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CYPRUS |
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New pro-unification president in northern sector |
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Greek colonies settled in Cyprus about the middle of the 2nd millennium BC, and the 9,250 sq. km. island later formed part of the Persian, Roman and Byzantine empires. A Frankish kingdom in 1193 and a Venetian dependency in 1489, it was conquered by the Turks in 1571. First administered by Britain in 1878, it was annexed in 1914 and given colonial status in 1925. An independent republic since 1960, communal strife in 1963 led to the invasion of the island by Turkish forces in 1974. Since then the island split into a 40% northern Turkish sector (3,355 sq. km.) with the southern sector being retained by Greek Cypriots. 200,000 displaced Greek Cypriots were then forced out of the north to the south of the island. The urban centres of Famagusta, Kyrenia and Morphou were fully evacuated. Current ethnic groups are estimated at 85% Greek, 12% Turkish and others 3%.
770,000 split as to 78% Greek Orthodox, 18% Turkish Moslem and 4% Maronite, Armenian Apostolic and others.
Distribution is very proportional to the population spread. English is also widely spoken and French is taught in schools.
On independence from Britain on the 16th August, 1960, Cyprus became an independent republic. Following a military coup in 1974 by the Greek Cypriots backed by the military junta government of Athens, Turkey invaded the northern part of the island and Cyprus has since been divided into two de facto autonomous areas.
The Greek Cypriot area consisting of 59% of the island is controlled by the internationally recognized Cypriot Government, while the Turkish-Cypriot 37% land area is recognized only by Turkey. The two zones are separated by a UN buffer zone making up 4% of the island. United Nations troops patrol the Green Line buffer which divides the two parts from Morphou through Nicosia, the divided capital, to Famagusta. There are also two British sovereign base areas situated mostly within the Greek Cypriot sector of the island. On the 13th February, 1975 the Turkish Cypriots proclaimed self-government and developed their own constitution and governing bodies within a Turkish Federated State of Cyprus. In 1983 the Turkish Cypriots declared themselves the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. A new constitution for the Turkish Cypriot area was passed by referendum on the 5th May, 1985. The president of Cyprus is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. Greek-Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos is head of state since the 1st March, 2003. He was elected president with 51.5% of the vote against his main contender Glafkos Kliridis who took 38.8% of the votes. As head of state he is also head of government. The post of vice-president is currently vacant, being reserved under the 1960 constitution, for a Turkish Cypriot. Under the 1975 self-rule constitution, the president is elected by popular vote in the Turkish Cypriot northern area for a five-year term. Rauf R. Denktash has been elected since the adoption of that constitution on the 13th February, 1975 and has served up till elections on the 17th April, 2005 for which he did not stand. His pro-unification Prime Minister, Mehmet Ali Talat, then polled some 55% of the votes. GOVERNMENT. The unicameral House of Representatives in terms of the 1960 constitution is made up of 80 seats, 56 of which are assigned to the Greek Cypriots and 24 to Turkish Cypriots. As from December 1963, the Turkish members have ceased to attend. Members are elected by universal popular suffrage at age 18 to serve five-year terms.Elections to the House of Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon for 56 seats under the 1960 constitution were last held in the Greek Cypriot area on the 27th May, 2001. These returned the Communist Party with 34.71% of the votes and 20 seats, the Democratic Rally with 34% votes and 19 seats, the Democratic Party, headed by Tassos Papadopoulos with 14.84% votes and 9 seats, the Social Democrats Movement with 6.51% votes and 4 seats, and others with 9.94% votes and 4 seats. Tassos Papadopoulos is president of the Cyprus Republic and prime minister since the 1st March, 2003. He heads the Council of Ministers appointed by him alone in the absence of sharing this joint power with a Turkish Cypriot vice-president. In the elections to the Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi for 50 seats in the Turkish Cypriot sector held on the 20th February, 2005, the Republican Turkish Party headed by outgoing Prime Minister (now President) Mehmet Ali Talat polled 44% of the votes. The National Unity Party of Dervis Eroglu polled 32% and the Democratic Party of Serdar Denktash, 14% of the votes. There are six districts in the Greek Cypriot area called Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia and Paphos. The Turkish Cypriot administrative divisions include areas comprising Kyrenia, much of Famagusta, and small parts of Nicosia and Larnaca. In both areas, the town itself bearing the name of any particular district or division may be on either side of the border. On the 13th December, 2002, Cyprus was invited to join the European Union. The Treaty of Accession was signed on the 16th April, 2003 and unanimously ratified by the House of Representatives on the 14th July, 2003. Following a referendum held on the 24th April 2004, 64.9% of the Turkish population in the northern sector voted in favour of the re-unification proposals as set by the UN and 75.83% of the Greek community in the south voted against. The turnout in the whole island was 89%. Consequently, only the Greek Cypriot part of the island has acceded to the EU on the 1st May, 2004. The national anthem is Se gnorizo apo tin kopsi, I shall always recognise You. It is the same as that of Greece and was written in 1824 by Dionysios Solomos and set to music four years later by N. Mantzaros.I shall always recognise you with sword in hand I shall always recognise you with sword in hand, I shall always search you as I trudge along the earth, With bold spirit you watch over us like ancient Greeks and with ancient valour we hail you, oh hailed Liberty. And with ancient valour we hail you, oh hailed Liberty. and with ancient valour we hail you, oh hailed Liberty. Cyprus Mail – English newspaperCyprus News - English newspaper Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC) – public radio operating Radio 2 in English Bayrak Radio-TV - northern Cyprus, operating Bayrak International in English |
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COUNTRIES |
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CONTACT US |
Þ victorcauchi@nextgen.net.mthttp://www.geocities.com/hashanayobel |
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