Cyprus Overview

Country Profile

Cyprus, also known as the Republic of Cyprus, is located in the northeast Mediterranean Sea. It covers an area of 925l square km and has a population of 800,000, with 84.7% of the population Greek and 12.3% Turkish. Greeks are Orthodox, while Turks are Muslim. Primary languages are Greek and Turkish, but English is also spoken. The currency is the Cyprus pound. The capital is Nicosi (Nicosia).

Cyprus National Flag

The flag is white, with a yellow silhouette of the country in the center. Crossed underneath are two green olive branches. Yellow symbolizes copper, while the olive branch represents the national aspiration for peace between Greece and Turkey.

History Summary

By 1500 BC, the Greeks had moved onto the island. Afterwards, Egypt, Persia and other countries conquered the Island. In 58 BC, Cyprus was conquered by the Ru Luoma Empire. The Byzantine Empire took ownership in 395 AD. In 1571, it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire, who ceded it to Britain in 1878. In August 1960, Cyprus declared independence, establishing the Republic of Cyprus. After independence, Greek and Turkish Cypriots clashed several times, forming an ethnic separation.

Economy and Culture Overview

Major industrial sectors are food processing, textiles, and oil refining. Tourism and the food processing industry occupy important positions in the national economy. Agricultural products are wheat, potatoes, oranges, lemons, and olives. Cyprus has a well-developed shipping industry, with the biggest merchant fleet in the world. Main mineral resources are copper, pyrite, asbestos, and gypsum.

The residents have remained part of the Greek Byzantine tradition. Venus was born on the island, spreading the legend of Eros.