Home
European Union
About YFA
About the Project
Contacts

This website has been produced with the Financial assistance of the European Union. The content of this website is the sole responsibility of "Youth For Achievements" and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.

Cyprus

Year of EU entry: 2004

Political system: Republic

Capital city: Nicosia

Total area: 9 000 km²

Population: 0.8 million

Currency: Cyprus pound

Official language: Greek, English

Cyprus is the largest island in the eastern Mediterranean, and is situated south of Turkey. The two main mountain ranges are the Pentadactylos in the north and the Troodos in central and south-western part of the island, with the fertile plain of Messaoria in between. Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily and Sardinia.

Today, Cyprus is a divided country. Nearly four-fifths of the island’s inhabitants are of Greek descent and less than one-fifth make up the Turkish-speaking minority. Cyprus has a long, eventful history that reaches back more than 9,000 years. Once it was a British colony but it gained its independence on August 6, 1960.

The island’s main economic activities are tourism, clothing and craft exports and merchant shipping. Traditional crafts include embroidery, pottery and copper-work. The local dishes are the traditional meze which is served as a whole meal, the halloumi cheese and the zivania schnapps.