Cyprus is an incredibly beautiful island, located among the water sheet of the Eastern Mediterranean.
It occupies an area of 9250 sq.km. and has a population of around 785 000 people.
Geographically, the island is a part of Asia, but from cultural point of view, Cyprus belongs to Europe.
Since 2004 the island is a member of the European Union.
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Official language of the island is Greek. The English is second official language.
The island is former possession of the United Kingdom.
It is called “the little England” because of its similarity with the Great Britain.
One of the common features is the driving on the left side.
Weather
Cyprus enjoys a hot subtropical climate with a large number of sunny days per year.
It is claimed that Cyprus and the Canary Islands are the places with the best climate in the world.
The winter of this island is short – it lasts from the end of December to the end of January i.e. two months.
Usually in this part of the year falls the main part of the precipitation.
Nevertheless, the weather during the winter months is not cold.
The daily temperature is around 17 – 18 °C.
In comparison with the climate in the northern part of Europe, the conditions in Cyprus are absolutely different.
The period between March and December offers a lot of sun shine and daily temperatures around 25 °C (in spring and autumn) and more than 30°C during the summer months.
Both January and February are the only reason because of which the local climate is not tropical, but subtropical.
The beach season lasts from March to December.
In March the sea water is cool, but one month later is warm enough for swimming.
But the warm and sunny weather on the coast is absolutely different in comparison by the weather in the mountains.
In the high parts of Cyprus can be formed deep snow cover during the winter months.
The mountainous winter is colder and longer.
In the Troodos Mountains you can find coolness and freshness even in summer.
Precipitations are more significant and fall all year round.
The difference between the coast and interior is not only presented by the different climate conditions.
While on the coast you can find luxury hotels and villas with swimming pools, in the interior of the country the landscape is dominated mainly of picturesque villages that have not changed their lifestyle in the last centuries.
Many tourists from Britain, Russia, Germany, Canada and USA after their visiting the island decide to settle permanently in Cyprus.
And this is not only because of the perfect Mediterranean climate.
Best Things to Do in Cyprus
The atmosphere in Cyprus is calm and quiet, and without serious criminality.
There are many places that can offer you solitude and calmness aside of the well-known tourist routs.
The accommodation and the service in the Cyprus hotels are irreproachable because this island has a lot of experience in tourism.
Cyprian cuisine and wines are not to be missed.
In Cyprus prevails the seafood, like in most of the places around the Mediterranean.
In many places on the island the preparing of wine is traditional and without changes in the last centuries.
The natives press the grape by feet because to safe the aromatic and gustatory qualities.
The biggest cities on the island are Limassol, Larnaka, the capital Nicosia, Paphos and Kyrenia.
Paphos is located on the west coast, Limassol on the south coast, Larnaka is – on the south – east coast of the island and Kyrenia is on the north shore. Nicosia is located in the interior of the island.
Cyprus is called “the island of Aphrodite”. In the sea, next to the shore in the area of Paphos you can see a rock, which breaks the waves, forming a sea foam.
According to the legend in this sea foam was born Aphrodite – the goddess of love and beauty. The island is full of ancient Greek landmarks.
Don’t forget the temple of Apollon that offers incredible view to the Mediterranean.
Nature
The vegetation of the island is strongly influenced by the human activity.
In times gone by, the island was covered by lush forest, but today because of the uncontrolled forest clearing which has lasted for centuries, you can find lush forest only in the mountains.
Around the coast you can find only secondary bush vegetation, citruses, olive trees, banana palms, date palms and so on. The coastal areas of the island are very different.
In some places the coast is rocky and steep, but in other places you can find beautiful sandy or pebble beaches.
The sand can be white, yellow or brawn.
Overall the island offer great diversity of landscapes in small territory and this make Cyprus to be so beloved and attractive for the visitors.
The nature is very clean, especially in comparison with the big economic centers in Western Europe.
Economy
The Cyprus economy is based mainly on the tourism and agriculture.
This is the main reason for the saving of cleanness of the atmospheric air .
The problems of Cyprus
Sunny, calm and incredibly beautiful, Cyprus is magnetic for the millions of American, European and Russian tourists.
But the paradise island has its dark side.
In the 1974 Turkish illegally occupied the northern part of the island.
They founded Turkish Cyprian Republic.
The international community strongly condemned this action and refused to recognize the division of the island.
Today Greek Cyprus and Turkish Cyprus are divided by a border that is guarded by soldiers of UN.
Nicosia is divided in two parts through marking.
From 2004 Greek Cyprus is a member of the European Union.
The big cities on the territory of Greek Cyprus are Paphos, Limassol and Larnaca. On the territory of Turkish Cyprus is Kyrenia.
For the capital Nicosia we sad, that it is situated on the border.
When the Turkish have occupied the north part of the island, thousands of Greek Cyprians left their homes.
Many of these homes are still untouched and they look as in 1974.
Today Cyprians try gradually, through diplomatic and strong desire to unite again this paradise island.
This is possible, but will be very difficult.
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