Profile
Background and figures as recorded in the CIA World Factbook.
A former British colony, Cyprus became independent in 1960 after years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia. Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic intercommunal violence continued and forced most Turkish Cypriots into enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek Government-sponsored attempt to overthrow the elected president of Cyprus was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island.
- Capital
- Nicosia (Lefkosia/Lefkosa)
- Government
- Republic of Cyprus - presidential republic; self-declared "Turkish Republic of Northern Cy…
- Population
- 1,332,293
- Area
- 9,251 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus)
- Location
- Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey; note - Cyprus views itself as part of Europe;
- Climate
- temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
- Natural resources
- copper; pyrites; asbestos; gypsum; timber; salt…
- Languages
- Greek (official) 80.9%; Turkish (official) 0.2%; English 4.1%; Romanian 2.9%…
- Religions
- Eastern Orthodox Christian 89.1%; Roman Catholic 2.9%; Protestant/Anglican 2%; Muslim 1.8%…
- Independence
- 16 August 1960 (from the UK)
- Administrative divisions
- 6 districts; Ammochostos (Famagusta; all but a small part located in the Turkish Cypriot community), Keryneia (Kyrenia;
- Currency
- euros (EUR)
- Export partners
- Libya 14%; Greece 11%; Lebanon 8%; Bermuda 7%…
- Import partners
- Greece 20%; UK 10%; Italy 7%; Turkey 6%…
Source: CIA World Factbook — a work of the US government, in the public domain