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Cyprus Government

What is the capital of Cyprus?

Country Name Cyprus
Full Country Name Republic of Cyprus

note: the Turkish Cypriot community, which administers the northern part of the island, refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" or "TRNC" ("Kuzey Kibris Turk Cumhuriyeti" or "KKTC")
Local - Long Kypriaki Dimokratia/Kibris Cumhuriyeti
Local - Short Kypros/Kibris
Etymology- history of name the derivation of the name "Cyprus" is unknown, but the extensive mining of copper metal on the island in antiquity gave rise to the Latin word "cuprum" for copper
Government Type Republic of Cyprus - presidential democracy; Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (self-declared) - semi-presidential democracy

note: a separation of the two main ethnic communities inhabiting the island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified when a Greek military-junta-supported coup attempt prompted the Turkish intervention in July 1974 that gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the only internationally recognized government on the island; on 15 November 1983, then Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTAS declared independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC"), which is recognized only by Turkey
Capital Name Nicosia (Lefkosia/Lefkosa)
Capital - geographic coordinate 35 10 N, 33 22 E
Capital Time Difference UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight Savings Time +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Independence 16 August 1960 (from the UK); note - Turkish Cypriots proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but these proclamations are recognized only by Turkey
National Holiday Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots celebrate 15 November (1983) as "Republic Day"
Constitution history: ratified 16 August 1960; note - in 1963, the constitution was partly suspended as Turkish Cypriots withdrew from the government; Turkish-held territory in 1983 was declared the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC"); in 1985, the "TRNC" approved its own constitution

amendments: constitution of the Republic of Cyprus - proposed by the House of Representatives; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership of the “Greek Community” and the “Turkish Community”; however, all seats of Turkish Cypriot members have remained vacant since 1964; amended several times, last in 2016

constitution of the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” - proposed by at least 10 members of the Assembly of the Republic; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total Assembly membership and approval by referendum; amended 2014

Cyprus Capital City Map

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Cyprus Government and Politics

Who is the president of Cyprus?

Executive Branch: chief of state: President Nikos ANASTASIADIS (since 28 February 2013); the president is both chief of state and head of government; note - vice presidency reserved for a Turkish Cypriot, but vacant since 1974 because Turkish Cypriots do not participate in the Republic of Cyprus Government

head of government: President Nikos ANASTASIADIS (since 28 February 2013)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - under the 1960 constitution, 3 of the ministerial posts reserved for Turkish Cypriots, appointed by the vice president; positions currently filled by Greek Cypriots

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term; election last held on 28 January 2018 with a runoff on 4 February 2018 (next to be held in February 2023)

election results: Nikos ANASTASIADIS reelected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Nikos ANASTASIADIS (DISY) 35.5%, Stavros MALAS (AKEL) 30.2%, Nicolas PAPADOPOULOS (DIKO) 25.7%, other 8.6%; percent of vote in second round - Nikos ANASTASIADIS 56%, Savros MALAS 44%

note: Mustafa AKINCI assumed office as "president" of the "TRNC" on 30 April 2015; percent of vote in first round (19 April 2015) - Dervis EROGLU 28.2%, Mustafa AKINCI 26.9%, other 44.9%; percent of vote in runoff (26 April 2015) - AKINCI 60.5%, EROGLU 39.5%
Citizenship Criteria: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cyprus

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years
Legal System: mixed legal system of English common law and civil law with European law supremacy
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Legislative Branch: description: area under government control: unicameral House of Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to Greek Cypriots, 24 to Turkish Cypriots, but only those assigned to Greek Cypriots are filled; members directly elected by both proportional representation and preferential vote; members serve 5-year terms); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: unicameral "Assembly of the Republic" or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members directly elected to 5-year terms by proportional representation system using a hybrid d'Hondt method with voter preferences for individual candidates

elections: area under government control: last held on 22 May 2016 (next to be held in May 2021); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: last held on 7 January 2018 (next to be held in 2023, unless early election called)

election results: area under government control: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - DISY 30.7%, AKEL 25.7%, DIKO 14.5%, KS-EDEK 6.2%, SP 6% Solidarity Movement 5.2%, other 11.7%; seats by party - DISY 18, AKEL 16, DIKO 9, KS-EDEK 3, Citizen's Alliance 3 (2 left the party in 2017 and 2018 due to disagreements over the party's policy regarding the presidential election campaign; one joined DIKO and the other became an independent MP), Solidarity Movement 3, other 4; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: "Assembly of the Republic" - percent of vote by party - UBP 35.6%, CTP 20.9%, HP 17.1%, TDP 8.6%, DP 7.8%, YDP 7%, 3%; seats by party - UBP 21, CTP 12, HP 9, DP 3, TDP 3, YDP 2
Judicial Branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court of Cyprus (consists of 13 judges including the court president); note - the highest court in the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)" is the "Supreme Court" (consists of 8 "judges" including the "court president")

judge selection and term of office: Republic of Cyprus Supreme Court judges appointed by the president of the republic upon the recommendation of the Supreme Court judges; judges can serve until age 68; "TRNC Supreme Court" judges appointed by the "Supreme Council of Judicature," a 12-member body of judges, the attorney general, appointees - 1 each by the president of the "TRNC" and by the "Legislative Assembly" - and 1 member elected by the bar association; judge tenure NA

subordinate courts: Republic of Cyprus district courts; Assize Courts; Administrative Court; specialized courts for issues relating to family, industrial disputes, military, and rent control; "TRNC Assize Courts"; "district and family courts"
Regions or States: 6 districts; Ammochostos (Famagusta); (all but a small part located in the Turkish Cypriot community), Keryneia (Kyrenia; the only district located entirely in the Turkish Cypriot community), Larnaka (Larnaca; with a small part located in the Turkish Cypriot community), Lefkosia (Nicosia; a small part administered by Turkish Cypriots), Lemesos (Limassol), Pafos (Paphos); note - the 5 "districts" of the "TRNC" are Gazimagusa (Famagusta), Girne (Kyrenia), Guzelyurt (Morphou), Iskele (Trikomo), Lefkosa (Nicosia)
Political Parties and Leaders: area under government control:

Citizens' Alliance or SP [Giorgos LILLIKAS]

Democratic Party or DIKO [Nicolas PAPADOPOULOS]

Democratic Rally or DISY [Averof NEOPHYTOU]

Ecological and Environmental Movement or KOP (Green party) [Giorgos PERDIKIS]

Movement of Social Democrats-United Democratic Center Union or KS-EDEK [Marinos SIZOPOULOS]

National Popular Front or ELAM [Christos CHRISTOU]

Progressive Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist party) [Andros KYPRIANOU]

Solidarity Movement [Eleni THEOCHAROUS]

United Democrats or EDI [Praxoula ANTONIADOU]

area administered by Turkish Cypriots:

Communal Democracy Party or TDP [Cemal OZYIGIT]

Communist Liberation Party-New Forces or TKP-YG [Mehmet CAKICI]

Democratic Party or DP [Serdar DENKTAS]

National Democratic Party or NDP [Buray BUSKUVUTCU]

National Unity Party or UBP [Huseyin OZGURGUN]

People's Party or HP [Kudret OZERSAY]

Rebirth Party or YDP [Erhan ARIKLI]

Republican Turkish Party or CTP [Tufan ERHURMAN]

United Cyprus Party or BKP [Izzet IZCAN]
International Law Organization Participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International Organization Participation: Australia Group, C, CD, CE, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic Representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Andreas NIKOLAIDES (since February 2018)

chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772, 462-0873

FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710

consulate(s) general: New York

note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot community in the US is Ismet KORUKOGLU; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone [1] (202) 887-6198
Diplomatic Representation from US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kathleen Ann DOHERTY (since 7 October 2015)

embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, 2407 Engomi, Nicosia

mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nicosia

telephone: [357] (22) 393939

FAX: [357] (22) 393344
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