Legislative branch: unicameral
Greek area: House of Representatives (Vouli Antiprosopon): elections
last held 19 May 1991 (next to be held May 1996); results - DISY
35.8%, AKEL (Communist) 30.6%, DIKO 19.5%, EDEK 10.9%; others 3.2%;
seats - (56 total) DISY 20, AKEL (Communist) 18, DIKO 11, EDEK 7
Turkish area: Assembly of the Republic (Cumhuriyet Meclisi):
elections last held 12 December 1993 (next to be held NA); results -
UBP 29.9%, DP 29.2%, CTP 24.2% TKP 13.3%, others 3.4%; seats - (50
total) UBP (conservative) 15, DP 16, CTP 13, TKP 5, UDP 1
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 (AKEL, Communist
Party), Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS; Democratic Rally (DISY), Ioannis
MATSIS; Democratic Party (DIKO), Spyros KYPRIANOU; United Democratic
Union of the Center (EDEK), Vassos LYSSARIDIS; Socialist Democratic
Renewal Movement (ADISOK), Mikhalis PAPAPETROU; Liberal Party,
Nikolaos ROLANDIS; Free Democrats, Yeoryios VASSILIOU; New Horizons,
Nikolaos KOUTSOU, secretary general
Turkish area: National Unity Party (UBP), Dervis EROGLU; Communal
Liberation Party (TKP), Mustafa AKINCI; Republican Turkish Party
(CTP), Mehmet ALI TALAT; New Cyprus Party (YKP), Alpay DURDURAN;
Free Democratic Party (HDP), Ismet KOTAK; Nationalist Justice Party
(MAP), Zorlu TORE; Unity and Sovereignty Party (BEP), Arif Salih
KIRDAG; Democratic Party (DP), Serdar DENKTASH; National Birth Party
(UDP), Enver EMIN; the HDP, MAP, and VP merged under the label
National Struggle Unity Party (MMBP) to compete in the 12 December
1993 legislative election
Other political or pressure groups: United Democratic Youth
Organization (EDON, Communist controlled); Union of Cyprus Farmers
(EKA, Communist controlled); Cyprus Farmers Union (PEK, pro-West);
Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation (PEO, Communist controlled);
Confederation of Cypriot Workers (SEK, pro-West); Federation of
Turkish Cypriot Labor Unions (Turk-Sen); Confederation of
Revolutionary Labor Unions (Dev-Is)
International organization participation: C, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE,
EU (applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarset, 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 US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andreas J. JACOVIDES chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772 consulate(s) general: New York note: Representative of the Turkish area in the US is Namik KORMAN, office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC, telephone [1] (202) 887-6198
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard A. BOUCHER embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, Engomi, Nicosia mailing address: P. O. Box 4536, FPO AE 09836 telephone: [357] (2) 476100 FAX: [357] (2) 465944
Flag: 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 ———-
Economic overview: The Greek Cypriot economy is small and prosperous, but highly susceptible to external shocks. Industry contributes 25% to GDP and employs 26% of the labor force, while the service sector contributes 70% to GDP and employs 62% of the labor force. After surging 9.7% in 1992, economic growth slowed to 1.6% in 1993 - its lowest level in two decades - because of the decline in tourist arrivals associated with the recession in Western Europe, Cyprus' main trading partner, and the loss in export competitiveness due to a sharp rise in unit labor costs. However, real GDP picked up in 1994 and 1995, as inflation fell from 4.7% to about 3%. Economic prospects appear favorable for 1996: real GDP is likely to grow between 3% and 4%, and inflation is likely to rise slightly to 3.5%-4.5%. The Turkish Cypriot economy has less than one-third the per capita GDP of the south. Because it is recognized only by Turkey, it has had much difficulty arranging foreign financing, and foreign firms have hesitated to invest there. The economy remains heavily dependent on agriculture and government service, which together employ about half of the work force. Moreover, the small, vulnerable economy has suffered because the Turkish lira is legal tender. Economic growth sharply dropped during 1994 because of the severe economic crisis affecting the mainland, and inflation soared to 215%. To compensate for the economy's weakness, Turkey provides direct and indirect aid to nearly every sector; financial support has risen and now equals in value about one-third of Turkish Cypriot GDP.