Geography

Cyprus lies in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. It is about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Turkey and 480 miles (772 kilometers) southeast of mainland Greece. The island covers an area of 3,572 square miles (9,251 square kilometers). Its long coastline is jagged and rocky, with sandy beaches.

The major rivers in Cyprus originate in the Troödos Mountains. They include the Pedieos, the Serakhis, the Karyotis, and the Kouris. Cyprus has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and rainy winters. The rivers are full in winter because of the rains, while in summer they become dry courses.

Plants and animals

The vegetation along the northern coast is largely evergreen. Olive, carob, and citrus trees also grow there. The Troödos range has a covering of pine, dwarf oak, cypress, and cedar forests. Between autumn and spring the plain in the center of the island is green and colorful, with an abundance of wildflowers and flowering bushes and shrubs.

Many years ago the island was home to elephants and hippopotamuses as well as large numbers of deer and boar. The only large wild animal now surviving is the agrino, a species of wild sheep under strict protection. The island was referred to long ago as Ophiussa, “the Abode of Snakes,” but snakes are now comparatively rare.

Cyprus lies on major migration routes for birds, and in spring and autumn millions fly over the island. Many species of birds also spend winters on the island.

People and culture

The two main ethnic groups of Cyprus are Greeks and Turks. The Greek Cypriots, who constitute the majority, are mostly Eastern Orthodox Christians. The Turkish Cypriots are Muslims. Greek and Turkish are the official languages, but English is considered a second language in both populations. Most of the people live in cities, though only two cities, Nicosia and Limassol, have more than 100,000 inhabitants.

Economy

Political unrest greatly disrupted Cyprus' economy in the early 1970s. The Greek Cypriot section has made a slow but steady recovery, while the Turkish sector has been slower to recover. Tourism, despite the unsettled political conditions, remains a strong contributor to the economy.

The major exports of the Greek Cypriot sector include grapes, wine, clothing and footwear, and cement; Turkish Cypriot exports include cloth. Both areas export citrus and potatoes and import food and machinery.

For many centuries Cyprus was a significant producer of copper; in Greek the name of the island and the name of the metal are identical. Its reserves have since been depleted.

History

Cyprus has been inhabited for more than 7,000 years. Between 2000 and 1000 BC, the first Greek settlers arrived. They founded new cities, which became the capitals of six ancient Greek kingdoms on Cyprus. The island was later ruled by a series of powerful empires. At various times the Persians, Egyptians, Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire each took control.

The Ottoman Turks captured Cyprus in 1571 and continued ruling for more than three centuries. The British leased Cyprus from the Ottomans in 1878 and took it as their own in 1914.

After World War II the long-standing conflict between the Greek and Turkish communities intensified. Many Greek Cypriots wanted to be part of Greece, while many Turkish Cypriots wanted the island split into two distinct political areas. Independence was achieved in 1960 after the two groups agreed to a compromise, but continuing conflicts made the country's constitution unworkable.

A coup in 1974 forced out the president of Cyprus, and Turkish forces invaded northern Cyprus. In 1975 the northern sector became the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus with its own constitution. This sector declared itself an independent state, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, in 1983. The declaration was condemned by the United Nations and was recognized internationally only by Turkey. At the end of the 20th century the sectors remained separate but continued to work toward establishing some sort of federal republic. Population (2001 estimate), 873,000.