Cypriot mouflon (wild sheep), white dove; national colors: blue, white.
Title | "Ymnos eis tin Eleftherian" (Hymn to Liberty) |
---|---|
Lyric/music | Dionysios SOLOMOS/Nikolaos MANTZAROS |
Date of 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" |
Legal system | mixed legal system of English common law and civil law with European law supremacy |
International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
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 many times, last in 2020; 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 |
Citizenship | |
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 |
Executive Branch | |
Chief of state | President Nikos CHRISTODOULIDIS (since 28 February 2023) |
Head of government | President Nikos CHRISTODOULIDIS (since 28 February 2023) |
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 (limited to 2 consecutive terms); election last held on held 5 February 2023 with a runoff on 12 February 2023 (next to be held in 2028) |
Election results | 2023: Nikos CHRISTODOULIDIS elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Nikos CHRISTODOULIDIS (independent) 32%, Andreas MAVROGIANNIS (independent) 29.6%, Averof NEOFYTOU (DISY) 26.1%, Christos CHRISTOU (ELAM) 6%, other 6.3%; percent of vote in second round - Nikos CHRISTODOULIDS 52%, Andreas MAVROGIANNIS 48% 2018: 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%, Stavros MALAS 44% |
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; note - 3 seats each are reserved for the Latin, Maronite, and Armenian religious groups; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: unicameral "Assembly of the Republic" or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote using a hybrid d'Hondt method with voter preference for individual candidates |
Elections | Area under government control; last held on 30 May 2021 (next to be held in 2026); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: last held on 23 January 2022 (next to be held in 2027) |
Election results | area under government control: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - DISY 27.8%, AKEL 22.3%, DIKO 11.3%, ELAM 6.8%, EDEK-SP 6.7%, DIPA 6.1%, Movement of Ecologists - Citizens' Cooperation 4.4%, other 14.6%; seats by party/coalition - DISY 17, AKEL 15, DIKO 9, ELAM 4, EDEK-SP 4, DIPA 4, Movement of Ecologists - Citizens' Cooperation 3; composition - men 48, women 8, percent of women 14.3% area administered by Turkish Cypriots - "Assembly of the Republic" - percent of vote by party - UBP 39.5%, CTP 32%, DP 7.4%, HP 6.7%, YDP 6.4%, other 8%; seats by party - UBP 24, CTP 18, DP 3, HP 3, YDP 2; composition NA |
Judicial branch | |
Highest court(s) | Supreme Court of Cyprus (consists of 13 judges, including the court president); note - the highest court in the "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 by the president of the "TRNC," and by the "Legislative Assembly," and members 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, the military, and rent control; "TRNC Assize Courts"; "district and family courts" |
Diplomatic representation in the US | |
Chief of mission | Ambassador Evangelos SAVVA (since 15 September 2023) |
Chancery | 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
Telephone | [1] (202) 462-5772 |
FAX | [1] (202) 483-6710 |
Email address and website | [email protected] https://www.cyprusembassy.net/ |
Consulate(s) general | New York |
Honorary consulate(s) | Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Kirkland (WA), Los Angeles, New Orleans, San Francisco |
Diplomatic representation from the US | |
Chief of mission | Ambassador Julie D. FISHER (since 21 February 2023) |
Embassy | Metochiou and Ploutarchou Street, 2407, Engomi, Nicosia |
Mailing address | 5450 Nicosia Place, Washington DC 20521-5450 |
Telephone | [357] (22) 393939 |
FAX | [357] (22) 780944 |
Email address and website | [email protected] https://cy.usembassy.gov/ |
National heritage | |
Total World Heritage Sites | 3 (all cultural) |
Selected World Heritage Site locales | Paphos; Painted Churches in the Troodos Region; Choirokoitia |
Want to know more about Cyprus? Check all different factbooks for Cyprus below.