Cyprus Military - 2021

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Military and security forces

Republic of Cyprus: Cypriot National Guard (Ethniki Froura, EF, includes Army Land Forces, Naval Command, Air Command) (2021)

Military expenditures

1.6% of GDP (2019)

1.8% of GDP (2018)

1.6% of GDP (2017)

1.4% of GDP (2016)

1.7% of GDP (2015)

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Cypriot National Guard has approximately 15,000 total active duty personnel (2020)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the inventory of the Cypriot National Guard is a mix of Soviet-era and some more modern weapons systems; since 2010, it has received equipment from France, Israel, Italy, Oman, and Russia (2020)

Military service age and obligation

Cypriot National Guard (CNG): 18-50 years of age for compulsory military service for all Greek Cypriot males; 17 years of age for voluntary service; 12-month service obligation (2019)

Military - note

the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNICYP) was set up in 1964 to prevent further fighting between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities on the island and bring about a return to normal conditions; as of March 2020, the UNICYP mission consisted of about 830 personnel (2020)

NOTE: The information regarding Cyprus on this page is re-published from the 2021 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Cyprus 2021 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Cyprus 2021 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.