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Geography

Cyprus is the third larger Mediterranean island, with a total area of 9,251 sq. Km. Cyprus's geographical position - a stepping-stone to three continents ( Europe, Asia and Africa ) - is ideal as a centre for international business.

Climate

The island enjoys four seasons, with dry summers and mild winters. Average temperatures range from 13 C in winter to 36 C in the summer.

Population

The today estimated population of Cyprus is approximately 700,000. Greek Cypriots form by far the larger ethnic group, accounting for about 80% of the population. Turkish Cypriots comprise the second larger group ( at 18% ), while others make up the rest.

Towns

The capital and the commercial centre of the Cyprus is Nicosia with a population of approximately 210,000. Limassol is the main industry centre and the main port of the island. The other two main towns are Larnaca and Paphos.

Administrative divisions

The Republic of Cyprus is divided into six districts: Nicosia, Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos. These are not the same as those of Northern Cyprus.

Exclaves and enclaves

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.

Foreign relations

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.

Cyprus is a member of the United Nations and the Council of Europe as well as member of the British Commonwealth. On 4 July 1990, Cyprus formally applied for membership to the European Union which is still under consideration.

Military

The Cypriot National Guard is the main military institution of the Republic of Cyprus. It is a 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:

• First Infantry Division
• Second Infantry Division
• Fourth Infantry Brigade
• Twentieth Armored Brigade
• Third Support Brigade
• Eighth Support Brigade

Transport

Available modes of transport are by road, sea, and air. Of the 10,663 km (6,626 mi) of roads in the Republic of Cyprus 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 occupied 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.

Communications

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 Telecom and PrimeTel. In the Turkish-controlled area of Cyprus, three companies are also present. These are Turkcell, Vodafone and Turk Telekom.

Religion

Almost all Greek Cypriots are members of the autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus, whereas most Turkish Cypriots are adherents of Sunni Islam. According to Eurobarometer 2005, 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.

Languages

The country has two official languages: Greek and Turkish. Armenian, Cypriot Maronite Arabic and Romani are also recognized as minority languages. In addition to these languages – according the Eurobarometer by European Commission – 76% of the population of Cyprus speak English, 12% speak French, and 5% speak German.

Education

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[citation needed] 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.

Culture

The culture of Cyprus is divided between the two distinct cultures of Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Each community maintains its own culture, linked to the cultures of Greece and Turkey, and there is little cultural interchange between the two groups. Due to the complex history of the island, cultures have shifted over time. The Greek culture first became prominent in the running of the island in the 1400s. The Turkish culture arrived with the invasion of the Ottoman Empire in 1570, and it was under this rule that the divide between the two communities became prominent and encouraged by government policies. The British did nothing to change this, leaving the island in its divided state with no unified culture.

Sports

Governing bodies of sports in Cyprus include the Cyprus Football Association, Cyprus Basketball Federation, Cyprus Volleyball Federation, Cyprus Automobile Association, Cyprus Badminton Federation,[139] Cyprus Cricket Association and the Cyprus Rugby Federation.
Football is by far the most popular spectator sport.

Architecture

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 churches are:

• Stavros tou Ayiasmati
• Panayia tou Araka
• Timiou Stavrou at Pelendri
• Ayios Nikolaos tis Stegis
• Panayia Podithou
• Assinou
• Ayios loannis Lampadistis
• Archangel Michael at Pedhoulas

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. The three prominent mosques in Cyprus are:

• Hala Sultan Tekke
• Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque
• Arabahmet Mosque

Economy

The economy of Cyprus is based on free enterprise, with most economic activity taking place in the private sector . The service sector which dominates the Cypriot economy, accounts for about half of the employment and almost 2/3 of its GDP.

Government

Cyprus is a Presidential Democracy. Presidential elections as well as the House of Representatives are held every five years, the same with the. Both of the elections are held by popular vote.

Currency and Banking

Cyprus has its own currency - the Cyprus Pound made up of one hundred cents. One Cyprus Pound is approximately equivalent to two US dollars. In addition to the six large local banks there is a number of International Offshore Banking Units operating in Cyprus.

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