Cyprus
country in the Mediterranean Sea
Press Enter · cited answer in seconds
0 sources
World Factbook
CIA reference data · 4 sections
Geography
Location
Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey; note - Cyprus views itself as part of Europe; geopolitically, it can be classified as falling within Europe, the Middle East, or both
Climate
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
Terrain
central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains along southern coast
Natural resources
copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment
People & Society
Religions
Eastern Orthodox Christian 89.1%, Roman Catholic 2.9%, Protestant/Anglican 2%, Muslim 1.8%, Buddhist 1%, other (includes Maronite Catholic, Armenian Apostolic, Hindu) 1.4%, unknown 1.1%, none/atheist 0.6% (2011 est.)
Government
Government type
Republic of Cyprus - presidential republic; self-declared "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC) - parliamentary republic with enhanced presidency
Independence
16 August 1960 (from the UK)
National holiday
Independence Day, 1 October (1960)
Legal system
mixed system of English common law and civil law, with European law supremacy
Economy
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$50.055 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$53,300 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
3.4% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.8% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate
5.7% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
Libya 14%, Greece 11%, Lebanon 8%, Bermuda 7%, Marshall Islands 5% (2023)
Imports - partners
Greece 20%, UK 10%, Italy 7%, Turkey 6%, Spain 6% (2023)
Source: CIA World Factbook · public domain (US gov work, 17 USC §105) · fetched 2026-05-06
Summary
Cyprus is a sovereign state[1]. Cyprus draws 175,609 Wikipedia views per month (sovereign state category, ranking #46 of 197).[2]
Key Facts
- Member of: European Union[3], United Nations[4], Commonwealth of Nations[5], Council of Europe[6], World Trade Organization[7], Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe[8], International Bank for Reconstruction and Development[9]
- Country: Cyprus[10]
- Located in or next to body of water: Mediterranean Sea[11]
- Head of government: Nikos Anastasiades[12], Nicos Christodoulides[13]
- Continent: Asia[14], Europe[15]
- Instance of: island country[16], Mediterranean country[17], divided territory[18], state[19], country[20], disputed territory[21]
- Head of state: Nicos Christodoulides[22]
- Capital: Nicosia[23]
- Official language: Modern Greek[24], Turkish[25]
- Currency: euro[26], All-Russian Classifier of Currencies[27]
- Shares border with: Akrotiri and Dhekelia[28], Northern Cyprus[29], Israel[30], United Kingdom[31], Turkey[32], realm of the United Kingdom[33]
- Top-level Internet domain: .cy[34]
- Anthem: Hymn to Liberty[35]
- Basic form of government: republic[36], presidential system[37]
- Contains the administrative territorial entity: Famagusta District[38], Kyrenia District[39], Larnaca District[40], Limassol District[41], Nicosia District[42], Paphos District[43]
- Follows: British Cyprus[44]
- Flag: flag of Cyprus[45]
- Legislative body: House of Representatives[46]
- Executive body: Government of Cyprus Republic[47]
- Highest judicial authority: The Supreme Court of Cyprus[48]
- Coat of arms: Coat of arms of Cyprus[49]
- Part of: Middle East[50], West Asia[51], European Economic Area[52]
- Commons category: Cyprus[53]
- Licence plate code: CY[54]
- Located in time zone: UTC+02:00[55], UTC+03:00[56], Eastern European Time[57], Eastern European Summer Time[58], Asia/Nicosia[59]
Body
Cultural Significance
Things named for Cyprus include chypre[60], a perfume accord[61]; native copper[62], a mineral species[63]; and Cypriots[64], an ethnic group[65].
Why It Matters
Cyprus has Wikipedia articles in 30 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[66] Cyprus is known by 67 alternative names across languages and contexts.[67]
Works attributed to Cyprus include Invocation of the Vienna (Human Dimension) Mechanism on the Situation in Georgia[68], a document[69], written by Albania[70]. Entities named for Cyprus include chypre[60], a perfume accord[61]; native copper[62], a mineral species[63]; and Cypriots[64], an ethnic group[65].