Cyprus
 Keyfacts
POPULATION (Census 2001): 689,565
AREA: 9,251 sq km
CAPITAL: Nicosia
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTION TO GDP: 1.46%
CURRENCY: Euro (EUR)
HEAD OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT: President Dimitris Christofias
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: republic
PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM: unicameral
STATE STRUCTURE: unitary
LANGUAGES: Greek and Turkish (official)
NATIONAL ELECTIONS:
House of Representatives: last: 2006; turnout: 89.0%; next: 2011
Presidential: last: 2008; turnout: 89.6%; next: 2013
LOCAL ELECTIONS: last: 2006; turnout: 88.3%; next: 2011
Summary
Since 1974, following Turkish military intervention, almost 37% of the population in Cyprus is under Turkish occupation. This profile deals with local government in the part of the island under the control of the internationally recognised Government of the Republic of Cyprus. Cyprus is a democratic republic with a comprehensive system of local government
comprising urban municipal councils and rural community councils. There is no general constitutional provision for local government, although the establishment of five municipalities is mentioned within the constitution. The main pieces of governing legislation are the
Municipalities Law 1985 and the Communities Law 1999. There are 24 municipal councils and 355 community councils, and a further nine municipal councils and 136 community councils within the occupied area. Both municipal and community councils are empowered to raise revenues through local taxes and fees and consideration for marginalised groups is factored into the structure of charges and taxes. Additionally there are central government transfers to each local council, both annual grants and grants for specific development projects. Statutory council responsibilities include waste disposal, water supply and public health; additionally all municipal councils are responsible for social services, and larger municipal councils are further responsible for the planning permission process.
Download full profile of Cyprus (  135K PDF)
|
