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

Data code CY

Government type republic
note: a disaggregation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the islandbegan after the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was furthersolidified following the Turkish invasion of the island in July 1974, which gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots controlthe only internationally recognized government; on 15 November 1983 TurkishCypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared independence and the formationof a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC), which has been recognizedonly by Turkey; both sides publicly call for the resolution of intercommunaldifferences 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 smallpart 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 Republicof 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 revisedconstitution to govern the island and to better relations between Greek andTurkish Cypriots have been held intermittently; in 1975 Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish FederatedState of Cyprus," which was renamed the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus"in 1983; a new constitution for the Turkish area passed by referendum on 5May 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 presidentis both the chief of state and head of government; post of vice presidentis currently vacant; under the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved fora Turkish Cypriot
head of government: President Glafcos CLERIDES (since 28 February 1993); note - the presidentis both the chief of state and head of government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved fora 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 lastheld 14 February 1993 (next to be held NA February 1998)
election results : Glafcos CLERIDES elected president; percent of vote - Glafcos CLERIDES50.3%, Yeoryios VASSILIOU 49.7%
note: Rauf R. DENKTASH has been "president" of the Turkish area since 13 February1975 (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 "primeminister" of the Turkish area since 16 August 1996; there is a Council ofMinisters (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; membersare elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); Turkish area: Assemblyof the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members are elected by popularvote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Greek area: last held 26 May 1996 (next to be held May 2001); Turkisharea: last held 12 December 1993 (next to be held December 1998)
election results : Greek area: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - DISY34.5%, 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; Turkisharea: Assembly of the Republic - percent of vote by party - UBP 29.9%, DP29.2%, 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 (CommunistParty) [Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS]; Democratic Rally or DISY [Ioannis MATSIS];Democratic Party or DIKO [Spyros KYPRIANOU]; United Democratic Union of Cyprusor EDEK [Vassos LYSSARIDIS]; Liberal Party or KP [Nikolaos ROLANDIS]; FreeDemocrats Movement or KED [Yeoryios VASSILIOU]; New Horizons [Nikolaos KOUTSOU,secretary general]; Ecologists [Yeoryios PERDHIKIS]; Turkish area: NationalUnity Party or UBP [Dervis EROGLU]; Communal Liberation Party or TKP [MustafaAKINCI]; Republican Turkish Party or CTP [Mehmet ALI TALAT]; Free DemocraticParty or HDP [Ismet KOTAK]; Nationalist Justice Party or MAP [Zorlu TORE];Unity and Sovereignty Party or BEP [Arif Salih KIRDAG]; Democratic Party orDP [Serdar DENKTASH]; the HDP, MAP, and VP merged under the label NationalStruggle Unity Party (MMBP) to compete in the 12 December 1993 legislativeelection

Political pressure groups and leaders Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation or PEO (Communist controlled); Confederationof Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West); Federation of Turkish Cypriot LaborUnions 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 : [1] (202) 462-5772
FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710
consulate(s) general: New York
note: representative of the Turkish area in the US is Namik KORHAN, officeat 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC, telephone [1] (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: [357] (2) 476100
FAX: [357] (2) 465944

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

NOTE: The information regarding Cyprus on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Cyprus Government 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Cyprus Government 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.