Representatives; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership of the "Greek Community" and the "Turkish Community"; however, all seats of Turkish Cypriot members have remained vacant since 1964 constitution of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus -- proposed by at least 10 members of the "Assembly of the Republic"; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total Assembly membership and approval by referendum note: in 1963, the constitution was partly suspended as Turkish Cypriots withdrew from the government; Turkish-held territory in 1983 was declared the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC"); in 1985, the "TRNC" approved its own constitution

Australia Group, C, CD, CE, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

1.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

Cypriot National Guard (Ethniki Froura, EF): Army, Navy, Air Force (2025)

all Cypriot men must complete 14 months of compulsory service upon reaching the age of 18; women may volunteer for 6 months of service at age 18; men and women may also enlist as contract soldiers up to age 42 (2025)

established in 1964, the National Guard (EF) is responsible for ensuring Cyprus s territorial integrity and sovereignty; its primary focus is Turkey, which invaded Cyprus in 1974 and maintains a large military presence in the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus; the majority of the force is deployed along the Green Line that separates the Greek Cypriots from the Turkish Cypriots; the EF also participates in some internal missions, such as providing assistance during natural disasters; Greece is its primary security partner and maintains a military presence on Cyprus; the EF has conducted training exercises with other militaries including France, Israel, and the US; since Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, the EF has actively participated in the EU s Common Security and Defense Policy and has sent small numbers of personnel to some EU and missions; Cyprus is also part of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has been deployed in Cyprus since 1964; its mandate includes supervising the de facto ceasefire that came into effect in August 1974 and maintaining a buffer zone between the lines of the Cypriot National Guard and of the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot forces; UNFICYP has about 1,100 personnel assigned (2025)

$50.055 billion (2024 est.) $48.386 billion (2023 est.) $47.085 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$53,300 (2024 est.) $52,200 (2023 est.) $51,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

3.4% (2024 est.) 2.8% (2023 est.) 7.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

1.8% (2024 est.) 3.5% (2023 est.) 8.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

97.5% of GDP (2017 est.) note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment

$35.12 billion (2024 est.) $32.922 billion (2023 est.) $32.563 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$33.802 billion (2024 est.) $32.556 billion (2023 est.) $31.486 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

5.7% (2024 est.) 6.1% (2023 est.) 6.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $14.39 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $13.733 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

tourism, food and beverage processing, cement and gypsum, ship repair and refurbishment, textiles, light chemicals, metal products, wood, paper, stone and clay products note: area administered by Turkish Cypriots - foodstuffs, textiles, clothing, ship repair, clay, gypsum, copper, furniture

milk, potatoes, sheep milk, pork, goat milk, wheat, chicken, olives, grapes, barley (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 1,332,293 (2025 est.) male: 681,128 female: 651,165

0.89% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 15.6% (male 105,533/female 100,099) 15-64 years: 70% (male 486,569/female 437,651) 65 years and over: 14.4% (2024 est.) (male 83,094/female 107,579)

9.95 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

7.11 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

6.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 80.2 years (2024 est.) male: 77.4 years female: 83.1 years

urban population: 67% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.76% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Greek 98.8%, other 1% (includes Maronite, Armenian, Turkish-Cypriot), unspecified 0.2% (2011 est.) note: data represent only the Greek-Cypriot citizens in the Republic of Cyprus

Greek (official) 80.9%, Turkish (official) 0.2%, English 4.1%, Romanian 2.9%, Russian 2.5%, Bulgarian 2.2%, Arabic 1.2%, Filipino 1.1%, other 4.3%, unspecified 0.6% (2011 est.) major-language sample(s): ό ί έ , ί ή ώ ώ . (Greek) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: data represent only the Republic of Cyprus

Eastern Orthodox Christian 89.1%, Roman Catholic 2.9%, Protestant/Anglican 2%, Muslim 1.8%, Buddhist 1%, other (includes Maronite Catholic, Armenian Apostolic, Hindu) 1.4%, unknown 1.1%, none/atheist 0.6% (2011 est.) note: data represent only the government-controlled area of Cyprus

copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

refugees: 73,303 (2024 est.) IDPs: 244,944 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 130 (2024 est.)

14 (2025)

total: 1,005 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 243, container ship 154, general cargo 211, oil tanker 47, other 350

total subscriptions: 1.51 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 156 (2024 est.)

percent of population: 91% (2023 est.)