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Asia / Southern Europe · Card 010
Flag shown for Cyprus

Cyprus

Cyprus is a country in Southern Europe. Its capital is Nicosia.

Find Cyprus

NicosiaCyprus
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.

At a glance

Capital
NicosiaThe island is divided; the Republic of Cyprus does not control the northern area.
Languages
Greek & Turkish
Currency
Euro (EUR)
Population
1.4 million2025 · World Bank
Area
9,251 km²3,572 square miles
Independence
1960from the UK

Cyprus in context

Asia and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Nicosia; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.

Natural Earth · locator map

Geography & languages

01

Physical geography

Central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains along southern coast.

02

Languages

Languages used in public life include Greek, Turkish.

03

Location

Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey; note - Cyprus views itself as part of Europe; geopolitically, it can be classified as falling within Europe, the Middle East, or both. The island is divided; the Republic of Cyprus does not control the northern area.

Flag shown for Cyprus

Flag

A copper-colored silhouette of the island is centered on a white field above two crossed green olive branches

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

History & independence

Cyprus became independent from Britain in 1960. Intercommunal violence was followed by a Greek-backed coup and Turkish military intervention in 1974. The island remains divided. The Republic of Cyprus joined the European Union in 2004; EU law is suspended in areas outside its government’s effective control.

  1. Independence from Britain

  2. Island divided following coup and military intervention

  3. Cyprus joins the European Union

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Economy

Main activities

Tourism, business and financial services, shipping and construction are important. Agriculture also contributes. The economy is closely linked to European markets and international travel.

Industry and production

tourism, food and beverage processing, cement and gypsum, ship repair and refurbishment, textiles, light chemicals, metal products, wood, paper, stone and clay products

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Population & economic trends

Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.

Population, 1970–2025

Millions of people
1.42025 · millions of people
0.001.02.00.6519700.6819800.7919900.9520001.120101.320201.42025

Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.

Sources: World Bank · Population

View data table
Population: source values and plotted units
Year People Millions of people
1970 647,446 0.647
1980 683,076 0.683
1990 788,351 0.788
2000 947,667 0.948
2010 1,127,816 1.128
2020 1,302,247 1.302
2025 1,370,754 1.371

Real GDP, 1990–2025

Billions of constant 2015 US dollars
33.12025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
0.0020.040.019902000201020202025

Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.

Sources: World Bank · Real GDP

View data table
Real GDP: source values and plotted units
Year Constant 2015 US$ Billions of constant 2015 US dollars
1990 9,942,038,378 9.942
1991 10,015,559,894 10.016
1992 10,957,022,355 10.957
1993 11,033,721,595 11.034
1994 11,684,711,090 11.685
1995 12,661,841,416 12.662
1996 12,819,929,758 12.820
1997 13,158,495,214 13.158
1998 13,962,595,454 13.963
1999 14,660,439,649 14.660
2000 15,534,979,509 15.535
2001 16,149,009,296 16.149
2002 16,750,232,860 16.750
2003 17,189,641,656 17.190
2004 18,053,639,847 18.054
2005 18,929,780,754 18.930
2006 19,822,089,652 19.822
2007 20,832,664,610 20.833
2008 21,592,429,643 21.592
2009 21,157,324,472 21.157
2010 21,640,276,582 21.640
2011 21,730,454,183 21.730
2012 20,981,322,523 20.981
2013 19,599,182,620 19.599
2014 19,251,089,636 19.251
2015 19,909,269,065 19.909
2016 21,218,022,946 21.218
2017 22,438,235,877 22.438
2018 23,845,486,549 23.845
2019 25,246,550,964 25.247
2020 24,433,452,922 24.433
2021 27,218,270,154 27.218
2022 29,596,751,443 29.597
2023 30,668,288,121 30.668
2024 31,876,854,617 31.877
2025 33,079,649,144 33.080

Human development

The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.

HDI · 20230.913Very High human developmentRank 32 of 193 · 2025 report

Human Development Index over time

19900.749
20000.808
20100.869
20200.905
20230.913
81.6 yearsLife expectancy at birth
12.6 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+

The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.

Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025

Government

Presidential republic with a president and a House of Representatives. The internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus does not exercise effective control in the north, where a separate administration is recognized as a state only by Türkiye.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Knowledge check

Three questions about Cyprus.

QUESTION 1 OF 3

Which city is identified as the capital of Cyprus?

Sources & notes

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.

Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.

NicosiaCyprus