Cyprus — map and facts

About Cyprus

Cyprus is an island nation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea with a population of approximately 1.2 million. It is the third-largest Mediterranean island and has been an EU member since 2004 and uses the euro since 2008. The capital is Nicosia, the world's last divided capital city; the northern third of the island has been under Turkish military control since 1974 and is administered as the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognised only by Turkey. The Republic of Cyprus, internationally recognised, governs the southern two-thirds. Greek Cypriots make up the majority, with Turkish Cypriots in the north. The economy is service-based, with tourism, shipping, and financial services as pillars. Cyprus has a well-educated population and a high Human Development Index.

Geography and Landscape

Cyprus is situated at the northeastern tip of the Mediterranean, south of Turkey and west of Lebanon. The island has two main mountain ranges: the Troodos Mountains in the west, reaching 1,952 metres at Mount Olympus, with copper deposits and pine forests; and the Kyrenia (Pentadaktylos) range along the northern coast. Between them lies the central Mesaoria plain, the main agricultural zone. The southern and western coasts are known for sandy beaches and resort towns such as Limassol, Paphos, and Ayia Napa. The climate is Mediterranean, with long hot summers, mild winters, and very little rainfall. Cyprus is one of the sunniest countries in Europe and the world, with over 300 days of sunshine annually.

History

Cyprus has been inhabited since at least 10,000 BC and is one of the oldest copper-producing sites in the world — the island's name is thought to derive from the Latin for copper (cuprum). Greek Mycenaeans settled the island around 1200 BC, establishing Hellenistic culture. Cyprus was subsequently ruled by Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Ptolemies, Romans, and Byzantines. It was conquered by Richard I of England during the Third Crusade (1191) and later sold to the Knights Templar and then the Crusader Lusignan dynasty. Venice controlled the island from 1489 until the Ottoman conquest in 1571. Britain acquired Cyprus in 1878 and made it a Crown Colony in 1925. Cyprus gained independence in 1960. The Turkish invasion of 1974 following a Greek-junta-backed coup created the division that persists today.