Cyprus Military - 2023

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Military and security forces

Republic of Cyprus: Cypriot National Guard (Ethniki Froura, EF; includes Army Land Forces, Naval Command, Air Command) (2023)

Military expenditures

2% of GDP (2022 est.)

2% of GDP (2021)

1.8% of GDP (2020)

1.6% of GDP (2019)

1.8% of GDP (2018)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 13,000 total active duty personnel (2022)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory is a mix of mostly Soviet-era weapons and equipment along with some more modern systems from several countries, including France, Israel, Russia, and Serbia (2023)

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; 14-month service obligation (2023)

note: the CNG accepts all foreign nationals of at least partial Cypriot descent under age 32 as volunteers; dual citizenship Cypriot origin citizens, who were born in Cyprus or abroad, have the obligation to serve in the CNG on repatriation, regardless of whether or not they possess a foreign citizenship; a person is considered as having Cypriot origin where a grandparent or parent was/is a Cypriot citizen

Military - note

the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) 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; the UN force patrols a buffer zone, also called the “Green Line,” that separates the two sides; the UNFICYP mission has about 800 personnel assigned (2023)

NOTE: The information regarding Cyprus on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Cyprus 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Cyprus 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.