About Cyprus
The Republic of Cyprus is the third largest
island in the Mediterranean, situated at the crossroads of the
continents of Europe, Asia and Africa. It is an EU member state with a
long history and rich culture.
The island’s strategic geographic position has
since antiquity played an important part in its turbulent history.
Inhabited since prehistoric times, it has been conquered and dominated
by many different cultures and civilisations. Phoenicians, Assyrians,
Persians, Egyptians, Romans, Franks, Venetians, Ottomans, British, have
all left behind visible traces of their passage. On this island once
walked Christ's apostles.
The Mycenaean Greeks introduced their
civilisation 3,500 years ago and permanently installed the island’s
Hellenic roots. In antiquity, rich copper deposits put Cyprus on the
world map. It is widely acclaimed that cuprum, the Latin word for copper
is derived from the word Cyprus.
The island is an open air museum where one can
visit prehistoric settlements, classical Greek temples, Roman theatres
and villas, early Christian basilicas, Byzantine era churches and
monasteries, crusader castles, Gothic cathedrals, Venetian
fortifications, Moslem mosques and British colonial architecture style
buildings.
Cyprus enjoys a typically Mediterranean
climate, with long hot summers and mild sunshine-drenched winters with
little rainfall. The Troodos range occupies most of the southwestern
part of the island. The coastal areas of Lemesos (Limassol), Pafos,
Polis, Larnaka, Agia Napa and Paralimni have been developed into popular
tourist holiday resorts. Lefkosia (Nicosia), the capital, is located
inland.
In the hinterland villages of Cyprus one may
still witness old ways of life, customs and traditions. “Philoxenia”,
the Greek word for friendliness toward strangers, characterizes the
people of the region. Authenticity, warmth and genuine curiosity create
a feeling of welcome towards the visitor. Communication is facilitated
by the fact that throughout the island the English language is widely
spoken.
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