Military:  CYPRUS

Military branches:

Republic of Cyprus: Greek Cypriot National Guard (Ethniki Froura, EF; includes naval and air elements); Northern Cyprus: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK) (2013)

Military service age and obligation:

Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG): 18-50 years of age for compulsory military service for all Greek Cypriot males; 17 years of age for voluntary service; length of service obligation is 25 months; women may volunteer for a 3-year term (2013)

Manpower available for military service:

Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG):

males age 16-49: 327,875

females age 16-49: 287,891 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG):

males age 16-49: 275,842

females age 16-49: 239,862 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 8,167

female: 7,398 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

2% of GDP (2012) (U)

country comparison to the world: 68

Transnational Issues:  Cyprus

Disputes - international:

hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto autonomous entities, the internationally recognized Cypriot Government and a Turkish-Cypriot community (north Cyprus); the 1,000-strong UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has served in Cyprus since 1964 and maintains the buffer zone between north and south; on 1 May 2004, Cyprus entered the European Union still divided, with the EU's body of legislation and standards (acquis communitaire) suspended in the north; Turkey protests Cypriot Government creating hydrocarbon blocks and maritime boundary with Lebanon in March 2007

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 208,000 (both Turkish and Greek Cypriots; many displaced since 1974) (2012)

Illicit drugs:

minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey; some cocaine transits as well; despite a strengthening of anti-money-laundering legislation, remains vulnerable to money laundering; reporting of suspicious transactions in offshore sector remains weak (2008)

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