ALL ABOUT CYPRUS

Location and area
With an area of 9.251 sq.km, Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean after Sicily and Sardinia. It is situated in the far eastern basin of the Mediterranean, at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and Asia. Cyprus is 65 km south of Turkey, 96 km west of Syria, 385 km north of Egypt and 328 km west of Israel. The strategic location of the Island has played an important role in its continuing development into a centre for international business and investment.

Climate
Mediterranean type of climate with mild, wet winters (minimum mean daily temperature 5° C), and hot, dry summers (maximum mean daily temperature 36° C). Cyprus enjoys on average 320 warm and sunny days a year.
 
Population
Greek Cypriots constitute the largest ethnic group (about 81%) of the Island’s population which at the end of 2002 rose to almost 800.000 inhabitants. Foreign residents comprise about 8% of the population.
 
Languages
Greek and Turkish are the official languages. English is widely spoken but other languages are nowadays becoming popular as well.
 
Religion
The Greek Cypriots are Christians and adhere to the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus. The Turkish Cypriots are Muslims, while the smaller Cypriot minorities of Maronites, Armenians and Latins belong to other Christian denominations.

History
According to archaeological evidence, Cyprus’ civilization dates back to the 9th millennium BC. The Island acquired its Greek character after its colonisation by the Mycenaean Greeks between the 13th century and 11th century BC. Subsequently Cyprus came under Assyrian, Egyptian and Persian domination and became part of the Roman Empire between 30 BC and 330 AD.

However Cyprus has retained its Greek identity and as part of the Hellenistic state of the Ptolemies and of the Greek-speaking world of Byzantium, the ethnic heritage of the Island was kept alive. The Greek language and culture also prevailed throughout the centuries that followed, even though Cyprus came under the rule of successive foreign powers - King Richard the Lionheart of England and the Knights Templar, the Franks, Venetians, Ottoman Turks and British. Eventually Cyprus gained its independence in 1960.

Economy
Based on the free enterprise system, the Island’s economy has combined high real growth with low inflation and low unemployment. The private sector is the backbone of economic activity, with the Government’s role restricted to monitoring the economy and the public utilities. Cyprus has a standard of living that is among the highest in the European Union and the performance of the economy compares favourably with that of most European Union member states.

The services sector has become increasingly important as indicated by its almost 80% contribution to GDP and its share in employment. Cyprus is today a major tourist destination, a centre for the provision of services – mainly banking, shipping, trade and real estate operations – and a telecommunications node. Manufacturing accounts for 11% of GDP and the main industries are food processing, beverages, tobacco, clothing and metal products. Agriculture contributes about 4% to GDP and the principal crops are potatoes, other vegetables, citrus, cereals, grapes and olives.