Cyprus (in Greek Kypros Κύπρος and in Turkish Kıbrıs) is an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, 113 kilometres (70 miles) south of Turkey and around 120 km west of the Syrian coast. The Greek language (Greek Ελληνικά, IPA – Hellenic) is an Indo-European language with a documented history of some 3,000 years. ... Turkish (Türkçe or Türk dili) is a Turkic language, spoken natively by over 100 million speakers in Turkey, Cyprus, and worldwide. ... -1... The Syrian Arab Republic is a country in the Middle East, bordering (from south to north) on Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey. ...

(Flag) (Coat of Arms)
National motto: None
National anthem: None 1
Capital	Nicosia (pop. 200,686)
Largest city	Nicosia
Official languages	Greek and Turkish
Government President	Republic Tassos Papadopoulos 2
Independence Declared Recognised	From the UK 16 August 1960 16 August 1960 3
Area  - Total  - Water (%)	9,250 4 km² (161st) Negligible
Population  - 2005 est.  - 2001 census  - Density	780,133 5 (155th) 689,565 6 84/km² (111)
GDP (PPP)  - Total  - Per capita	n/a estimate $ 16,745 (n/a) $ 20,669 (n/a)
Currency	Cyprus Pound (CYP)
Time zone  - Summer (DST)	EET (UTC+2) EEST (UTC+3)
Internet TLD	.cy
Calling code	+357 7
1. The island itself has no national anthem, the Republic uses the Greek anthem while the TRNC uses the Turkish anthem 2. The north has a separate president of the TRNC 3. Not recognised by Turkey, which instead recognises TRNC 4. Of which 5,895 km² is in the south and 3,355 km² in the north 5. Number does not include 323,657 inhabitants in the north 6. Number does not include any TRNC inhabitants 7. +90-392 is used in the north General info: Large flag of Cyprus Dimensions: 503x302 pixels Source: Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook License: Originally public domain, modifications under GFDL Most of the flags have had their colours improved and many have been resized to the proper ratios. ... Cyprus coat of arms This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. ... Flag ratio: 3:5 The current flag of Cyprus was adopted on August 16, 1960. ... Coat of Arms of Cyprus The coat of arms of Cyprus depicts a dove carrying an olive branch (a well-known symbol of peace) over “1960”, the year of Cypriot independence from British rule. ... Here is a list of state mottos for countries and their subdivisions around the world. ... This is a list of national anthems. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Cyprus User:DanielZm/test Template:Cyprus infobox Template:Cyprus Infobox ... In politics a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... Nicosia, known locally as Lefkosia (Greek: Λευκωσία) or Lefkosa (Turkish: Lefkoşa), population 177,410 (1992), is the capital of Cyprus. ... Greek and Turkish Cypriots share many customs but maintain distinct identities based on religion, language, and close ties with their respective motherlands. ... Nicosia, known locally as Lefkosia (Greek: Λευκωσία) or Lefkosa (Turkish: Lefkoşa), population 177,410 (1992), is the capital of Cyprus. ... An official language is something that is given a unique status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... The Greek language (Greek Ελληνικά, IPA – Hellenic) is an Indo-European language with a documented history of some 3,000 years. ... Turkish (Türkçe or Türk dili) is a Turkic language, spoken natively by over 100 million speakers in Turkey, Cyprus, and worldwide. ... This is a list of countries categorized by system of government currently in use. ... President is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, universities, and countries. ... In a broad definition a republic is a state or country that is led by people that dont found their power status on any principle beyond the control of the people living in that state or country. ... Tassos Nikolaou Papadopoulos ((Greek: Τάσσος Παπαδόπουλος) born January 7, 1934) has been the president of Cyprus since 2003. ... Independence is autonomous self-government of a country by its residents and indigenous population. ... August 16 is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... August 16 is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Here is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... Here is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... This is a list of sovereign states and other territories by population. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of the Volunteer The United Nations Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations Events January January 1 - A black monolith measuring approximately nine feet tall appears in Seattles Magnuson Park, placed by an anonymous... Population density can be used as a measurement of any tangible item. ... This is a list of sovereign states and other territories by population. ... List of countries/dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The figures in this table are based on areas including inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers. ... This is a list of the worlds economies sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP) at market or government official exchange rates. ... In economics, purchasing power parity (PPP) is a method used to calculate an alternative exchange rate between the currencies of two countries. ... Here is a list of countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP), the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. ... Here is a list of countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (PPP) per capita, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year, divided by population as of 1 July for the same year. ... The Cyprus Pound (Λίρα, pl. ... ISO 4217 is an international standard describing three letter codes to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization or ISO. The first two letters of the code are the two letters of ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country codes (which are similar to those used... -1... Daylight saving time (also called DST, or Summer Time) is the portion of the year in which a regions local time is advanced by (usually) one hour from its standard official time. ... Eastern European Time (EET) is the time zone 2 hours ahead of UTC. Time zones of Europe, Blue WET or GMT or UTC , Red CET/MET, Green EET, Khaki MSK During summertime, DST (Daylight Saving Time) is in effect in some countries such as Finland and all other member states... UTC also stands for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, also sometimes referred to as Zulu time, is an atomic realization of Universal Time or Greenwich mean time, the astronomical basis for civil time. ... Eastern European Time (EET) is the time zone 2 hours ahead of UTC. Time zones of Europe, Blue WET or GMT or UTC , Red CET/MET, Green EET, Khaki MSK During summertime, DST (Daylight Saving Time) is in effect in some countries such as Finland and all other member states... UTC also stands for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, also sometimes referred to as Zulu time, is an atomic realization of Universal Time or Greenwich mean time, the astronomical basis for civil time. ... The following is a list of currently existing Internet Top-level domains (TLDs). ... .cy is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Cyprus. ... The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus(TRNC) {NOTE: the name is not accepted by UN} , in Turkish Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti, is a self-proclaimed state occupying the northern third of the island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean. ... The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus(TRNC) {NOTE: the name is not accepted by UN} , in Turkish Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti, is a self-proclaimed state occupying the northern third of the island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean. ... The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus(TRNC) {NOTE: the name is not accepted by UN} , in Turkish Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti, is a self-proclaimed state occupying the northern third of the island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean. ...

Name and position

The word for the metal "copper" in the English language (and many other languages) stems from the Latin phrase aes Cyprium , "metal of Cyprus", later shortened to cuprum, "copper". Large deposits of copper are found on the island. General Name, Symbol, Number copper, Cu, 29 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11 , 4, d Density, Hardness 8920 kg/m3, 3. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Latin - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ...

Cyprus is geographically in Western Asia (or the Near East), though politically and culturally it is considered as being in Europe. Historically, Cyprus has always been a bridgehead between Europe and Asia, with interchanging periods of Levantine, Anatolian, and Greek influences. A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...

Political division

Cyprus gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1960, with the UK, Greece and Turkey retaining limited rights to intervene in internal affairs. Greece, officaly called the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), is a country in the southeast of Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. ...

The Republic of Cyprus is the internationally recognised government of the island, and it controls the southern two-thirds of the island. Almost all foreign governments and the United Nations recognise the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus over the whole island of Cyprus. The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization made up of 191 states established in 1945. ...

Turkish Cypriots, together with Turkey, do not accept the Republic's rule over the whole island and call it the "Greek Authority of Southern Cyprus". They control the northern third of the island, following a military invasion by Turkey in 1974. This happened following a coup sponsored by the military regime of Greece, see: the 1974 crisis between Greece and Turkey. Relations between Greece and Turkey have been marked by mutual hostility ever since Greece won its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1832. ...

The Turkish Cypriot area proclaimed its independence in 1975, and the self-styled Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was established in 1983. This state was recognised only by Turkey. Furthermore, Organization of the Islamic Conference granted it observer member status under the name of "Turkish Cypriot State". The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus(TRNC) {NOTE: the name is not accepted by UN} , in Turkish Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti, is a self-proclaimed state occupying the northern third of the island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean. ... The flag of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is an inter-governmental organization with a Permanent Delegation to the United Nations. ...

The other power with territory on Cyprus is the United Kingdom. Under the independence agreement, the UK retained title to two small areas on the southern coast of the island, around Akrotiri and Dhekelia, known collectively as the UK sovereign base areas. They are used to host military bases. Map of Akrotiri (Western) SBA Akrotiri (also known as the Western Sovereign Base Area or WSBA) and Dhekelia (also known as the Eastern Sovereign Base Area or ESBA) are UK Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) in Cyprus, a former British Crown Colony. ... The UK Sovereign Base Areas are those British military base areas located in countries formerly ruled by the United Kingdom which were retained by it and not handed over when those countries attained independence. ...

See also:

• Cyprus dispute
• Turkish Cyprus barrier

The Cyprus Dispute refers to the dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots over Cyprus, an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. ... The Turkish Cyprus barrier （UN Buffer Zone on Cyprus）is a 300 km (187 mile) separation barrier along the 1974 Green Line (or ceasefire line) between the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and The Republic of Cyprus. ...

Reunification

Negotiations have been ongoing for years to reunite the island, but have not as yet seen substantial success. A United Nations plan, announced on 31 March 2004 following talks in Switzerland, was put to both sides in separate referenda on 24 April 2004. The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization made up of 191 states established in 1945. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (91st in Leap years). ... The Swiss Confederation or Switzerland is a landlocked federal state in Europe, with neighbours Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein. ... April 24 is the 114th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (115th in leap years). ...

On the referendum, the proposed reunification was favoured by the Turkish side by a majority of 2 to 1, but was rejected by the Greek side by a 3 to 1 margin. As a result, while officially the whole of Cyprus entered the European Union on 1 May 2004, the de facto EU border runs along the Green Line, dividing the country between the Greek and Turkish parts. May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... The term Green Line can refer to a demarcation line and to a UK magazine. ...

EU law is currently not applied in the Turkish occupied north. The Union has promised to send aid in the form of money and work towards lifting the trade sanctions imposed by the European Court, but they have ruled out diplomatic recognition of northern Cyprus. As to date, the occupied north has yet to see any promised aid or easing of trade sanctions.

See also:

• Annan Plan, 2004 referendum.

The Annan Plan was a rejected United Nations proposal to bring about the reunification of the divided island nation of Cyprus as the United Cyprus Republic. ... The two sectors of the divided island of Cyprus held a referendum on reunification on Saturday 24 April 2004. ...

History

Main article: History of Cyprus History of Cyprus. ...

Map of Cyprus

Map of Cyprus from CIA World Factbook. ... Map of Cyprus from CIA World Factbook. ...

Geography

Main article: Geography of Cyprus Location: Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey Map of Cyprus Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 33 00 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 9,250 km² (of which 3,355 km² are in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus) land: 9,240 km² water: 10...

The central plain (Mesaoria) with the Kyrenia/Girne and Pentadactylos/Besparnak mountains to the north and the Troodos mountain range to the south and west. There are also scattered but significant plains along the southern coast.

The climate is temperate, Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool, variably rainy winters.

See also:

• List of cities in Cyprus, Greek and Turkish names

This is a list of cities in Cyprus, first the English, then the Greek and then the Turkish name, old names in brackets: Capital cities of their provinces: Famagusta, Αμμόχωστος-Amochostos, Gazimağusa Kyrenia, Κερύνεια-Keryneia, Girne Limassol, Λεμεσός-Lemessos, Limasol, Leymosun Larnaca, Λάρνακα-Larnaka, Larnaka (Kart Hadasht, Kition, Skala) Morphou...

Politics

Main article: Politics of Cyprus Since 1974, Cyprus has been divided de facto into the government-controlled southern two-thirds of the island and the Turkish-Cypriot northern one-third. ...

After independence Cyprus became a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement despite all three guarantor powers (Greece, Turkey and the UK) being NATO members. Cyprus left the Non-Aligned Movement in 2004 to join the EU. The Non-Aligned Movement, or NAM is an international organization of over 100 states which consider themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. ... Greece, officaly called the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), is a country in the southeast of Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. ... The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and a member of the European Union. ... For the National Association of Theatre Owners, please see National Association of Theatre Owners. ... The European Union or EU is an intergovernmental organisation of European countries, which currently has 25 member states. ...

Since 1974, Cyprus has been divided de facto into the government-controlled southern two-thirds of the island and the Turkish-Cypriot northern one-third. The Government of the Republic of Cyprus has continued as the internationally recognised authority; in practice, its power extends only to the Greek Cypriot-controlled areas.

The 1960 Cypriot Constitution provided for a presidential system of government with independent executive, legislative, and judicial branches, as well as a complex system of checks and balances, including a weighted power-sharing ratio designed to protect the interests of the Turkish Cypriots. The executive, for example, was headed by a Greek Cypriot president and a Turkish Cypriot vice president, elected by their respective communities for 5-year terms and each possessing a right of veto over certain types of legislation and executive decisions.

The House of Representatives was elected on the basis of separate voters' rolls. Since 1964, following clashes between the two communities the Turkish seats in the House have been vacant and the Greek Cypriot Communal Chamber was abolished. The responsibilities of the chamber were transferred to the newfounded Ministry of Education.

In 1974, following a coup intrigued by CIA and executed by the Greek Junta - then in control of the National Guard and the military invasion of Turkish forces (claiming their authority was as one of the 3 international guarantors of Cyprus), 195,000 majority Greek Cypriots were forcibly expelled from the north and 55,000 Turkish Cypriots from the south were moved to north. Ever since, Turkish Cypriots unilaterally set up their own institutions with a popularly elected president and a Prime Minister responsible to the National Assembly exercising joint executive powers. In 1983, the Turkish Cypriots declared an independent "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC,) contrary to numerous UN SC resolutions calling such an act as illegal and a by-product of a foreign (Turkish) intervention. In 1985, they adopted a constitution and held elections – an arrangement recognised only by Turkey.

See also:

• Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
• Foreign relations of Cyprus
• List of political parties in Cyprus

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus(TRNC) {NOTE: the name is not accepted by UN} , in Turkish Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti, is a self-proclaimed state occupying the northern third of the island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean. ... Cyprus has historically followed a non-aligned foreign policy, although it increasingly identifies with the West in its cultural affinities and trade patterns and maintains close relations with Greece. ... Political parties in Cyprus lists political parties in this country. ...

Economy

Main article: Economy of Cyprus Economy - overview: Economic affairs in Cyprus are dominated by the division of the country into the southern (Greek) area controlled by the Cyprus Government and the northern Turkish Cypriot-administered area. ...

Economic affairs in Cyprus are dominated by the division of the country into the southern (Greek) area controlled by the Cyprus Government and the northern Turkish Cypriot-administered area.

The Greek Cypriot economy is prosperous but highly susceptible to external shocks. Erratic growth rates in the 1990s reflect the economy's vulnerability to swings in tourist arrivals, caused by political instability on the island and fluctuations in economic conditions in Western Europe. Economic policy in the south is focused on meeting the criteria for admission to the European Union. As in the Turkish sector, water shortage is a growing problem, and several desalination plants are planned.

The Turkish Cypriot economy has about one-fifth the population and one-third the per capita GDP of the south. Because it is recognised only by Turkey, it has had much difficulty arranging foreign financing, and foreign firms have hesitated to invest there. The economy remains heavily dependent on agriculture and government service, which together employ about half of the work force. Moreover, the small, vulnerable economy has suffered because the Turkish lira is legal tender. To compensate for the economy's weakness, Turkey provides direct and indirect aid to tourism, education, industry, etc.

Thirty-one years after Turkey invaded and occupied 37% of Cyprus, turning over 200,000 of its inhabitants into refugees, the problems created by the Turkish invasion remain unsolved. The end of the Cold War marked the beginning of a new era, in which respect and cooperation between nations, commitment to human rights, democracy and the rule of law are recognized as being of fundamental importance. Within this new environment, the Cyprus issue is not only a glaring anachronism, but also continues to be a factor of potential instability in the Southeastern Mediterranean. Hence, apart from moral obligation, the international community has an additional reason to contribute to efforts towards a just and viable solution.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Cyprus Greek and Turkish Cypriots share many customs but maintain distinct identities based on religion, language, and close ties with their respective motherlands. ...

Greek and Turkish Cypriots share many customs but maintain distinct identities based on religion, language, and close ties with their respective motherlands.

Greek language is predominantly spoken in the south, Turkish language in the north. This delineation of languages is true only in the present period, due to the post-1974 division of the island, which involved an expulsion of Greek Cypriots from the north and the analoguous move of Turkish Cypriots from the south. Historically however, Greek (its Cypriot dialect) was spoken by nearly 82% of the population, which was evenly distributed along the entire area of Cyprus, north and south. Similarly, Turkish speakers were evenly distributed. English is widely used. The Cypriot dialect of Greek is spoken by more than half a million people in Cyprus and several hundred thousands abroad. ...

Cyprus has a well-developed system of primary and secondary education. The majority of Cypriots earn their higher education at Greek, Turkish, British, or American universities, while there are also sizeable emigrant communities in the United Kingdom and Australia. Private colleges and state-supported universities have been developed by both the Turkish and Greek communities.

Miscellaneous

• Communications in Cyprus
• Holidays in Cyprus
• List of Cypriots
• Military of Cyprus
• Music of Cyprus
• Transportation in Cyprus

Telecommunications Telephones - main lines in use: Greek Cypriot area: 405,000 (1998); Turkish Cypriot area: 70,845 (1996) Telephones - mobile cellular: Greek Cypriot area: 68,000 (1998); Turkish Cypriot area: 70,000 (1999) Telephone system: excellent in both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot areas domestic: open wire, fiber-optic... Holidays in Cyprus: 1st January - First Day of January 10th March - Green Monday 25th March - Greek Independence Day 1st April - Cyprus National Day 25th April - Good Friday 28th April - After Easter 29th April - After Easter 1st May - Labour Day 16th June - Holy Spirit 15th August - Assumption Day 1st October - Cyprus... The following is a list of prominent Cypriots and persons of Cypriot origin. ... Military branches Republic of Cyprus Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG; includes air and naval elements) Hellenic Forces Regiment on Cyprus (ELDYK) Greek Cypriot Police. ... The music of Cyprus includes a variety of classical, folk and popular genres. ... Railways: 0 km The last railway in use was dismantled in 1950. ...

External links

• Republic of Cyprus (http://www.cyprus.gov.cy/)
• Statistical Service of the Republic of Cyprus (http://www.mof.gov.cy/mof/cystat/statistics.nsf/index_en/index_en?OpenDocument)
• Press and Information Office (http://www.moi.gov.cy/moi/pio/pio.nsf/index_en/index_en?opendocument#)
• CIPS Cyprus International Press Service - English / German (http://www.cips.com.cy)
• Cyprus Pictures (http://cyprus.europe-countries.com)
• Cyprus Map (http://www.europe-atlas.com/cyprus-map.htm)
• ikypros.com (http://www.ikypros.com/) - Portal of Cyprus (in Greek)
• Explanation of the Cyprus conflict (Turkish perspective, may be biased) (http://www.kibris.gen.tr/english/index.html)
• Finding a job in Cyprus (EU citizens only) (http://www.jobscyprus.com)
• Cyprus Villages and General Information (http://www.rentcyprus.co.uk/villages/cyprus_villages.htm)
• Information on Cyprus (http://www.rentcyprusvillas.com/cyprus/information-on-cyprus.htm)
• BBC News Country Profile - Cyprus (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/europe/country_profiles/1016541.stm)
• CIA World Factbook - Cyprus (http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/cy.html)
• Library of Congress Country Study - Cyprus (http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cytoc.html) data as of January 1991
• LookSmart - Cyprus (http://search.looksmart.com/p/browse/us1/us317916/us559898/us560105/us10057374/) directory category
• Open Directory Project - Cyprus (http://dmoz.org/Regional/Middle_East/Cyprus/) directory category
• Yahoo! - Cyprus (http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/Cyprus/) directory category