In 1974 Turkish troops invaded and occupied the northern 36 percent of the Republic of Cyprus. This area was later declared independent. The secession has not been recognised internationally, except by Turkey. The UN and Commonwealth have for many years protested about the occupation and tried to resolve the problem by negotiation. Due to this division of the Republic of Cyprus, aggregated information is not always available. Economic and social data given here generally cover the government-controlled areas only, although legally and constitutionally the Republic of Cyprus includes the occupied north.

KEY FACTS

Joined Commonwealth: 1961
Population: 1,129,000 (2012)
GDP p.c. growth: 1.2% p.a. 1990–2012
UN HDI 2012: world ranking 31
Official languages: Greek, Turkish
Time: GMT plus 2–3hr
Currency: euro (€)

Geography

Area: 9,251 sq km
Coastline: 648 km
Capital: Nicosia

Cyprus is an oval-shaped island with ‘pan-handle’ north-east peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean. Its closest mainland neighbours are Turkey (to the north) and Syria and Lebanon (to the east).

Main towns:

Nicosia (Lefkosia, capital, pop. 217,600 in 2010, with a further 54,000 in the occupied north), Limassol (172,100), Larnaca (53,500), Paphos (43,600). In the occupied north, other main towns are Famagusta (36,700), Kyrenia (31,000), Morphou and Lefka.

Society

KEY FACTS 2012

Population per sq km: 122
Life expectancy: 80 years
Net primary enrolment: 99% (2011)

Population:

1,129,000 (2012); 71 per cent of people live in urban areas; growth 1.8 per cent p.a. 1990–2012; birth rate 12 per 1,000 people (19 in 1970); life expectancy 80 years (71 in 1970).The population comprises Greek Cypriots (approximately 80 per cent) and Turkish Cypriots, and small populations of Armenians, Maronites and ‘Latins’ (the term used in Cyprus for Roman Catholics of European origin). The population of the occupied north was estimated at 257,000 in 2005, and included around 160,000 Turkish illegal settlers.

Language:

Official languages are Greek and Turkish. English is widely spoken; German and French spoken in tourist centres.

Education:

Public spending on education was seven per cent of GDP in 2010. There are nine years of compulsory education starting at the age of six. Primary school comprises six years and secondary six, with two cycles each of three years. There are many private schools. Some 95 per cent of pupils complete primary school (2007). The school year starts in September. The University of Cyprus is a bilingual (Greek and Turkish) university which opened in 1992. The other public universities are Cyprus University of Technology (2007) and Open University of Cyprus (2002). Private universities include the European University Cyprus (2007), which developed out of Cyprus College (1961); Frederick University (2007), which developed out of the Frederick Institute of Technology (1965); Neapolis University (Paphos, 2010); and University of Nicosia (2007), which developed out of Intercollege (1980). Other tertiary institutions include Cyprus Forestry College (1951); Higher Hotel Institute of Cyprus (1966); Higher Technical Institute (1968);  Mediterranean Institute of Management (1976, postgraduate); Nursing School; and Cyprus International Institute of Management (1990). The female–male ratio for gross enrolment in tertiary education is 0.90:1 (2010). There is virtually no illiteracy among people aged 15–24. In 1984 Cyprus hosted the Ninth Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers in Nicosia. Commonwealth Education Ministers meet every three years to discuss issues of mutual concern and interest.