Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus
conventional short form: Cyprus
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 in July 1974 following a Greek junta-based coup attempt, 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 (Greek Cypriot position) or confederate system (Turkish Cypriot position) of government
Capital: Nicosia (greek Lefkosia, turkish Lefkosa)
note: the Turkish Cypriot area's capital is Lefkosa (Nicosia)
Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Famagusta (Ammochostos), Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol (Lemesos), Nicosia (Lefkosia), Paphos; note - occupied area's administrative divisions include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta (Ammochostos), and small parts of Lefkosia (Nicosia) and Larnaca
Independence: 16 August 1960 (from UK)
note: Turkey occupied the 38% of Cyprus and Turkish Cypriot area proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975 from Republic of Cyprus
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October; note - TRNC 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 Cypriot 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 Tassos Papadopoulos (Since 1 March 2003); 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 Tassos Papadopoulos; 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 16 February 2003
Tassos Papadopoulos 51.51%
Glafcos Clerides 38.80%
Rauf R. Denktash has been president of the Turkish Cypriot area since 13 February 1975 (president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; elections last held 15 April 2000); results - Rauf R. Denktash reelected president; unopposed, opponent withdrew. Dervis Eroglu has been prime minister of the Turkish Cypriot area since 16 August 1996; there is a Council of Ministers (cabinet) in the Turkish Cypriot area. in 2005 presidential elections Rauf Denktaş decided not to candidate for elections so Mehmet Ali Talat who was prime minister of TRNC sive 2003 elected as a new president of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Ferdi Sabit Soyer became new prime minister of TRNC after Mehmet Ali Talat.
Legislative branch: unicameral - Greek Cypriot area: House of Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots, 24 to Turkish Cypriots; note - temporarily only those assigned to Greek Cypriots are filled; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); « TRNC »: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Greek Cypriot area: last held 26 May 1996 (next to be held May 2001); Turkish Cypriot area: last held December 2003 (next to be held 2008)
election results: Greek Cypriot 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 4.3%; seats by party - DISY 20, AKEL (Communist) 19, DIKO 10, EDEK 5, KED 2; Turkish Cypriot area: Assembly of the Republic - percent of vote by party - Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the Supreme Council of Judicature
note: there is also a Supreme Court in the Turkish Cypriot area
Political parties and leaders: Greek Cypriot area: Democratic Party or DIKO [Tassos Papadopoulos]; Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADES]; Ecologists [Yeoryios PERDIKIS]; New Horizons [Nikolaos KOUTSOU, secretary general]; Progressive Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist Party) [Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS]; Movement of Social Democrats (formerly EDEK) [Yiannakis Omirou]; United Democrats Movement or EDI (formerly Free Democrats Movement or KED) [George VASSILIOU]; Turkish Cypriot area: Communal Liberation Party or TKP [Mustafa AKINCI]; Democratic Party or DP [Serdar Denktash]; National Birth Party or UDP [Enver EMIN]; National Unity Party or UBP [Dervis EROGLU]; Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU]; Patriotic Unity Movement or YBH [Ozker OZGUR]; Republican Turkish Party or CTP [Mehmet ALI TALAT]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West); Confederation of Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of Turkish Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation or PEO (Communist controlled)
International organization participation: C, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EPO, EU Member, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
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.
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