Cyprus (pronounced /ˈsaɪprəs/ ( listen); Greek Greek , an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, is the language of the Greeks. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. In its ancient form, it is the language of classical ancient Greek literature and the New Testament of: Κύπρος, Kýpros Romanization of Greek is the representation of Greek language texts, that are usually written in the Greek alphabet, with the Latin alphabet, or a system for doing so. There are several methods for the romanization of Greek, especially depending whether the language written with Greek letters is Ancient Greek or Modern Greek and whether a phonetic, IPA: [ˈcipros]; Turkish Turkish (Türkçe IPA [ˈt̪yɾktʃe] ) is spoken as a first language by over 77 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Cyprus, with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania and other parts of Eastern: Kıbrıs), officially the Republic of Cyprus (Greek Greek , an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, is the language of the Greeks. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. In its ancient form, it is the language of classical ancient Greek literature and the New Testament of: Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία, Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía, IPA: [cipriaˈci ðimokraˈtia]; Turkish Turkish (Türkçe IPA [ˈt̪yɾktʃe] ) is spoken as a first language by over 77 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Cyprus, with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania and other parts of Eastern: Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti) is an Eurasian Eurasia is a large landmass covering about 52,990,000 km2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface (36.2% of the land area). Often considered a single continent, Eurasia comprises the traditional continents of Europe and Asia (with Eurasia being a portmanteau of the two), concepts which date back to classical antiquity and the borders for which are island country An island country is a country whose primary territory consists of one or more islands or parts of islands[citation needed]. As of 2008, forty-seven (appoximately 25%) of the world's countries are island countries in the Eastern Mediterranean The Eastern Mediterranean is a term that denotes the lands or states geographically in the eastern, to the east of, or around the east of the Mediterranean Sea, or with cultural affinities to this region. The Eastern Mediterranean includes Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, and Jordan. This region is also known as the Levant or Fertile,[6][7] south of Turkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( Türkiye Cumhuriyeti (help·info)), is a Eurasian country situated in the Anatolian peninsula, located in Western Asia, and Eastern Thrace, located in southeastern Europe. Turkey is one of the six independent Turkic states. Turkey is bordered by eight countries: Bulgaria to the northwest; and west of Syria Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic: الجمهورية العربية السورية‎), is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest and Lebanon Lebanon (pronounced /ˈlɛbənɒn/ or /ˈlɛbənən/; Arabic: لُبْنَان‎ Lubnān; French: Liban), officially the Republic of Lebanon[nb 1] (Arabic: اَلْجُمْهُورِيَّة اَللُّبْنَانِيَّة al-Jumhūrīyah al-Lubnānīyah; French: République libanaise), is a country on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean. It is the third largest island Categories: Mediterranean islands | Lists of islands | Mediterranean in the Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by the Levant. The sea is technically a part of the Atlantic Ocean, although it is usually identified as a completely separate and one of its most popular tourist destinations.[8] An advanced The term developed country is used to describe countries that have a high level of development according to some criteria. Which criteria, and which countries are classified as being developed, is a contentious issue and is surrounded by fierce debate. Economic criteria have tended to dominate discussions. One such criterion is income per capita;,[9] high-income economy A high-income economy is defined by the World Bank as a country with a Gross National Income per capita of $11,906 or more in 2008. While the term "high income" may be used interchangeably with "First World" and "developed country", the technical definitions of these terms differ. The term "first world" with a very high Human Development Index The Human Development Index is a composite statistic used as an index to rank countries by level of "human development" and separate developed (high development), developing (middle development), and underdeveloped (low development) countries. The statistic is composed from statistics for Life Expectancy, Education, and GDP collected at,[10][11] the Republic of Cyprus was a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement The Non-Aligned Movement is an intergovernmental organization of states considering themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. The movement is largely the brainchild of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, president of Egypt Gamal Abdul Nasser and Yugoslav president Josip Broz Tito. It was founded in Belgrade (1 until it joined the European Union The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 member states which are located primarily in Europe. Committed to regional integration, the EU was established by the Treaty of Maastricht in 1993 upon the foundations of the European Communities. With over 500 million citizens, the EU combined generated an estimated 28% share (US$ 16.5 on 1 May 2004.[12][13]

The earliest known human activity Cyprus was not settled in the old stone age, which allowed survival of numerous dwarf forms, such as dwarf elephants and pygmy hippos (Hippopotamus minor) well into the Holocene. These animals are thought to have arrived on the island as a result of being swept out to sea while swimming off the coast of the nearby mainland. There are claims of an on the island dates back to around the 10th millennium BC The 10th millennium BC marks the beginning of the Mesolithic and Epipaleolithic period, which is the first part of the Holocene epoch. Agriculture, based on the cultivation of primitive forms of millet and rice, occurred in Southwest Asia. Although agriculture was being developed in the Turkish Highlands and the Fertile Crescent, it would not be. Archaeological remains from this period include the well-preserved Neolithic The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BCE in the Middle East that is traditionally considered the last part of the Stone Age. The Neolithic followed the terminal Holocene Epipalaeolithic period, beginning with the rise of farming, which produced the " village of Choirokoitia Choirokoitia (Greek:Χοιροκοιτία) is an archaeological site on the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea, dating from the Neolithic age. It has been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 1998 (also known as Khirokitia), which has been declared a World Heritage Site A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance. The list is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 state parties which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term by UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945. Its stated purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through education, science, and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, the rule of, along with the Tombs of the Kings The Tombs of the Kings is a large necropolis lying about two kilometres (little over a mile) north-west of Paphos harbour in Cyprus. Cyprus is home to some of the oldest water wells in the world,[14] and is the site of the earliest known example of feline Felinae is a subfamily of the family Felidae which includes the genera and species listed below. Most are small to medium-sized cats, although the group does include some larger animals, such as the Cougar and Cheetah. The earliest records of the Felinae are ascribed Felis attica from the late Miocene of western Eurasia domestication Domestication or taming is the process whereby a population of animals or plants, through a process of selection, becomes accustomed to human provision and control. A defining characteristic of domestication is artificial selection by humans. Some species such as the Asian Elephant, numerous members of which have for many centuries been used as.[15][16] As a strategic location in the Middle East The Middle East is a region that encompasses southwestern Asia and Egypt. In some contexts, the term has recently been expanded in usage to sometimes include Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Caucasus and Central Asia, and North Africa. It's often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East. The corresponding adjective is Middle-Eastern,[17][18][19][20] Cyprus has been occupied by several major powers The term empire derives from the Latin imperium. Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples united and ruled either by a monarch (emperor, empress) or an oligarchy. Geopolitically, the term empire has denoted very different, territorially-extreme states — at the strong end, the extensive Spanish Empire (16th, including the empires of the Hittites The Hittites were an ancient Anatolian people who spoke a language of the Anatolian branch of the Indo-European language family and established a kingdom centered at Hattusa in north-central Anatolia (on the Central Anatolian plateau) ca. the 18th century BC. The Hittite empire reached its height ca. the 14th century BC, encompassing a large part, Assyrians The Neo-Assyrian Empire was a period of Mesopotamian history which began in 934 BC and ended in 608 BC. During this period, Assyria assumed a position as possibly the most powerful nation on earth, and vying with Babylonia and other lesser powers for dominance of the region, though not until the reforms of Tiglath-Pileser III in the 8th century BC,, Egyptians Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. The civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh, and it developed over the next three millennia. Its history, Persians The Achaemenid Empire , also known as the Persian Empire, was the successor state of the Median Empire, ruling over significant portions of what would become Greater Iran. The Persian and the Median Empire taken together are also known as the Medo-Persian Empire, which encompassed the combined territories of several earlier empires, Rashiduns The Rashidun Caliphate , also known as the Rightly-Guided Caliphate, comprising the first four caliphs in Islam's history, was founded after Muhammad's death in 632. At its height, the Caliphate extended from the Arabian Peninsula, to the Levant, Caucasus and North Africa in the west, to the Iranian highlands and Central Asia in the east. It was, Umayyads The Umayyad Caliphate was the second of the four Islamic caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. It was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty, whose name derives from Umayya ibn Abd Shams, the great-grandfather of the first Umayyad caliph. Although the Umayyad family originally came from the city of Mecca, Damascus was the capital of their, Lusignans The Lusignan family originated in Poitou near Lusignan in western France in the early 10th century. By the end of the 11th century, they had risen to become the most prominent petty lords in the region from their castle at Lusignan. In the late 12th century, through marriage and inheritance, a cadet branch of the family came to control the, Venetians The Most Serene Republic of Venice (Venetian: Repùblica Vèneta or Repùblica de Venesia, Italian: Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia) or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century AD until the year 1797. It is often referred to as La and Ottomans Throughout the period of Venetian rule, Ottoman Turks raided and attacked the peoples of Cyprus at will. The Greek population of Cyprus were given weapons by their rulers the Venetians and fought the attacking Ottomans.The island of Aphrotite was also controlled by their homogenous Ptolemais and Byzantines. In 333 B.C., Alexander the Great took over the island from the Persians. It was placed under British administration In 1878 as the result of the Cyprus Convention, the United Kingdom took over the government of Cyprus as a protectorate from the Ottoman Empire. The first British High Commissioner was Lieutenant-General Sir Garnet Joseph Wolseley in 1878 until it was granted independence in 1960,[21] becoming a member of the Commonwealth The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and previously as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states. All but two of these countries were formerly part of the British Empire the following year.

In 1974, following 11 years of intercommunal violence Cypriot intercommunal violence refers to periods of inter-ethnic conflict between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots on the island of Cyprus from 1930 to 1974[22] and an attempted coup d'état by Greek Cypriot nationalists EOKA-B was a Greek Cypriot paramilitary organisation formed in 1971. It followed a right-wing nationalistic ideology and had the ultimate goal of achieving the enosis of Cyprus with Greece. During its short history, the organisation's chief aim was to block any attempt to enforce upon the Cyprus people what the organisation considered to be an,[23][24] Turkey invaded and occupied The Turkish invasion of Cyprus (Greek: Τουρκική εισβολή στην Κύπρο, known in Turkey as Kıbrıs Barış Harekâtı , Kıbrıs Harekâtı (Cyprus Operation) or by its Turkish Armed Forces code name Atilla Harekâtı (Operation Atilla), launched on 20 July 1974, was a Turkish military invasion in response to a Greek military the northern portion of the island. The intercommunal violence and subsequent Turkish invasion led to the displacement Cypriot refugees are the Cypriot nationals or Cyprus residents who had their main residence in an area forcibly evacuated during the Cyprus conflict, as well as their descendants on the male line (fathers pass on their refugee status to their children regardless of their place of birth).[citation needed] of hundreds of thousands of Cypriots and the establishment of a separate Turkish Cypriot Turkish Cypriots are the ethnic Turks of Cyprus and members of the Turkish-speaking ethnolinguistic community of the Eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus. The term is sometimes used to refer explicitly to the indigenous Turkish-speaking Cypriots, as opposed to the Turkish migrants who have settled since the Turkish occupation of Cyprus. A large political entity in the north. These events and the resulting political situation are matters of ongoing dispute The Cyprus dispute is a conflict between Greece and Turkey over Cyprus, an island nation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Since the arrival of the British on the island of Cyprus, the "Cyprus Dispute" was identified as the conflict between the people of Cyprus and the United Kingdom as a colonial ruler. The core of the dispute was the.

The Republic of Cyprus has de jure De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact" sovereignty Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided. The concept has been discussed, debated and questioned throughout history, from the time of the Romans through to the present day, over the entire island of Cyprus and its surrounding waters except small portions that are allocated by treaty to the United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland[note 7] is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of the island of Ireland, and many small islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK with a land as sovereign military bases A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by and/or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. The Republic of Cyprus is de facto partitioned into two main parts, the area under the effective control of the Republic of Cyprus, comprising about 59% of the island's area and the Turkish-occupied area in the north,[25] calling itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, covering about 37% of the island's area and recognized only by Turkey.

Contents

Toponymy

The name Cyprus has a somewhat uncertain toponymy. One suggestion is that it comes from the Greek word for the Mediterranean cypress tree (Cupressus sempervirens), κυπάρισσος (kypárissos), or even from the Greek name of the henna plant (Lawsonia alba), κύπρος (kýpros). Another school suggests that it stems from the Eteocypriot word for copper. Georges Dossin, for example, suggests that it has roots in the Sumerian word for copper (zubar) or for bronze (kubar), from the large deposits of copper ore found on the island. The earliest attested refer to Cyprus is the Mycenaean Greek ku-pi-ri-jo, meaning "Cypriot", written in Linear b syllabic script.[26]

Through overseas trade the island has given its name to the Classical Latin word for copper through the phrase aes Cyprium, "metal of Cyprus", later shortened to Cuprum.[27] Cyprus is also known as the Island of Aphrodite, or Love[28] since according to Phoenician mythology, Astarte, goddess of love and beauty, who was later identified with the Greek goddess Aphrodite, was born on the shores of Paphos.

The standard demonym relating to Cyprus or its people or culture is Cypriot. The terms Cypriote and Cyprian are also, less frequently, used.

History

Main article: History of Cyprus

Ancient times

Temple to Apollon Ilatis outside the city of Limassol Kourion Theatre outside the city of Limassol Main article: Ancient history of Cyprus

The earliest confirmed site of human activity on Cyprus is Aetokremnos, situated on the south coast, indicating that hunter-gatherers were active on the island from around 10,000 BC,[29] with settled village communities dating from 8200 BC. The arrival of the first humans correlates with the extinction of the dwarf hippos and dwarf elephants.[30] Water wells discovered by archaeologists in western Cyprus are believed to be among the oldest in the world, dated at 9,000 to 10,500 years old.[14]

Remains of an 8-month-old cat were discovered buried with its human owner at a separate Neolithic site in Cyprus.[15] The grave is estimated to be 9,500 years old, predating ancient Egyptian civilization and pushing back the earliest known feline-human association significantly.[16] The remarkably well-preserved Neolithic village of Choirokoitia (also known as Khirokitia) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating to approximately 6800 BC.[31]

The island was part of the Hittite empire during the late Bronze Age until the arrival of two waves of Greek settlement.[32] The first wave consisted of Mycenaean Greek traders, which started visiting Cyprus around 1400 BC. A major wave of Greek settlement is believed to have taken place following the Bronze Age collapse of Mycenaean Greece in the period 1100–1050 BC, with the island's predominantly Greek character dating from this period.[33][34] Cyprus occupies an important role in Greek mythology being the birthplace of Aphrodite and Adonis, and home to King Cinyras, Teucer and Pygmalion.[35] Beginning in the 8th century BC Phoenician colonies were founded on the south coast of Cyprus, near present day Larnaca and Salamis.[33]

Cyprus was ruled by Assyria for a century starting in 708 BC, before a brief spell under Egyptian rule and eventually Persian rule in 545 BC.[33] The Cypriots, led by Onesilos, king of Salamis, joined their fellow Greeks in the Ionian cities during the unsuccessful Ionian Revolt in 499 BC against the Achaemenid Empire. The revolt was suppressed without bloodshed, although Cyprus managed to maintain a high degree of autonomy and remained oriented towards the Greek world.[33]

The island was brought under permanent Greek rule by Alexander the Great and the Ptolemies of Egypt following his death. Full Hellenization took place during the Ptolemaic period, which ended when Cyprus was annexed by the Roman Republic in 58 BC.

Middle Ages

Main article: Cyprus in the Middle Ages Catherine Cornaro, Queen of Cyprus.

When the Roman Empire was divided into Eastern and Western parts in 395, Cyprus became part of the East Roman, or Byzantine Empire, and would remain part of it until the crusades some 800 years later. Under Byzantine rule, the Greek orientation that had been prominent since antiquity developed the strong Hellenistic-Christian character that continues to be a hallmark of the Greek Cypriot community.[33] Beginning in 649, Cyprus suffered from devastating raids launched from the Levant, which continued from the next 300 years.[33] Many were quick piratical raids, but others were large-scale attacks in which many Cypriots were slaughtered and great wealth carried off or destroyed.[33]

No Byzantine churches survive from this period, thousands were killed, and many cities, such as Salamis, were destroyed and never rebuilt.[33] Byzantine rule was restored in 965, when General Nikephoros Phokas (later Emperor) scored decisive victories on land and sea.[33] In 1191, during the Third Crusade, Richard I of England captured the island from Isaac Komnenos of Cyprus[36] He used it as a major supply base that was relatively safe from the Saracens. A year later Richard sold the island to the Knights Templar, who, following a bloody revolt, in turn sold it to Guy of Lusignan. His brother and successor Amalric was recognized as King of Cyprus by Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor.[33]

Following the death in 1473 of James II, the last Lusignan king, the Republic of Venice assumed control of the island, while his Venetian widow, Queen Caterina Cornaro reigned as figurehead. Venice formally annexed Cyprus in 1489, following the abdication of Caterina.[33] The Venetians fortified Nicosia by building the famous Venetian Walls, and used it as an important commercial hub. Throughout Venetian rule, the Ottoman Empire frequently raided Cyprus. In 1539 the Ottomans destroyed Limassol and so fearing the worst, the Venetians also fortified Famagusta and Kyrenia.[33]

During the almost four centuries of Latin rule, there existed two societies on Cyprus. The first consisted of Frankish nobles and their retinue, as well as Italian merchants and their families. The second, the majority of the population, consisted of Greek Cypriots serfs and laborers. Although a determined effort was made to supplant native traditions and culture, the effort failed.[33]

Ottoman Empire

Main article: Cyprus under the Ottoman Empire Historic map of Cyprus by Ottoman Empire's Kaptan Pasha, Piri Reis

In 1570, a full scale Ottoman assault with 60,000 troops brought the island under Ottoman control, despite stiff resistance by the inhabitants of Nicosia and Famagusta. 20,000 Nicosians were put to death, and every church, public building, and palace was looted.[37] The previous Latin elite was destroyed and the first significant demographic change since antiquity took place when Ottoman Janissaries were settled on the island.[23]

The Ottomans abolished the feudal system previously in place and applied the millet system to Cyprus, under which non-Muslim peoples were governed by their own religious authorities. In a reversal from the days of Latin rule, the head of the Church of Cyprus was invested as leader of the Greek Cypriot population and acted as mediator between Christian Greek Cypriots and the Ottoman authorities.[37] Ottoman rule of Cyprus was at times indifferent, at times oppressive, depending on the temperaments of the sultans and local officials, and during this period the island fell into economic decline.[37]

Reaction to Ottoman misrule led to uprisings by both Greek and Turkish Cypriots, although none were successful. By 1872, the population of the island had risen to 144,000 comprising 44,000 Muslims and 100,000 Christians.[38] Centuries of neglect by the Turks, the unrelenting poverty of most of the people, and the ever-present tax collectors fueled Greek nationalism, and by 19th century the idea of enosis, or union, with newly independent Greece was firmly rooted among Greek Cypriots.[37]

Modern History

Main article: Modern history of Cyprus

In the aftermath of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878), administration, but not sovereignty, of the island was ceded to the British Empire in 1878 in exchange for guarantees that Britain would use the island as a base to protect the Ottoman Empire against possible Russian aggression.[33] The island would serve Britain as a key military base in its colonial routes. By 1906, when the Famagusta harbour was completed, Cyprus was a strategic naval outpost overlooking the Suez Canal, the crucial main route to India which was then Britain's most important colony. Following the outbreak of World War I and the entry of the Ottoman Empire on the side of the Central powers, the United Kingdom annexed the island in 1914.[33]

In 1915, Britain offered Cyprus to Constantine I of Greece on condition that Greece join the war on the side of the British, which he declined. In 1923, under the Treaty of Lausanne, the nascent Turkish republic relinquished any claim to Cyprus and in 1925 it was declared a British Crown Colony.[33] Many Greek Cypriots fought in the British Army during both World Wars, in the hope that Cyprus would eventually be united with Greece.[39] During World War II many enlisted in the Cyprus Regiment.

In January 1959, the Church of Cyprus organized a referendum, which was boycotted by the Turkish Cypriot community, where over 90%[clarification needed] voted in favor of "enosis", meaning union with Greece.[40][41] Restricted autonomy under a constitution was proposed by the British administration but eventually rejected. In 1955 the EOKA organisation was founded, seeking independence and union with Greece through armed struggle. At the same time the TMT, calling for Taksim, or partition, was established by the Turkish Cypriots as a counterweight.[42] Turmoil on the island was met with force by the British.

Independence

On August 16, 1960, Cyprus attained independence after an agreement in Zürich and London between the United Kingdom, Greece and Turkey. The UK retained the two Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia while government posts and public offices were allocated by ethnic quotas giving the minority Turks a permanent veto, 30% in parliament and administration, and granting the 3 mother-states guarantor rights.

In 1963 inter-communal violence broke out, partially sponsored by both "motherlands" with Turkish Cypriots being forced into enclaves and Cypriot President Archbishop Makarios III calling for unilateral constitutional changes as a means to ease tensions over the whole island. The United Nations was involved and the United Nations forces in Cyprus (UNFICYP) deployed at flash points.[43]

In 1964, Turkey attempted to invade Cyprus[44] in response to the ongoing Cypriot intercommunal violence, but was stopped by a strongly worded telegram from the U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson on June 5, 1964; who warned that the United States would not stand beside Turkey in case of a consequential Soviet invasion of Turkish territory.[45]

Current dispute

Main articles: Greek military junta of 1967–1974 and Turkish invasion of Cyprus

Following a coup d'état engineered by the Greek Junta, Turkey launched a full-scale military invasion of the island in 1974. The Turkish air force began bombing Greek positions on Cyprus, hundreds of paratroops were dropped in the area between Nicosia and Kyrenia, where well-armed Turkish Cypriot enclaves had been long-established, while off the Kyrenia coast 30 Turkish troop ships protected by destroyers landed 6,000 men as well as tanks, trucks, and armored vehicles.

Three days later, when a ceasefire had been agreed, Turkey had landed 30,000 troops on the island and captured Kyrenia, the corridor linking Kyrenia to Nicosia, and the Turkish-Cypriot quarter of Nicosia. The junta in Athens, and then the Sampson regime in Cyprus fell from power. In Nicosia Glafkos Clerides assumed the presidency and constitutional order was restored; ostensibly removing the pretext the Turks gave for the invasion. The Turks used a period of negotiations to reinforce their Kyrenia bridgehead and prepare for the second phase of the invasion, which began on 14 August and resulted in the seizure of Morphou, Karpasia, Ammochostos and the Mesaoria. The Greek forces were unable to resist the Turkish advance.

International pressure led to a ceasefire at which point 37% of the island had been taken over by the Turks and 180,000 Greek Cypriots were evicted from their homes in the north. At the same time, around 50,000 Turkish Cypriots moved to the areas under the control of the Turkish Forces and settled in the properties of the displaced Greek Cypriots. In mid-1975, the United States Congress amongst a variety of sanctions against Turkey, imposed an arms embargo on Turkey for using American-supplied equipment during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974.[46]

In 1983 Turkish Cypriots proclaimed the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus which is recognised only by Turkey.

As of today, there are 1,534 Greek Cypriots[47] and 502 Turkish Cypriots[48] missing as a result of the fighting. The events of the summer of 1974 dominate the politics on the island, as well as Greco-Turkish relations. Around 150,000 settlers from Turkey are believed to be living in the north in violation of the Geneva Convention and various UN resolutions.[49][50] Following the invasion and the capture of its northern territory by Turkish troops, the Republic of Cyprus announced that all of its ports of entry in the north are closed, as they are effectively not under its control.

The last major effort to settle the Cyprus dispute was the Annan Plan. It gained the support of the Turkish Cypriots but was rejected by the Greek Cypriots, who perceived the Annan Plan to be both unbalanced and excessively pro-Turkish.[51]

In July 2006, the island served as a safe haven for people fleeing Lebanon because of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.[52]

In March 2008, a wall that for decades had stood at the boundary between the Greek Cypriot controlled side and the UN buffer zone was demolished.[53] The wall had cut across Ledra Street in the heart of Nicosia and was seen as a strong symbol of the island's 32-year division. On 3 April 2008, Ledra Street was reopened in the presence of Greek and Turkish Cypriot officials.[54]

Geography

Main article: Geography of Cyprus Topographic image of Cyprus

Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean (after the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia) and the world's 81st largest. It measures 240 kilometers long from end to end and 100 km wide at its widest point, with Turkey 75 km to the north. Other neighbouring territories include Syria and Lebanon to the east (105 km and 108 km, respectively), Israel 200 km to the southeast, Egypt 380 km to the south, and Greece to the west-northwest: 280 km to the small Dodecanesian island of Kastellórizo (Meyísti), 400 km to Rhodes, and 800 km to the Greek mainland.

The physical relief of the island is dominated by two mountain ranges, the Troodos Mountains and the smaller Kyrenia Range, and the central plain they encompass, the Mesaoria. The Troodos Mountains cover most of the southern and western portions of the island and account for roughly half its area. The highest point on Cyprus is Mount Olympus at 1,952 m (6,404.20 ft), located in the center of the Troodos range. The narrow Kyrenia Range, extending along the northern coastline, occupies substantially less area, and elevations are lower, reaching a maximum of 1,024 m (3,359.58 ft).

Geopolitically, the island is subdivided into four main segments. The Republic of Cyprus, the internationally recognized government, occupies the southern two-thirds of the island (59.74%). The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus occupies the northern third (34.85%) of the island and is recognized only by Turkey, as it consists of the Turkish-occupied areas. The United Nations-controlled Green Line is a buffer zone that separates the two and covers 2.67% of the island. Lastly, two bases under British sovereignty are located on the island: Akrotiri and Dhekelia, covering the remaining 2.74%.

Climate

Cyprus has a Mediterranean climate along the coast and Semi-arid climate around the capital Nicosia with long, hot and dry summers. Winters are relatively mild with rain between mostly December and February. Snow is possible in the Troodos mountains.

Nicosia
Climate chart ()
J F M A M J J A S O N D
48 15 5 47 16 5 37 19 6 22 24 10 22 30 15 7 34 19 1 37 22 7 37 22 6 34 19 22 28 15 31 22 10 58 17 7
average max. and min. temperatures in °C
precipitation totals in mm
source: World Meteorological Organization
Imperial conversion
J F M A M J J A S O N D
1.9 60 41 1.9 61 41 1.5 66 44 0.9 76 50 0.9 86 58 0.3 93 66 0 98 71 0.3 98 71 0.2 92 65 0.9 83 59 1.2 71 50 2.3 63 44
average max. and min. temperatures in °F
precipitation totals in inches
Larnaca
Climate chart ()
J F M A M J J A S O N D
78 17 8 41 17 7 34 19 9 18 23 12 8.8 27 16 2.7 30 20 0.6 32 22 0.4 33 23 7.1 31 20 14 28 17 53 23 13 95 18 9
average max. and min. temperatures in °C
precipitation totals in mm
source: World Meteorological Organization
Imperial conversion
J F M A M J J A S O N D
3.1 62 46 1.6 62 44 1.4 66 48 0.7 73 53 0.3 80 61 0.1 87 68 0 90 72 0 91 73 0.3 88 68 0.5 83 63 2.1 73 55 3.7 65 49
average max. and min. temperatures in °F
precipitation totals in inches
Pafos
Climate chart ()
J F M A M J J A S O N D
80 17 8 64 17 8 34 19 9 19 21 11 5.3 24 15 1.6 28 18 0.3 30 20 0 30 21 3.8 29 19 18 27 16 66 23 13 94 19 10
average max. and min. temperatures in °C
precipitation totals in mm
source: World Meteorological Organization
Imperial conversion
J F M A M J J A S O N D
3.2 63 46 2.5 62 46 1.4 65 48 0.7 70 52 0.2 76 58 0.1 82 64 0 86 69 0 87 70 0.1 84 66 0.7 80 62 2.6 73 55 3.7 65 49
average max. and min. temperatures in °F
precipitation totals in inches
Troodos Mountains
Climate chart ()
J F M A M J J A S O N D
133 6 1 124 7 0 82 10 3 57 15 6 26 21 11 40 25 15 12 28 18 10 28 18 9.5 24 15 24 20 11 103 13 6 170 8 3
average max. and min. temperatures in °C
precipitation totals in mm
source: http://www.cyprus-weather.org
Imperial conversion
J F M A M J J A S O N D
5.3 43 34 4.9 45 32 3.2 50 37 2.2 59 43 1 70 52 1.6 77 59 0.5 82 64 0.4 82 64 0.4 75 59 0.9 68 52 4 55 43 6.7 46 37
average max. and min. temperatures in °F
precipitation totals in inches

Government

Main articles: Politics of Cyprus and Foreign relations of Cyprus
Cyprus

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Cyprus

See also Politics of Northern Cyprus
Other countries · Atlas Politics portal
The Presidential Palace (Residence) in Nicosia.

Cyprus is a Presidential republic. The head of state and of the government is the President who is elected by a process of Universal suffrage for a five-year term. Executive power is exercised by the government with legislative power vested in the House of Representatives whilst the Judiciary is independent of both the executive and the legislature.

The 1960 Constitution provided for a presidential system of government with independent executive, legislative and judicial branches as well as a complex system of checks and balances including a weighted power-sharing ratio designed to protect the interests of the Turkish Cypriots. The executive was led by a Greek Cypriot president and a Turkish Cypriot vice president elected by their respective communities for five-year terms and each possessing a right of veto over certain types of legislation and executive decisions. Legislative power rested on the House of Representatives who were also elected on the basis of separate voters' rolls.

Following clashes between the two communities the Turkish Cypriot seats in the House remain vacant since 1965. Turkish Cypriots refused to establish the state of affairs before the invasion of Cyprus as is evident in the Secretary-General of the United Nations who said The Turkish Cypriot leaders have adhered to a rigid stand against any measures which might involve having members of the two communities live and work together, or which might place Turkish Cypriots in situations where they would have to acknowledge the authority of Government agents. Indeed, since the Turkish Cypriot leadership is committed to physical and geographical separation of the communities as a political goal, it is not likely to encourage activities by Turkish Cypriots which may be interpreted as demonstrating the merits of an alternative policy. The result has been a seemingly deliberate policy of self-segregation by the Turkish Cypriots[55] By 1974 the two communities had returned to a more tolerant state of living.[55]

In 1974 Cyprus was divided de facto into the Greek Cypriot controlled southern two-thirds of the island and the Turkish controlled northern third. The Turkish Cypriots subsequently declared independence in 1983 as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus but were recognized only by Turkey. In 1985 the TRNC adopted a constitution and held its first elections. The United Nations recognizes the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus over the entire island of Cyprus.

The House of Representatives currently has 59 members elected for a five year term, 56 members by proportional representation and 3 observer members representing the Armenian, Latin and Maronite minorities. 24 seats are allocated to the Turkish community but remain vacant since 1964. The political environment is dominated by the communist AKEL, the liberal conservative Democratic Rally, the centrist[56] Democratic Party, the social-democratic EDEK and the centrist EURO.KO.

On 17 February 2008 Dimitris Christofias of the AKEL was elected President of Cyprus, on AKEL's first electoral victory without being part of a wider coalition. Cyprus is currently one of only two countries in the world to have a democratically elected communist government (the other being Nepal), and the only European Union member state under communist leadership. Christofias took over government from Tassos Papadopoulos of the Democratic Party who had been in office since February 2003.

Districts

Main articles: Districts of Cyprus and List of cities, towns and villages in Cyprus

The Republic of Cyprus is divided into six districts:[57] Nicosia, Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos.

Map of Cyprus Districts Greek name Turkish name
Nicosia Larnaca Limassol Paphos Akrotiri Kyrenia Famagusta Dhekelia Famagusta Αμμόχωστος (Ammochostos) Gazimağusa
Kyrenia Κερύvεια (Keryneia) Girne
Larnaca Λάρνακα (Larnaka) Larnaka/İskele
Lemesos Λεμεσός (Lemesos) Limasol/Leymosun
Nicosia Λευκωσία (Lefkosia) Lefkoşa
Paphos Πάφος (Pafos/Bafos) Baf/Gazibaf

Exclaves and enclaves

Pyrgos, a Greek Cypriot exclave on Morphou Bay

Cyprus has four exclaves, all in territory that belongs to the British Sovereign Base Area of Dhekelia. The first two are the villages of Ormidhia and Xylotymvou. The third is the Dhekelia Power Station which is divided by a British road into two parts. The northern part is an exclave, like the two villages, whereas the southern part is located by the sea and therefore not an exclave although it has no territorial waters of its own.[58]

The UN buffer zone runs up against Dhekelia and picks up again from its east side off Ayios Nikolaos and is connected to the rest of Dhekelia by a thin land corridor. In that sense the buffer zone turns the Paralimni area on the southeast corner of the island into a de facto, though not de jure, exclave.

Pyrgos is a de facto exclave of the government-controlled part of the island. It is the only Greek Cypriot town located on the TRNC-controlled Morphou Bay.

Human rights

The constant focus on the division of the island can sometimes mask other human rights issues. Prostitution is rife in both the government-controlled and the Turkish-controlled regions leading to the government being criticised for its lack of controls[59] and for the role of Cyprus in the sex trade as one of the main destinations for human trafficking from Eastern Europe.[60] The Turkish-controlled regime has been the focus of occasional freedom of speech criticisms[61] regarding heavy-handed treatment of newspaper editors.

Domestic violence legislation remains largely unimplemented[62] and mistreatment of domestic staff, mostly immigrant workers from developing countries, are sometimes reported in the Cypriot press[63] and are the subject of several campaigns by the anti-racist charity KISA.

Military

Main article: Military of Cyprus

The Cypriot National Guard is the main military institution of the Republic of Cyprus. It is an combined arms force, with land, air and naval elements. The National Guard is a required 24 month service for all men upon completing their 18th birthday.

The land forces of the Cypriot National Guard comprise the following units:

The air force includes the 449th Helicopter Gunship Squadron (449 ΜΑΕ) – operating SA-342L and Bell 206 and the 450th Helicopter Gunship Squadron (450 ME/P) – operating Mi-35P, BN-2B and PC-9. Current Senior officers include Supreme Commander, Cypriot National Guard: Lt. Gen. Konstantinos Bisbikas, Deputy Commander, Cypriot National Guard: Lt. Gen. Savvas Argyrou and Chief of Staff, Cypriot National Guard: Maj. Gen. Gregory Stamoulis.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Cyprus

The Cypriot economy is prosperous and has diversified in recent years.[64] According to the latest IMF estimates, its per capita GDP (adjusted for purchasing power) at $28,381 is just above the average of the European Union.[65] Cyprus has been sought as a base for several offshore businesses for its highly developed infrastructure. Economic policy of the Cyprus government has focused on meeting the criteria for admission to the European Union. Adoption of the euro as a national currency is required of all new countries joining the European Union and the Cypriot government adopted the currency on 1 January 2008.[64]

Oil has recently been discovered in the seabed between Cyprus and Egypt and talks are underway between Lebanon and Egypt to reach an agreement regarding the exploration of these resources.[66] The seabed separating Lebanon and Cyprus is believed to hold significant quantities of crude oil and natural gas.[66] However the government of Cyprus states that the Turkish Navy doesn't allow the exploration of oil in the region.[66][67]

The economy of TRNC (Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus) is dominated by the services sector which includes the public sector, trade, tourism and education with smaller agriculture and light manufacturing sectors. The economy operates on a free-market basis although it continues to be handicapped by the political isolation of Turkish Cypriots, the lack of private and governmental investment, high freight costs and shortages of skilled labor. Despite these constraints the economy turned in an impressive performance in 2003 and 2004 with growth rates of 9.6% and 11.4%. The average income in the area was $15,984 in 2008.[68] Growth has been buoyed by the relative stability of the Turkish new lira and by a boom in the education and construction sectors.

The island has witnessed a massive growth in tourism over the years and as such the property rental market in Cyprus has grown alongside. Added to this is the capital growth in property that has been created from the demand of incoming investors and property buyers to the island.[69]

Numismatics

Cypriot euro coins. Main articles: Cypriot euro coins and Euro gold and silver commemorative coins (Cyprus)

In Cyprus, the euro was introduced in 2008. Three different designs were selected for the Cypriot coins. The designs were chosen from entrants in a competition in 2005

The €2 coin is a legacy of an old national practice of minting silver and gold commemorative coins.

To commemorate this event, a €5 collector coin was also issued. Unlike normal issues these coins are not legal tender in all of the eurozone and so cannot be used in any other country but Cyprus.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Cyprus Ethnographic map of Cyprus prior to the 1974 Turkish invasion. Population growth (numbers for the entire island, excluding in recent years some 150,000 Turkish immigrants residing in Northern Cyprus). Population structure.

According to the first population census after the declaration of independence, carried out in December 1960 and covering the entire island, Cyprus had a total population of 573,566, with ethnic Greeks comprising 77% of the island's population and ethnic Turks 18% (other nationals accounted for the remaining 5%).[70] According to the last census covering the entire island (April 1973), the population of Cyprus was 631,778 with the ethnic Turkish community estimated at 19% of the total (about 120,000).[71]

The subsequent censuses conducted in 1976–2001 after the de facto division of the island covered only the population in the area controlled by the Republic of Cyprus government, and the number of Turkish Cypriots residing in Northern Cyprus was estimated by the Republic of Cyprus Statistical Service on the basis of population growth rates and migration data. In the last census of 2001 carried out by the Republic of Cyprus, the population in the area controlled by the government was 703,529. The number of Turkish Cypriots residing in Northern Cyprus was estimated by the Republic of Cyprus Statistical Service at 87,600, or 11% of the reported total.[71]

The latest available estimates by the Republic of Cyprus Statistical Service put the island’s population at the end of 2006 at 867,600, with 89.8% (778,700) in the government controlled area and 10.2% (88,900) Turkish Cypriots in Northern Cyprus.[71] However, the Republic of Cyprus estimate of Turkish Cypriots does not represent the total population of Northern Cyprus. In addition, the Republic of Cyprus Statistical Service also estimated that 150,000–160,000 Turkish immigrants (described as “illegal settlers” in the Republic of Cyprus Statistical Abstract 2007,[71] footnote on p. 72) were living in Northern Cyprus, bringing the de facto population of Northern Cyprus to about 250,000. This estimate produced by the Republic of Cyprus matches the results of the 2006 population census carried out by Northern Cyprus, which gives 265,100 as the total population of Northern Cyprus.[72] The total population of Cyprus is thus slightly over 1 million, comprising 778,700 in the territory controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus and 265,100 in Northern Cyprus.

Cyprus has seen major increases in the numbers of permanent citizens. Sizeable communities from Britain, Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, and other Eastern European states exist. By the end of 2007, about 214,000 immigrants settled in Cyprus, the three largest groups being 37,000 Greeks, 27,000 Britons, and 100,000 Russians. The island is also home to a Maronite minority of 6,000, an Armenian minority of around 2,000, and refugees mainly from Serbia, Palestine, and Lebanon. There is also a Kurdish minority present in Cyprus.

Outside Cyprus there is a significant and thriving Cypriot diaspora in other countries, with the United States, the United Kingdom, Greece and Australia hosting the majority of migrants who left the island after the de facto division in 1974. The Cypriot population of the United Kingdom is estimated to number 150,000.

Pyla village in Larnaca District is the only settlement in Cypriot government-controlled territory with a mixed Greek and Turkish Cypriot population.

Genetics

Y-Dna haplogroups are found at the following frequencies in Cyprus : J (43.07% including 6.20% J1), E1b1b (20.00%), R1 (12.30% including 9.2% R1b), F (9.20%), I (7.70%), K (4.60%), A (3.10%).[73] J, K, F and E1b1b haplogroups consist of lineages with differential distribution within Middle East, North Africa and Europe while R1 and I are typical in West European populations.

Religion

Religion in Cyprus[2]
religion percent
Greek Orthodoxy   78%
Sunni Islam   18%
Other   4%
Main article: Religion in Cyprus Hala Sultan Tekke, situated near the Larnaca Salt Lake

Most Greek Cypriots are members of the autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus,[2][74][75] whereas most Turkish Cypriots are adherents of Sunni Islam. According to Eurobarometer 2005,[76] Cyprus is one of the most religious countries in the European Union, alongside Malta, Romania, Greece, and Poland. The first President of Cyprus, Makarios III, was an archbishop.

Given the special legal status of the Church of Cyprus, the country is also one of only five EU states to have an established state church, alongside Denmark (Danish National Church), Greece (Church of Greece), Malta (Roman Catholic Church) and the United Kingdom (Church of England (only in England)). In addition to the Greek Orthodox and Muslim communities, there are also small Bahá'í, Jewish, Protestant (including Pentecostal), Roman Catholic (including Latin Rite and Maronite) and Armenian Apostolic communities in Cyprus.

Hala Sultan Tekke, situated near the Larnaca Salt Lake, is considered by some secular orientalists as the third holiest site in Sunni Islam[77][78][79][80][81][82][83] and an object of pilgrimage for both Muslims and Christians.[84][85]

There are 500 Sikhs from Punjab, India living in Cyprus.

Education

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For a complete list, see List of universities and colleges in Cyprus. Pancyprian Gymnasium, the oldest functioning high school in Cyprus.

Cyprus has a highly developed system of primary and secondary education offering both public and private education. The high quality of instruction can be attributed to a large extent to the above-average competence of the teachers but also to the fact that nearly 7% of the GDP is spent on education which makes Cyprus one of the top three spenders of education in the EU along with Denmark and Sweden.

State schools are generally seen as equivalent in quality of education to private-sector institutions. However, the value of a state high-school diploma is limited by the fact that the grades obtained account for only around 25% of the final grade for each topic, with the remaining 75% assigned by the teacher during the semester, in a minimally transparent way. Cypriot universities (like universities in Greece) ignore high school grades almost entirely for admissions purposes. While a high-school diploma is mandatory for university attendance, admissions are decided almost exclusively on the basis of scores at centrally administered university entrance examinations that all university candidates are required to take.

The majority of Cypriots receive their higher education at Greek, British,Turkish, other European and North American universities. It is noteworthy that Cyprus currently has the highest percentage of citizens of working age who have higher-level education in the EU at 30% which is ahead of Finland's 29.5%. In addition 47% of its population aged 25–34 have tertiary education, which is the highest in the EU. The body of Cypriot students is highly mobile, with 78.7% studying in a university outside Cyprus.

Culture

Art

The art history of Cyprus can be said to stretch back up to 10,000 years, following the discovery of a series of Chalcolithic period carved figures in the villages of Khoirokoitia and Lempa[86] and the island is also the home to numerous examples of high quality religious icon painting from the Middle Ages.

In modern times Cypriot art history begins with the painter Vassilis Vryonides (1883–1958) who studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice.[87] Arguably the two founding fathers of modern Cypriot art were Adamantios Diamantis (1900–1994) who studied at London's Royal College of Art and Christopheros Savva (1924–1968) who also studied in London, at St Martins School of Art.[88] In many ways these two artists set the template for subsequent Cypriot art and both their artistic styles and the patterns of their education remain influential to this day. In particular the majority of Cypriot artists still train in England[89] although art schools in Greece are also popular and local art institutions such as the Cyprus College of Art, University of Nicosia and the Frederick Institute of Technology are becoming more popular.

One of the features of Cypriot art is a tendency towards figurative painting although conceptual art is being rigorously promoted by a number of art “institutions” and most notably the Nicosia Municipal Art Centre [12]. Municipal art galleries exist in all the main towns and there is a large and lively commercial art scene. Cyprus was due to host the international art festival Manifesta in 2006 but this was cancelled at the last minute following a dispute between the Dutch organizers of Manifesta and the Cyprus Ministry of Education and Culture over the location of some of the Manifesta events in the Turkish sector of the capital Nicosia.[90][91]

Other notable Cypriot artists include Rhea Bailey, Mihail Kkasialos, Ioannis Kissonergis, Theodoulos Gregoriou, Helene Black, George Skoteinos, Kalopedis family, Nicos Nicolaides, Stass Paraskos, Arestís Stasí, Telemachos Kanthos, Konstantia Sofokleous and Chris Achilleos.

Music

Main article: Music of Cyprus The bouzouki, the mainstay of most Cypriot folk music.

The traditional folk music of Cyprus has several common elements with Greek, Turkish, and Arabic music including Greco-Turkish dances such as the sousta, syrtos, zeibekikos, tatsia, and kartsilamas as well as the Middle Eastern-inspired tsifteteli and arapie. There is also a form of musical poetry known as chattista which is often performed at traditional feasts and celebrations. The instruments commonly associated with Cyprus folk music are the bouzouki (pictured), oud ("outi"), violin ("fkiolin"), lute ("laouto"), accordion, Cyprus flute ("pithkiavlin") and percussion (including the "toumperleki"). Composers associated with traditional Cypriot music include Evagoras Karageorgis, Marios Tokas, Solon Michaelides and Savvas Salides.

Popular music in Cyprus is generally influenced by the Greek Laïka scene with several artists including Anna Vissi, Evridiki, and Sarbel earning widespread popularity in Cyprus, Greece and parts of the Middle East. Hip Hop, R&B and reggae are also very popular genres on the island and have been supported by the emergence of Cypriot rap and the urban music scene at Ayia Napa. Cypriot rock music and Éntekhno rock is often associated with artists such as Michalis Hatzigiannis and Alkinoos Ioannidis. Metal also has a small following in Cyprus represented by bands such as Winter's Verge and Quadraphonic.

Literature

Literary production of the antiquity includes the Cypria, an epic poem, probably composed in the late seventh century BC and attributed to Stasinus. The Cypria is one of the very first specimens of Greek and European poetry.[92] The Cypriot Zeno of Citium was the founder of the Stoic philosophy. Epic poetry, notably the "acritic songs", flourished during Middle Ages. Two chronicles, one written by Leontios Machairas and the other by Voustronios, refer to the period under French domination (15th century). Poèmes d'amour written in medieval Greek Cypriot date back from 16th century. Some of them are actual translations of poems written by Petrarch, Bembo, Ariosto and G. Sannazzaro.[93]

Modern literary figures from Cyprus include the poet and writer Kostas Montis, poet Kyriakos Charalambides, poet Michalis Pasiardis, writer Nicos Nicolaides, Stylianos Atteshlis, Altheides, Loukis Akritas[94] and Demetris Th. Gotsis. Dimitris Lipertis, Vasilis Michaelides and Pavlos Liasides are folk poets who wrote poems mainly in the Cypriot-Greek dialect.[95][96] Lawrence Durrell lived in Northern Cyprus from 1952 until 26 August 1956 and wrote the book Bitter Lemons concerning his time there which won the second Duff Cooper Prize in 1957. The majority of the play Othello by William Shakespeare is set on the island of Cyprus. Cyprus also figures in religious literature such as the Acts of the Apostles according to which the Apostles Barnabas and Paul preached on the island.

Cuisine

Main article: Cypriot cuisine Slices of fresh hellim (halloumi) cheese with mint leaves packed in the center.

Halloumi or Hellim cheese originated in Cyprus[97][98] and was initially made during the Medieval Byzantine period,[99] subsequently gaining popularity throughout the Middle-East. Halloumi (Hellim) is commonly served sliced, either fresh or grilled, as an appetiser.

Seafood and fish dishes of Cyprus include squid, octopus, red mullet, and sea bass. Cucumber and tomato are used widely in salads. Common vegetable preparations include potatoes in olive oil and parsley, pickled cauliflower and beets, asparagus and kolokassi(gölevez). Other traditional delicacies of the island are meat marinated in dried coriander, seeds and wine, and eventually dried and smoked, such as lountza (smoked pork loin), charcoal-grilled lamb, souvlaki (pork and chicken cooked over charcoal), and sheftalia (minced meat wrapped in mesentery). Pourgouri (bulgur, cracked wheat) is the traditional carbohydrate other than bread, and is used to make the Cypriot delicacy koubes.

Fresh vegetables and fruits are common ingredients in Cypriot cuisine. Frequently used vegetables include courgettes, green peppers, okra, green beans, artichokes, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and grape leaves, and pulses such as beans, broad beans, peas, black-eyed beans, chick-peas and lentils. The commonest among fruits and nuts are pears, apples, grapes, oranges, mandarines, nectarines, mespila, blackberries, cherry, strawberries, figs, watermelon, melon, avocado, lemon, pistachio, almond, chestnut, walnut, hazelnut.

Cyprus is also well-known for its desserts, including lokum, also known as Turkish Delight.[100] This island has protected geographical indication (PGI) for its lokum produced in the village of Geroskipou.[101]

Sports

‎Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium

Governing bodies of sport in Cyprus include the Cyprus Automobile Association, Cyprus Badminton Federation,[102] Cyprus Basketball Federation, Cyprus Cricket Association, Cyprus Football Association, Cyprus Rugby Federation and the Cyprus Volleyball Federation. Marcos Baghdatis is one of the most successful tennis players in international stage. He was a finalist at the Australian Open in 2006, and reached the Wimbledon semi-final in the same year. Also Kyriakos Ioannou a Cypriot high jumper born in Limassol achieved a jump of 2.35 m at the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics held in Osaka, Japan, in 2007 winning the bronze medal.

Football is by far the most popular spectator sport. Notable teams include Anorthosis Famagusta FC (they became the first Cypriot football club to reach the group stages of the Champions League), APOEL FC(won the most trophies, more than any other team in the country), AEL Lemesos, Apollon FC, AEK Larnaca, AC Omonia , Olympiakos Nicosia and Nea Salamis Famagusta FC. Stadiums or sports venues in Cyprus include the GSP Stadium (the largest in Cyprus), Tsirion Stadium, Makario Stadium, Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium, Ammochostos Stadium and Neo GSZ Stadium. The Cyprus Rally – which takes place in Lemesos – is also on the World Rally Championship sporting calendar.

Media

Newspapers include Kıbrıs Gazetesi, Kıbrıs Postası, Phileleftheros, Politis (Cyprus), Simerini, Cyprus Mail, the Cyprus Observer, Famagusta Gazette, Cyprus Today, Cyprus Weekly, Financial Mirror, Haravgi, Makhi and Kathimerini (in a special Cypriot edition). TV channels include ANT1 Cyprus, Bayrak TV, Kıbrıs Genç TV, Kanal T, Alfa TV, Cyprus Avrasya TV, CNC Plus TV, Akdeniz TV, Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation, Lumiere TV, Middle East Television, Kıbrıs Ada TV, Mega Channel Cyprus and Sigma TV.

Churches

There are nine churches and one monastery in Troodos that are counted among UNESCO's World Heritage Sites and several other monasteries, of which the Kykkos monastery is the richest and most famous. The nine Byzantine churches are:

The area has been known since ancient times for its copper mines, and in the Byzantine period it became a great centre of Byzantine art, as churches and monasteries were built in the mountains, away from the threatened coastline.

Saint Nicholas Church, Galata, Troodos mountain range

Interior View of Kykkos Monastery

Asinou Church

The "Pantocrator" Fresco in Asinou Church, Troodos mountain range

Kakopetria traditional architecture

Kakopetria panorama

Infrastructure

Transportation

Main article: Transport in Cyprus Main roads of Cyprus A1 Highway – Limassol Larnaca International Airport Paphos International Airport.

The Cyprus Government Railway ceased operation on the 31st December 1951, the remaining modes of transport are by road, sea, and air. Of the 10,663 km (6,626 mi) of roads in the Greek Cypriot area as of 1998, 6,249 km (3,883 mi) were paved, and 4,414 km (2,743 mi) were unpaved. As of 1996 the Turkish Cypriot area had a similar ratio of paved to unpaved, with approximately 1,370 km (850 mi) of paved road and 980 km (610 mi) unpaved. Cyprus is one of only four EU nations in which vehicles drive on the left-hand side of the road, a remnant of British colonisation, the others being Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom.

Motorways

Main article: Motorways and roads in Cyprus
Number of licensed vehicles[103]
Vehicle Category 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Private vehicles 270,348 277,554 291,645 324,212 344,953
Taxis 1,641 1,559 1,696 1,770 1,845
Rental cars 8,080 8,509 9,160 9,652 8,336
Buses 3,003 2,997 3,275 3,199 3,217
Light trucks (lighter than 40 tonnes) 107,060 106,610 107,527 105,017 105,327
Heavy trucks (over 40 tonnes) 10,882 11,182 12,119 12,808 13,028
Motorcycles (2 wheels) 12,956 14,983 16,009 16,802 16,836
Motorcycles (3 wheels) 42 41 43 55 558
Scooters 28,987 25,252 25,464 24,539 22,987
TOTAL 442,999 448,687 466,938 498,054 517,087

In 1999, Cyprus had six heliports and two international airports: Larnaca International Airport and Paphos International Airport. Nicosia International Airport has been closed since 1974 and although Ercan airport was still in use it was only for flights from Turkey.

Public transport in Cyprus is limited to privately run bus services (except in Nicosia), taxis, and interurban 'shared' taxi services (referred to locally as service taxis). Per capita private car ownership is the 5th highest in the world. In 2006 extensive plans were announced to improve and expand bus services and restructure public transport throughout Cyprus, with the financial backing of the European Union Development Bank. The main harbours of the island are Limassol harbour and Larnaca harbour, which service cargo, passenger, and cruise ships.

Telecommunications

Main article: Communications in Cyprus

Cyta, the state-owned telecommunications company, manages most Telecommunications and Internet connections on the island. However, following the recent liberalisation of the sector, a few private telecommunications companies have emerged including MTN, Cablenet, TelePassport, OTEnet Telecom, Omega Telecomand PrimeTel.

International membership

The island nation Cyprus is member of: Australia Group, CN, CE, CFSP, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ITUC, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO.[104][105]

International rankings

Organization Survey Ranking
State of World Liberty Project State of World Liberty Index[106] 9 out of 159
United Nations Development Programme Human Development Index 2006[107] Human Development Index 2004[108] Human Development Index 2000[108] 29 out of 177 29 out of 177 29 out of 177
The Economist Worldwide Quality-of-life Index, 2005[109] 23 out of 111
University of Leicester Satisfaction with Life Index[110] 49 out of 178
Heritage Foundation/Wall Street Journal Index of Economic Freedom[111] 20 out of 157
Reporters Without Borders Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2006[112] Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2005[113] 30 out of 168 25(tied) out of 168
Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 2006[114] Corruption Perceptions Index 2005[115] Corruption Perceptions Index 2004[116] 37 out of 163 37 out of 158 36 out of 145
World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report[117] 46 out of 125
International Monetary Fund GDP per capita[118] 31 out of 180
Yale University/Columbia University Environmental Sustainability Index 2005[119] not ranked
Nationmaster Labor strikes[120] not ranked
A.T. Kearney / Foreign Policy Globalisation Index 2006[121] Globalisation Index 2005[122] Globalisation Index 2004[123] not ranked

See also

Cyprus portal
Geography portal

References

Notes
  1. ^ Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus: "The official languages of the Republic are Greek and Turkish" (Appendix D, Part 01, Article 3)
  2. ^ a b c "Cyprus". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cy.html. Retrieved 9 February 2010.
  3. ^ "Total population as of 1 January". Eurostat. http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/table.do?tab=table&language=en&pcode=tps00001&tableSelection=1&footnotes=yes&labeling=labels&plugin=1. Retrieved 2010-01-14.
  4. ^ a b c d "Cyprus". International Monetary Fund. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2010/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2007&ey=2010&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=423&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=77&pr.y=3. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
  5. ^ Human Development Report 2009. The United Nations. Retrieved 12 October 2009.
  6. ^ Fouskas, V. 2002. Eurasian gambles over Cyprus' European prospects. Turkish Yearbook of International Relations (ISSN: 0544-1943): Vol. 33, pp. 183–207; on p. 186: "[In analysing Cyprus within a wider geopolitical context, t]he requirement is to decipher the parameters and the linkages of the balance of power in the Eurasian region, and in its Near Eastern subregion, to which Cyprus belongs."
  7. ^ Cyprus is approximate to Anatolia (Asia Minor) (which comprises the bulk of Turkey) but it may be considered to be in Asia and/or Europe, which together constitute Eurasia.[1] The UN classification of world regions places Cyprus in Western Asia; [2] National Geographic also places Cyprus in Asia. Conversely, numerous sources place Cyprus in Europe such as the BBC [3] and www.worldatlas.com; it is also a member of the European Union. Additionally, sources may place Cyprus in the Middle East, e.g., the CIA World Factbook.[4]
  8. ^ Invest in Cyprus website – figures do not include tourism to the occupied North [5]
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  15. ^ a b Wade, Nicholas, "Study Traces Cat's Ancestry to Middle East", The New York Times, June 29, 2007
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  17. ^ Cyprus, CIA World Factbook ; CIA Atlas of the Middle East (1993) (online edition)
  18. ^ Middle East Region, Xpeditions Altas, National Geographic
  19. ^ Middle East (region, Asia), Britannica Online Encyclopedia
  20. ^ Middle East Map, MSN Encarta
  21. ^ Cyprus date of independence (click on Historical review)
  22. ^ "U.S. Library of Congress – Country Studies – Cyprus – Intercommunal Violence". Countrystudies.us. 1963-12-21. http://countrystudies.us/cyprus/13.htm. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
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  24. ^ "website". BBC News. 2002-10-04. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2297653.stm. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  25. ^ "According to the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 550 and 541". Un.org. http://www.un.org/documents/sc/res/1984/scres84.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-27.
  26. ^ Palaeolexicon, Word study tool of ancient languages
  27. ^ Fisher, Fred H. Cyprus: Our New Colony And What We Know About It. London: George Routledge and Sons 1878, pp. 13–14.
  28. ^ Les îles des Princes, banlieue maritime d'Istanboul: guide touristique – Page 136 by Ernest Mamboury
  29. ^ Mithen, S. After the Ice: A Global Human History, 20000 BC – 5000 BC. Boston: Harvard University Press 2005, p.97. [6]
  30. ^ The earliest prehistory of Cyprus from colonization to exploitation, ed. Swiny, Stuart, American Schools of Oriental Research, 2001, In PDF
  31. ^ Simmons, A.H. Faunal extinction in an island society: pygmy hippopotamus hunters of Cyprus. New York: Springer 1999, p.15. [7]
  32. ^ Thomas, Carol G. & Conant, C.: The Trojan War, pages 121–122. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2005. ISBN 0-313-32526-X, 9780313325267.
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1 Partly or significantly in Europe. 2 The Republic of China (Taiwan) is not officially recognized by the United Nations; see Political status of Taiwan. 3 Partly or significantly in Africa. 4 Partly or wholly reckoned in Oceania.
Countries of Europe

Abkhazia1·5 · Albania · Andorra · Armenia2 · Austria · Azerbaijan1 · Belarus · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus2 · Czech Republic · Denmark3 · Estonia · Finland · France1·3 · Georgia1 · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Ireland · Italy1 · Kazakhstan1 · Kosovo5 · Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Macedonia4 · Malta · Moldova · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands3 · Nagorno-Karabakh Republic2·5 · Northern Cyprus2·5 · Norway3 · Poland · Portugal3 · Romania · Russia1 · San Marino · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · South Ossetia1·5 · Spain1 · Sweden · Switzerland · Transnistria5 · Turkey1 · Ukraine · United Kingdom3 · Vatican City

1 Has part of its territory outside Europe. 2 Entirely in Western Asia but having socio-political connections with Europe. 3 Has dependencies or similar territories outside Europe. 4 Name disputed by Greece; see Macedonia naming dispute. 5 Is a state with limited international recognition
Countries of Western Asia

Armenia · Azerbaijan1 · Bahrain · Cyprus · Georgia · Iran · Iraq · Israel · Jordan · Kuwait · Lebanon · Oman · Palestinian territories (Gaza Strip and West Bank) · Qatar · Saudi Arabia · Syria · Turkey1 · United Arab Emirates · Yemen

1 Has part of its territory in Europe.

Countries and territories bordering the Mediterranean Sea
Albania • Algeria • Bosnia-Herzegovina • Croatia • Cyprus • Egypt • France • Gibraltar • Greece • Israel • Italy • Lebanon • Libya • Malta • Monaco • Montenegro • Morocco • Palestinian Authority • Slovenia • Spain • Syria • Tunisia • Turkey • Akrotiri / Dhekelia
Middle East
Countries and territories
Middle East Bahrain · Cyprus · Egypt · Gaza Strip · Iraq · Iran · Israel · Jordan · Kuwait · Lebanon · Northern Cyprus1 · Oman · Qatar · Saudi Arabia · Syria · Turkey · United Arab Emirates · West Bank · Yemen
Greater Middle East Afghanistan · Algeria · Armenia · Azerbaijan · Djibouti · Eritrea · Georgia · Libya · Morocco · Pakistan · Somalia · Sudan · Tunisia · Western Sahara (SADR)
Other topics History (timeline) · List of conflicts · Etiquette
1 Only recognized by Turkey; see Cyprus dispute.
International membership
Member states of the European Union

Austria · Belgium · Bulgaria · Cyprus · Czech Republic · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Ireland · Italy · Latvia · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Malta · Netherlands · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · United Kingdom
Member states by: political system · GDP
Council of Europe
Institutions Secretary General · Committee of Ministers · Parliamentary Assembly · Congress · Court of Human Rights · Commissioner for Human Rights · Commission for the Efficiency of Justice
Members
Full Albania · Andorra · Armenia · Austria · Azerbaijan · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus · Czech Republic · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Georgia · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Ireland · Italy · Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Macedonia1 · Malta · Moldova · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Russia · San Marino · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Switzerland · Turkey · Ukraine · United Kingdom
Observer Canada · Israel · Japan · Mexico · United States · Vatican City
Former Czechoslovakia (1991–1992) · Saar (assoc. 1950–1956)
1 Provisionally referred to by the Council of Europe as "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"; see Macedonia naming dispute.
Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO)

Albania · Angola · Antigua and Barbuda · Argentina · Armenia · Australia · Bahrain · Bangladesh · Barbados · Belize · Benin · Bolivia · Botswana · Brazil · Brunei · Burkina Faso · Burma · Burundi · Cambodia · Cameroon · Canada · Cape Verde · Central African Republic · Chad · Chile · PR China · Colombia · Democratic Republic of the Congo · Republic of the Congo · Costa Rica · Côte d'Ivoire · Croatia · Cuba · Djibouti · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · Egypt · El Salvador · European Union¹ · Fiji · Gabon · The Gambia · Georgia · Ghana · Grenada · Guatemala · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · Hong Kong² · Iceland · India · Indonesia · Israel · Jamaica · Japan · Jordan · Kenya · South Korea · Kuwait · Kyrgyzstan · Lesotho · Liechtenstein · Macau² · Macedonia · Madagascar · Malawi · Malaysia · Maldives · Mali · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mexico · Moldova · Mongolia · Morocco · Mozambique · Namibia · Nepal · New Zealand · Nicaragua · Niger · Nigeria · Norway · Oman · Pakistan · Panama · Papua New Guinea · Paraguay · Peru · Philippines · Qatar · Rwanda · St. Kitts and Nevis · St. Lucia · St. Vincent and the Grenadines · Saudi Arabia · Senegal · Sierra Leone · Singapore · Solomon Islands · South Africa · Sri Lanka · Suriname · Swaziland · Switzerland · Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu³ · Tanzania · Thailand · Togo · Tonga · Trinidad and Tobago · Tunisia · Turkey · Uganda · Ukraine · United Arab Emirates · United States · Uruguay · Venezuela · Vietnam · Zambia · Zimbabwe

  1. All twenty-seven member states of the European Union are also members of the WTO in their own right: Austria • Belgium • Bulgaria • Cyprus • Czech Republic • Denmark • Estonia • Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Ireland • Italy • Latvia • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Malta • Netherlands and Netherlands Antilles • Poland • Portugal • Romania • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • United Kingdom.
  2. Special administrative region of the People's Republic of China.
  3. Designated name for the Republic of China (commonly known as Taiwan)
Members of the Commonwealth of Nations
Sovereign states

Antigua and Barbuda · Australia · Bahamas · Bangladesh · Barbados · Belize · Botswana · Brunei · Cameroon · Canada · Cyprus · Dominica · Fiji (suspended) · The Gambia · Ghana · Grenada · Guyana · India · Jamaica · Kenya · Kiribati · Lesotho · Malawi · Malaysia · Maldives · Malta · Mauritius · Mozambique · Namibia · Nauru · New Zealand · Nigeria · Pakistan · Papua New Guinea · Rwanda · St. Kitts and Nevis · St. Lucia · St. Vincent and the Grenadines · Samoa · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Singapore · Solomon Islands · South Africa · Sri Lanka · Swaziland · Tanzania · Tonga · Trinidad and Tobago · Tuvalu · Uganda · United Kingdom · Vanuatu · Zambia
Dependencies
Australia

Ashmore and Cartier Islands · Australian Antarctic Territory · Christmas Island · Cocos (Keeling) Islands · Coral Sea Islands · Heard Island and McDonald Islands · Norfolk Island
New Zealand

Cook Islands · Niue · Ross Dependency · Tokelau
United Kingdom

Akrotiri and Dhekelia · Anguilla · Bermuda · British Antarctic Territory · British Indian Ocean Territory · British Virgin Islands · Cayman Islands · Falkland Islands · Gibraltar · Guernsey · Isle of Man · Jersey · Montserrat · Pitcairn Islands · St. Helena (including Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha) · South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands · Turks and Caicos Islands
Members and observers of the Non-Aligned Movement
Members

Bahamas · Bahrain · Barbados · Belarus · Belize · Benin · Bhutan · Bolivia · Botswana · Brunei · Burkina Faso · Burma · Burundi · Cambodia · Cameroon · Cape Verde · Central African Republic · Chad · Chile · Colombia · Comoros · Congo · Côte d'Ivoire · Cuba · Democratic Republic of the Congo · Djibouti · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · Egypt · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Ethiopia · Gabon · Gambia · Ghana · Grenada · Guatemala · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Guyana · Honduras · India · Iran · Jamaica · Jordan · Kenya · Kuwait · Laos · Lebanon · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Maldives · Mali · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mongolia · Morocco · Mozambique · Namibia · Nepal · Nicaragua · Niger · Nigeria · North Korea · Oman · Pakistan · Palestine · Panama · Papua New Guinea · Peru · Philippines · Qatar · Rwanda · St. Lucia · St. Vincent and the Grenadines · São Tomé and Príncipe · Saudi Arabia · Senegal · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Singapore · Somalia · South Africa · Sri Lanka · Sudan · Suriname · Swaziland · Syria · Tanzania · Thailand · East Timor · Togo · Trinidad and Tobago · Tunisia · Turkmenistan · Uganda · United Arab Emirates · Uzbekistan · Vanuatu · Venezuela · Vietnam · Yemen · Zambia · Zimbabwe
Observers

Countries

Antigua and Barbuda · Armenia · Azerbaijan · Bosnia-Herzegovina · Brazil · China (PRC) · Costa Rica · Croatia · Cyprus · Dominica · El Salvador · Kazakhstan · Kyrgyzstan · Mexico · Montenegro · Russia · Serbia · Ukraine · Uruguay

Organizations

African Union · Arab League · United Nations
First Journey of Paul the Apostle
1. Antioch · 2. Seleucia · 3. Cyprus · 3a.Salamis · 3b. Paphos · 4. Perge · 5.Antioch in Pisidia · 6. Konya (Iconium) · 7. Derbe · 8. Lystra · 9. Antalya · 10. Antioch (returns to beginning of journey}
Cyprus topics
People Famous Cypriots · Minorities · List of Cypriots · Kypriaka/Cypriot Greek · Greek Cypriots · Gibrizlija/Cypriot Turkish · Turkish Cypriots · Cypriot Maronite Arabic
History (Timeline)
Prehistoric Alasiya · Cypro-Minoan syllabary
Ancient Neo-Assyrian Empire · Ten city-kingdoms · Achaemenid Persian Empire · Ionian Revolt · Ptolemaic dynasty · Hellenistic civilization · Kitos War
Medieval Byzantine Empire · Arab Empire · Crusades · Kingdom of Cyprus · Ottoman rule
Modern Cyprus Convention · Enosis and Taksim · Intercommunal violence · Turkish invasion (timeline) · Refugees · Cyprus dispute · Annan Plan · EU accession
Legal system Law and order · Supreme Special Court · Court of Cassation · Council of State · Chamber of Accounts
Politics and government History · Parliament · President · Cabinet · Elections · Political parties · Foreign relations · Constitution · Cyprus dispute · Occupied Cyprus · UN resolutions · LGBT rights
Geography Districts · Climate · Mountains · Lakes · Rivers · Transport · Environmental issues · Wildlife
Economy History · Stock Exchange · Banks · Central Bank of Cyprus · Cypriot euro coins · Bank of Cyprus · Taxation · Tourism
Military History · National Guard · Conscription
Demographics History · Religion · Diaspora · Cities · Immigration
Culture Art · Cinema · Literature · Cuisine · Music · Sport · Media · Holidays
Symbols Flag · Coat of Arms · National Anthem
Category:Cyprus

Categories: Cyprus | European countries | Southwest Asian countries | Bicontinental countries | Middle Eastern countries | Countries of the Mediterranean Sea | European Union member states | Members of the Commonwealth of Nations | Phoenician colonies | Hellenistic colonies | Former British colonies | Mediterranean islands | Island countries | Near Eastern countries | Levant | Liberal democracies | States and territories established in 1960 | Islands of Asia | Western Asia | Member states of the Union for the Mediterranean | International islands

 

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'Cyprus' News
Turkish EU Visa-Free Deal Nearing Completion - Write About Property
write-about-property.com
Turkish EU Visa-Free Deal Nearing Completion - Write About Property
Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:21:27 GMT+00:00
Write About Property ... agreement for Turkey to transport 75 million cubic meters of water from Turkey to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) annually by pipeline. ...
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Yahoo Images Search: Cyprus,
Mon Jul 26 23:25:54 2010
'Cyprus' Blogs
Cyprus official: US will get Russian spy's laptop
seattlepi.com
Cyprus official: US will get Russian spy's laptop

unknown

ue, 27 Jul 2010 14:12:00 GM

NICOSIA, . Cyprus. -- The justice minister in . Cyprus. says a confiscated laptop and other items belonging to an alleged Russian spy who vanished will be turned over to US authorities.

Google Blogs Search: Cyprus,
Tue Jul 27 11:34:06 2010
'Cyprus' Answers
How much money do you have to earn in North Cyprus to live comfortably?
Q. How much money do you have to earn in Girne, North Cyprus to live comfortably?
Asked by Gibrizli Omer - Sat Jul 4 18:21:46 2009 - - 2 Answers - 0 Comments

A. In American money .. $ 28 , 000 a year
Answered by Kojak - Sat Jul 4 18:25:22 2009

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Sat Jul 17 09:07:42 2010
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