Cyprus - 75.59
42
This island ain’t big enough for the both of us
The Republic of Cyprus controls less than two-thirds of the island depicted on its flag. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a de facto nation recognized only by itself and Turkiye, occupies the northern third of the island while a UN buffer zone and two British military bases take up space in the rest of the country. This situation is the result of a Greek military junta ordering a takeover of Cyprus to unite it with Greece and Turkish forces responding by invading the country. This invasion would fail but after peace talks between the three nations collapsed Turkiye launched another invasion, taking over a third of the country’s land and establishing the modern-day TRNC. Ethnic strife between Greeks and Turks continues to this day, as Turkish Cypriots in the Republic of Cyprus face disenfranchisement and discrimination. Muslims face harassment that is tolerated by the government. Cyprus faces some of the highest corruption in the European Union. Cypriot police are some of the most corrupt in the EU and are known to disclose private information for a bribe. Cyprus is also a tax haven, which has drawn ire from other countries. On the global stage, Cyprus is a Greek puppet in near-constant contention with Turkiye.
Human Rights - 84
Cyprus has fully abolished the death penalty. Migrants are held in facilities without adequate access to sanitation facilities. The government also failed to respond to a scabies outbreak in the camp. Cyprus has same-sex unions but no gay marriage and does not allow same-sex joint adoption. Abortion is legal to twelve weeks.
Democracy - 86
The president and congress are directly elected. Elections are free and fair with a strong multi-party system. The country’s three recognized religious minority groups, Armenian Orthodox, Catholic, and Maronite, all have a non-voting listener in the House of Representatives appointed by the church. LGBT, Muslims, and Turkish Cypriots face disenfranchisement throughout the country.
Freedom - 81
Defamation is illegal and the government occasionally uses defamation laws to silence critics. The government has also repeatedly threatened to withhold subsidies from newspapers mentioning or acknowledging TRNC. Muslims and Turks face harassment tolerated by the government. Cyprus has a zero-tolerance drug policy and drug laws carry strict sentences. Shotguns are the only guns legal in Cyprus.
Economy - 83
Health - 100
Cyprus has a life expectancy of 81 years and an infant mortality rate of 0.3%. 21.8% of Cypriots are obese and 2.5% are malnourished. Cyprus has a strong universal healthcare system providing free care through a network of public hospitals. No area under the de facto control of the Republic of Cyprus is more than a thirty-minute drive from a public hospital. A network of private hospitals also exists and many wealthy Cypriots choose to pay for private care. 99.6% of Cypriots have access to clean, running water.
Corruption - 36
The use of bribery to obtain favorable judicial verdicts is rare but still present. Police extortion is far from uncommon. Police are often willing to disclose confidential information for a bribe. Cypriot police are also known to have ties to Greek organized crime. Public services must be bribed into action. Cypriot building inspectors are notoriously corrupt. Fire marshalls and safety inspectors will ignore safety concerns for a bribe. Cypriot tax administration occasionally exports bribes. Contracts are nearly impossible to obtain without bribery and airlines and hotel corporations are very close with the government.
Competency - 57
The government is failing to provide for migrants, allowing them to wallow in disease-riddled camps without adequate access to sanitation. The government is failing to protect ethnic and religious minorities, as Turkish Cypriots and Muslims face discrimination and harassment throughout the country. The government has also failed to control corruption. Cyprus has not reconciled with the TRNC. Cyprus received a ten-point penalty for large portions of its claimed territory being under the de facto control of a third party. Cyprus received a five-point penalty for being partially unrecognized, as Turkiye does not recognize them in the United Nations.
Future - 52
The future of Cyprus is uncertain. Cyprus refuses to reconcile with the TRNC. The two governments have repeatedly refused talks with one another and recently President Anastasiades publicly stated that he would never agree to a two-state solution.
Actions Abroad - 22
Cyprus is generally belligerent on the world stage. This mainly stems from the country’s claim to the territory under the control of TRNC. As a result, Turkiye does not recognize Cyprus as the two countries have belligerent relations as a result. Cyprus is also generally regarded as a Greek puppet on the world stage. Cyprus is also a tax haven. The registry of Norwegian ships in Cyprus has occasionally led to strained relations between the two countries. Cyprus recognizes both Israel and Palestine and has expressed interest in being a mediator between the two countries. Cyprus plays host to two British naval bases. Cyprus received a ten-point penalty for being a tax haven, and a ten-point penalty for laying a claim to a de facto nation.
0.1% of Cypriots live below the international poverty line and 14.7% live below the national poverty line. As much as 47% of the Cypriot population is classed as being at risk of becoming impoverished. 7.21% of Cypriots are unemployed. Cyprus has a high economic disparity. Cyprus doesn’t have a minimum wage and Cypriot workers are expected to join guilds and unions. Non-unionized workers can bring up wage complaints with the courts that are determined on a case-by-case basis. Cyprus has a strong universal healthcare system. All population centers above 50,000 people have a public hospital that provides free care to all. No areas under the de facto control of the Republic of Cyprus are more than a thirty-minute drive from a hospital. Many wealthy Cypriots choose to pay for private care and a number of private hospitals exist throughout the country. The Cypriot economy shrunk 5.1% in 2020 and grew 3.3% in 2019.