Cyprus

Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey; note - Cyprus views itself as part of Europe; geopolitically, it can be classified as falling within Europe, the Middle East, or both

35 00 N, 33 00 E

Middle East

9,251 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus)

9,241 sq km

10 sq km

About 0.6 times the size of Connecticut

156 km

Akrotiri 48 km; Dhekelia 108 km

648 km

12 nm

24 nm

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains along southern coast

Mount Olympus 1,951 m

Mediterranean Sea 0 m

91 m

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

14% (2023 est.)

Arable land: 10.6% (2023 est.)

Permanent crops: 3.1% (2023 est.)

Permanent pasture: 0.2% (2023 est.)

18.6% (2023 est.)

67.1% (2023 est.)

269 sq km (2020)

Population concentrated in central Nicosia and in the major cities of the south: Paphos, Limassol, and Larnaca

Moderate earthquake activity; droughts

The third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia)

1,332,293 (2025 est.)

681,128

651,165

Cypriot(s)

Cypriot

Greek 98.8%, other 1% (includes Maronite, Armenian, Turkish-Cypriot), unspecified 0.2% (2011 est.)

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.)

Το Παγκόσμιο Βιβλίο Δεδομένων, η απαραίτητη πηγή βασικών πληροφοριών. (Greek) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

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.)

15.6% (male 105,533/female 100,099)

70% (male 486,569/female 437,651)

14.4% (2024 est.) (male 83,094/female 107,579)

43.6 (2025 est.)

22.3 (2025 est.)

21.4 (2025 est.)

4.7 (2025 est.)

39.9 years (2025 est.)

38.2 years

41 years

0.89% (2025 est.)

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.)

Population concentrated in central Nicosia and in the major cities of the south: Paphos, Limassol, and Larnaca

67% of total population (2023)

0.76% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

269,000 NICOSIA (capital) (2018)

1.05 male(s)/female

1.05 male(s)/female

1.11 male(s)/female

0.77 male(s)/female

1.05 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

30 years (2020 est.)

14 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

7.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

9.7 deaths/1,000 live births

6.4 deaths/1,000 live births

80.2 years (2024 est.)

77.4 years

83.1 years

1.49 children born/woman (2025 est.)

0.73 (2025 est.)

Urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)

Urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

9.4% of GDP (2021)

18.3% of national budget (2022 est.)

3.56 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

2.2 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

Urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 99.4% of population (2022 est.)

Urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 0.6% of population (2022 est.)

21.8% (2016)

9.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

2.85 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

2.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

4.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

33.1% (2025 est.)

44.1% (2025 est.)

22.2% (2025 est.)

4.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

12.5% national budget (2022 est.)

16 years (2022 est.)

16 years (2022 est.)

17 years (2022 est.)

Demographic data for Cyprus represent the population of the government-controlled area and the area administered by Turkish Cypriots, unless otherwise indicated

Scarce water resources; salination; water pollution from sewage, industrial wastes, and pesticides; coastal degradation; erosion; loss of wildlife habitats from urbanization

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

None of the selected agreements

Temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

14% (2023 est.)

Arable land: 10.6% (2023 est.)

Permanent crops: 3.1% (2023 est.)

Permanent pasture: 0.2% (2023 est.)

18.6% (2023 est.)

67.1% (2023 est.)

67% of total population (2023)

0.76% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

6.837 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

100,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

6.737 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

14.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

769,500 tons (2024 est.)

17.6% (2022 est.)

112 million cubic meters (2022)

17 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

177 million cubic meters (2022)

780 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

1

Troodos (2023)

Republic of Cyprus

Cyprus

Kypriaki Dimokratia (Greek)/ Kibris Cumhuriyeti (Turkish)

Kypros (Greek)/ Kibris (Turkish)

The Greek name for the island is Kupros, which is probably derived from the Sumerian kabar, meaning "copper" or "bronze;" copper mines were located on the island in antiquity

Republic of Cyprus - presidential republic; self-declared "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC) - parliamentary republic with enhanced presidency

Nicosia (Lefkosia/Lefkosa)

35 10 N, 33 22 E

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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"

6 districts; Ammochostos (Famagusta; all but a small part located in the Turkish Cypriot community), Keryneia (Kyrenia; the only district located entirely in the Turkish Cypriot community), Larnaka (Larnaca; with a small part located in the Turkish Cypriot community), Lefkosia (Nicosia; a small part administered by Turkish Cypriots), Lemesos (Limassol), Pafos (Paphos)

Mixed system of English common law and civil law, with European law supremacy

Ratified 16 August 1960

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

Accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

No

At least one parent must be a citizen of Cyprus

Yes

7 years

18 years of age; universal

President Nikos CHRISTODOULIDIS (since 28 February 2023)

President Nikos CHRISTODOULIDIS (since 28 February 2023)

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

President directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (limited to 2 consecutive terms)

5 February 2023, with a runoff on 12 February 2023

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%

2028

House of Representatives (Vouli Antiprosopon)

Unicameral

80 (all directly elected)

Proportional representation

Full renewal

5 years

5/30/2021

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)

14.3%

May 2026

Supreme Court of Cyprus (consists of 13 judges, including the court president)

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

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"

Area under government control: Democratic Front or DIPA Democratic Party or DIKO Democratic Rally or DISY Movement of Ecologists - Citizens' Alliance Movement of Social Democrats EDEK National Popular Front or ELAM Progressive Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist Party) Solidarity Movement area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Communal Democracy Party or TDP Communal Liberation Party - New Forces or TKP-YG Cyprus Socialist Party or KSP Democratic Party or DP National Democratic Party or NDP National Unity Party or UBP New Cyprus Party or YKP People's Party or HP Rebirth Party or YDP Republican Turkish Party or CTP United Cyprus Party or BKP

Ambassador Evangelos SAVVA (since 15 September 2023)

2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

[1] (202) 462-5772

[1] (202) 483-6710

Info@cyprusembassy.net https://www.cyprusembassy.net/

New York

Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Kirkland (WA), Los Angeles, New Orleans, San Francisco

Ambassador Julie Davis FISHER (since 21 February 2023); note - Ambassador FISHER is temporarily assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine as Chargé d’ Affaires ad interim; she remains fully accredited in Cyprus

Metochiou and Ploutarchou Street, 2407, Engomi, Nicosia

5450 Nicosia Place, Washington DC 20521-5450

[357] (22) 393939

[357] (22) 780944

ACSNicosia@state.gov https://cy.usembassy.gov/

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

16 August 1960 (from the UK)

Independence Day, 1 October (1960)

Description: a copper-colored silhouette of the island is centered on a white field above two crossed green olive branches meaning: the olive branches symbolize hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek and Turkish communities

Cypriot mouflon (wild sheep), white dove

Blue, white

The coat of arms of Cyprus features a yellow shield representing the island’s copper deposits. A dove, one of the national symbols, holds an olive branch symbolizing peace, and olive branches encircle the shield. The year 1960 on the shield is the date of Cyprus’s independence from the United Kingdom.

"Ymnos eis tin Eleftherian" (Hymn to Freedom)

Dionysios SOLOMOS/Nikolaos MANTZAROS

Adopted 1966; Cyprus uses the Greek national anthem; the Turkish Cypriot community in Cyprus uses Turkey's national anthem

3 (all cultural)

Paphos; Painted Churches in the Troodos Region; Choirokoitia

Services-based, high-income EU island economy; heavy tourism; sustained growth between recovery of national banking system and COVID-19 trade restrictions; high living standards; a known financial hub, its stock exchange functions as an investment bridge between EU-and EEU-member countries

$50.055 billion (2024 est.)

$48.386 billion (2023 est.)

$47.085 billion (2022 est.)

3.4% (2024 est.)

2.8% (2023 est.)

7.2% (2022 est.)

$53,300 (2024 est.)

$52,200 (2023 est.)

$51,600 (2022 est.)

$36.333 billion (2024 est.)

1.8% (2024 est.)

3.5% (2023 est.)

8.4% (2022 est.)

1.2% (2024 est.)

10.3% (2024 est.)

76.9% (2024 est.)

58.9% (2024 est.)

18.6% (2024 est.)

20.5% (2024 est.)

-1.6% (2024 est.)

96.7% (2024 est.)

-93.1% (2024 est.)

Milk, potatoes, sheep milk, pork, goat milk, wheat, chicken, olives, grapes, barley (2023)

Tourism, food and beverage processing, cement and gypsum, ship repair and refurbishment, textiles, light chemicals, metal products, wood, paper, stone and clay products

4.6% (2024 est.)

772,300 (2024 est.)

5.7% (2024 est.)

6.1% (2023 est.)

6.9% (2022 est.)

15.6% (2024 est.)

17.4% (2024 est.)

13.7% (2024 est.)

13.9% (2021 est.)

31.5 (2022 est.)

3.6% (2022 est.)

26.2% (2022 est.)

1.8% of GDP (2023 est.)

1.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

2.1% of GDP (2021 est.)

$14.39 billion (2023 est.)

$13.733 billion (2023 est.)

97.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

24.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

-$3.05 billion (2024 est.)

-$3.831 billion (2023 est.)

-$2.178 billion (2022 est.)

$35.12 billion (2024 est.)

$32.922 billion (2023 est.)

$32.563 billion (2022 est.)

Libya 14%, Greece 11%, Lebanon 8%, Bermuda 7%, Marshall Islands 5% (2023)

Ships, refined petroleum, packaged medicine, cheese, scented mixtures (2023)

$33.802 billion (2024 est.)

$32.556 billion (2023 est.)

$31.486 billion (2022 est.)

Greece 20%, UK 10%, Italy 7%, Turkey 6%, Spain 6% (2023)

Refined petroleum, ships, cars, packaged medicine, coal tar oil (2023)

$2.088 billion (2024 est.)

$1.789 billion (2023 est.)

$1.671 billion (2022 est.)

Euros (EUR) per US dollar -

0.924 (2024 est.)

0.925 (2023 est.)

0.95 (2022 est.)

0.845 (2021 est.)

0.876 (2020 est.)

100% (2022 est.)

2.288 million kW (2023 est.)

5.197 billion kWh (2023 est.)

146.11 million kWh (2023 est.)

79.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

16% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

3.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

46,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

71.6 metric tons (2022 est.)

22,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

45,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

107.188 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

245,000 (2024 est.)

25 (2024 est.)

1.51 million (2024 est.)

156 (2024 est.)

Mix of state and privately run TV and radio; the public broadcaster operates 2 TV channels and 4 radio stations; 6 private TV broadcasters, satellite and cable TV services (including from Greece and Turkey), and a number of private radio stations; in areas administered by Turkish Cypriots, there are 2 public TV stations, 4 public radio stations, 7 privately owned TV stations and 21 privately owned radio stations, 6 radio and 4 TV channels at local universities, 1 military radio station, and 1 radio station for civil defense cooperation, as well as relay stations from Turkey (2019)

.cy

91% (2023 est.)

357,000 (2023 est.)

39 (2023 est.)

5B

14 (2025)

68 (2025)

1,005 (2023)

Bulk carrier 243, container ship 154, general cargo 211, oil tanker 47, other 350

6 (2024)

0

0

3

3

4

Dhekelia, Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Xeros

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

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.)

Approximately 12-15,000 active Cypriot National Guard (2025)

The National Guard's inventory includes a mix of armaments from a variety of suppliers, including Brazil, Israel, Russia, several European countries, and the US (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)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

73,303 (2024 est.)

244,944 (2024 est.)

130 (2024 est.)