Part 227

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.54 years male: 74.38 years female: 78.81 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.17 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Cypriot(s) adjective: Cypriot

Ethnic groups: Greek 78% (99.5% of the Greeks live in the Greek area; 0.5% of the Greeks live in the Turkish area), Turkish 18% (1.3% of the Turks live in the Greek area; 98.7% of the Turks live in the Turkish area), other 4% (99.2% of the other ethnic groups live in the Greek area; 0.8% of the other ethnic groups live in the Turkish area)

Religions: Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, and other 4%

Languages: Greek, Turkish, English

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94% male: 98% female: 91% (1987 est.)

@Cyprus:Government

Country name: conventional long form : Republic of Cyprus conventional short form: Cyprus note: the Turkish area refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)

Data code: CY

Government type: republic note: a disaggregation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the island began after the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified following the Turkish invasion of the island in July 1974, which 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 has been recognized only by Turkey; both sides publicly call for the resolution of intercommunal differences and creation of a new federal system of government

National capital: Nicosia note: the Turkish area's capital is Lefkosa (Nicosia)

Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos; note - Turkish area administrative divisions include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts of Nicosia and Larnaca

Independence: 16 August 1960 (from UK) note: Turkish area proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975 from Republic of Cyprus

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October note: Turkish area celebrates 15 November as Independence Day

Constitution: 16 August 1960; negotiations to create the basis for a new or revised constitution to govern the island and to better relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently; in 1975 Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated State of Cyprus," which was renamed the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" in 1983; a new constitution for the Turkish area passed by referendum on 5 May 1985

Legal system: based on common law, with civil law modifications

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Glafcos CLERIDES (since 28 February 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot head of government: President Glafcos CLERIDES (since 28 February 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and vice president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 February 1993 (next to be held NA February 1998) election results : Glafcos CLERIDES elected president; percent of vote - Glafcos CLERIDES 50.3%, Yeoryios VASSILIOU 49.7% note: Rauf R. DENKTASH has been "president" of the Turkish area since 13 February 1975 (president elected by popular vote for a five-year term); elections last held 15 and 22 April 1995 (next to be held NA April 2000); results - Rauf R. DENKTASH 62.5%, Dervis EROGLU 37.5%; Dervis EROGLU has been "prime minister" of the Turkish area since 16 August 1996; there is a Council of Ministers (cabinet) in the Turkish area

Legislative branch: unicameral - Greek area: House of Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats of which only 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots are filled; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); Turkish area: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Greek area: last held 26 May 1996 (next to be held May 2001); Turkish area: last held 12 December 1993 (next to be held December 1998) election results : Greek area: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - DISY 34.5%, AKEL (Communist) 33.0%, DIKO 16.4%, EDEK 8.1%, KED 3.7%, others 4.1%; seats by party - DISY 20, AKEL (Communist) 19, DIKO 10, EDEK 5, KED 2; Turkish area: Assembly of the Republic - percent of vote by party - UBP 29.9%, DP 29.2%, CTP 24.2% TKP 13.3%, others 3.4%; seats by party - UBP (conservative) 17, DP 15, CTP 13, TKP 5

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the Supreme Council of Judicature note : there is also a Supreme Court in the Turkish area

Political parties and leaders: Greek area: Progressive Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist Party) [Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS]; Democratic Rally or DISY [Ioannis MATSIS]; Democratic Party or DIKO [Spyros KYPRIANOU]; United Democratic Union of Cyprus or EDEK [Vassos LYSSARIDIS]; Liberal Party or KP [Nikolaos ROLANDIS]; Free Democrats Movement or KED [Yeoryios VASSILIOU]; New Horizons [Nikolaos KOUTSOU, secretary general]; Ecologists [Yeoryios PERDHIKIS]; Turkish area: National Unity Party or UBP [Dervis EROGLU]; Communal Liberation Party or TKP [Mustafa AKINCI]; Republican Turkish Party or CTP [Mehmet ALI TALAT]; Free Democratic Party or HDP [Ismet KOTAK]; Nationalist Justice Party or MAP [Zorlu TORE]; Unity and Sovereignty Party or BEP [Arif Salih KIRDAG]; Democratic Party or DP [Serdar DENKTASH]; the HDP, MAP, and VP merged under the label National Struggle Unity Party (MMBP) to compete in the 12 December 1993 legislative election

Political pressure groups and leaders: Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation or PEO (Communist controlled); Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West); Federation of Turkish Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Confederation of Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is

International organization participation: C, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andreas NIKOLAIDES chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone : (202) 462-5772 FAX: (202) 483-6710 consulate(s) general: New York note: representative of the Turkish area in the US is Namik KORHAN, office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC, telephone (202) 887-6198

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Kenneth C. BRILL (26 June 1996) embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, Engomi, Nicosia mailing address : P. O. Box 4536, Nicosia, Cyprus telephone: (2) 476100 FAX: (2) 465944

Flag description: white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek and Turkish communities note : the Turkish Cypriot flag has a horizontal red stripe at the top and bottom between which is a red crescent and red star on a white field

Economy