<item><hi format=bold>International disputes:</hi> 1974 hostilities divided the island into two de facto autonomous areas, a Greek area controlled by the Cypriot Government (60% of the island's land area) and a Turkish-Cypriot area (35% of the island), that are separated by a narrow UN buffer zone; in addition, there are two UK sovereign base areas (about 5% of the island's land area)
<item><hi format=bold>Climate:</hi> temperate, Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters
<item><hi format=bold>Terrain:</hi> central plain with mountains to north and south
<item>• <hi format=ital>meadows and pastures:</hi> 10%
<item>• <hi format=ital>forest and woodland:</hi> 18%
<item>• <hi format=ital>other:</hi> 25%
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<item><hi format=bold>Irrigated land:</hi> 350 sq km (1989)
<item><hi format=bold>Environment:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>current issues:</hi> water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, seasonal disparity in rainfall, and most potable resources concentrated in the Turkish Cypriot area); water pollution from sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of wildlife habitats from urbanization
<item>• <hi format=ital>international agreements:</hi> party to—Air Pollution, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified—Biodiversity, Climate Change