Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 00-11-06

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

Monday, 6 November 2000

CONTENTS

• [01] Cyprus signs 12th protocol of the European Convention of Human Rights
• [02] Cyprus and Estonia sign cooperation agreement
• [03] Demographic Report for 1999
• [04] Health and hospital statistics for 1999

[01] Cyprus signs 12th protocol of the European Convention of Human Rights

The 12th protocol prohibits negative discrimination in general and safeguards the rights provided by the laws of each country, without discrimination of race, sex, colour, language, religious or political belief, national or social background, association with a national minority, property or other entity.

Mr Koshis signed the protocol during the Ministerial Human Rights Conference in Rome, which coincided with the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the European Convention of Human Rights and Basic Freedoms of the Council of Europe.

[02] Cyprus and Estonia sign cooperation agreement

The Cyprus Ambassador to Finland, who is also accredited to Estonia, Mr Leonidas Markides and Estonian Foreign Minister Mr Toomas Hendrik Ilves, signed the agreement on behalf of their countries at an official ceremony at the Estonian Foreign Ministry on 30 October.

In a statement after the signing of the agreement, Mr Ilves stressed that his country attributes great significance to further strengthening bilateral relations with Cyprus, especially in view of the fact that Cyprus and Estonia are ahead of the other candidate countries for accession to the European Union.

On his part, Ambassador Markides said that the agreement undoubtedly strengthens the close cooperation of Cyprus and Estonia and extends it to new sectors. He also noted the common European course of the two countries, as well as the great progress made by them in this direction.

[03] Demographic Report for 1999

According to the report, the population in the Government-controlled area of the Republic is estimated at 666,800 at the end of 1999, recording an increase of 0,5% over the previous year.

In 1999, the number of births was 8,505 compared to 8,879 in 1998. Similarly, the total fertility rate, which gives the mean number of children per woman decreased from 1,92 in 1998 to 1,83 in 1999.

The number of deaths in 1999 reached 5,070, compared to 5,432 in 1998 with the infant mortality rate estimated at six infant deaths per thousand live births.

Women in Cyprus continue to live longer than men. Life tables for the period 1998-1999 put life expectation at 75,3 years for males and 80,4 for females.

The number of marriages in 1999 increased to 9,080 from 7,738 in 1998 with the number of civil weddings increasing from 4,091 to 5,148 and church weddings from 3,647 to 3,932.

Approximately one in five marriages in Cyprus end in divorce. In 1999, the number of divorces reached 1,193 from only 852 the previous year. The total divorce rate showing the proportion of marriages expected to end in divorce, was calculated in 1999 at 208 per 1,000 marriages while in 1980 the divorce rate stood at only 42 per 1,000 marriages.

The net immigration balance was stable with the number of Cypriot and foreign legal immigrants coming to Cyprus for settlement or temporary employment roughly the same as the number of emigrants from the island.

[04] Health and hospital statistics for 1999

On the basis of the available data for the public and private sectors, there were 357 persons per doctor in 1999, compared with 368 in 1998 and 483 in 1990. Last year, the number of persons per nurse reached 208 compared with 213 in 1998 and 234 in 1990. The number of persons per hospital bed was 216 in 1999 compared with 215 in 1998 and 170 in 1990.

During 1999, the expenditure of health services was estimated at 275 million Cyprus pounds, of which 92.8 million represent expenditure of the public sector and 182.2 million of the private sector. The share of expenditure on health as a percent to GNP increased from 4.1% in 1990 to 5.6% in 1999.

From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/

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