About Cyprus

Geography

Situated on the north-eastern domain of the Mediterranean, Cyprus is the third largest island in the region. Neighbour to Africa, Europe and Asia, Cyprus has an area of 9,250 kilometres square.

Cyprus’ position in the Mediterranean allows the island to take pride in its geographic variety. Mountain tops are a maximum of 2 hrs drive from any position in Cyprus, whilst travelling there, visitors can admire the abundance of native plant life. The climate is very favourable as well. In January, snow fall whitens Troodos Mountain, while the sun will shine for an average of 6 hours per day, whereas temperatures will rarely fall beneath 19 degrees Celsius (63 degrees Fahrenheit) on inland and coastal areas. During this season, the salt lakes in Cyprus are visited and habituated by migratory birds, mostly pink flamingos. In the summer time, the sun shines for an average 11 hours, allowing for a plethora of beach activities to be undertaken.

The Greek language is the national language of Cyprus, and English is widely spoken throughout the island. Cypriots are mostly Greek Orthodox Cypriots.

History

Over 9,000 years old, the island was once Anthony’s gift to Cleopatra and the birthplace of the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite, as mythology has it. In addition, Cyprus’ rich heritage is manifested in the plethora of Stone Age ruins, Greek temples, Roman theatres, Venetian structures and Byzantine churches. This is because Cyprus is strategically positioned in the Mediterranean. As such many chief leaders throughout history targeted and seized the island to extend their empires. Due to this, Cyprus as a nation understands well the concept of uproar as it was dominated by the Assyrians, Egyptians, Romans, Islamic, Crusaders, Byzantines, Venetians and Ottomans throughout different periods. Living through a Crown colony of the UK in 1925 as well, Cyprus gained its independence in 1960 finally. However, the island has been divided since 1974 after Turkey invaded Cyprus. Ever since, peace talks have been on going in an attempt to re-unify the island.

A desired holiday destination, Cyprus is an attraction for its gourmet dishes and its variety in outdoor activities. Cyprus’ cuisine has been influenced by its positioning the Mediterranean as well as its vibrant heritage of Venetians, Greek, British and Near Eastern countries. With the aid of the sun, which shines approximately 340 days a year, holiday makers spend their time water sporting, hiking, parachuting and sky diving, as well as camping on the coast or mountain terrains. In the evenings, outings begin relatively late and finish in the early hours of the morning.

Locals are as warm as the summer sun and are accustomed to foreigners as they welcome them with open arms. Often English speaking, locals will aim to please and frequently go out of their way to achieve this. This openness is mirrored in the charming villages but remains as strong in the cities.

The Cypriot economy is small, diversified, and prosperous. With a moderate industry, a healthy service sectors and the rapid growth in exports of agricultural and manufactured products as well as in tourism have all played important roles in making the Cyprus Pound very strong amongst other currencies, which has turned Cyprus into a developed nation.