
Cyprus Guide
Cyprus – country information
Country name | Cyprus |
Official name | Republic of Cyprus |
Capital | Nicosia |
Continent | Asia |
Area | 9,251 km2 |
Population | 865,878 (2012) |
Foundation of a state | 8/16/1960 |
The highest mountains | Olympus 1953 m |
State system | pluralist republic with unicameral parliament (Greek part) |
The biggest cities | Greek part – Lefkosia (Nicosia) (capital) 170,000; Turkish part – Lefkosa 45,000 |
Official language | Greek, Turkish |
Ethnicity/National Composition | Greek part – Greek Cypriots 95%, others 5%; Turkish part – Turks 99.5%, others 0.5% |
Currency | 1 Cypriot pound (Sw F) = 100 miles |
gross domestic product (GDP) | US$26,794 (2012) |
Average life expectancy of the population | 77.82 years (2006) |
Structure of GDP | agriculture and fishing 6%, mining and industry 16%, construction 10%, services 68% |
Cyprus – Neighboring States
State | Capital | Area | Population |
Great Britain | London | 242,900 km2 | 63,705,000 |
Country overview
According to Abbreviationfinder, Cyprus, the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, lies less than 100 km south of the shores of Turkey and is divided by a long-running conflict into a larger Greek and a smaller Turkish part along the northern coast.
Country data
Location: Middle East
Time zone: CET + 2 (during summer time CET + 1)
Total area: 9,251 km²
Land area: 9,241 km²
Water area: 10 km²
Length of the state border: 0 km
Coastline: 648 km
Capital: Nicosia
Districts: 6
Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos
Electric current: 240 V / 50 Hz
Telephone code: 00 357 (Source: Allcitycodes)
Highest point: Mount Olympus 1,951 m
Population
Population: approx. 1.2 million residents (Countryaah, 2021)
Population growth: 1.5% per year
Population density (residents per km²): 130
Life expectancy: 76 (male), 81 (female)
Official language: Greek, Turkish
Religions:
- 78% Greek Orthodox
- 18% Muslim
- 4% other
Climate
Due to its location in the Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus is pleasantly warm all year round.
The sun shines about 85% of the days of the year. Rain falls almost exclusively in the winter months from November to February.
In the summer months from the end of June to the end of August, daytime temperatures rise to up to 35 ° C. Even in winter, the temperature rarely falls below 0 ° C.
In the higher mountains there is snowfall in winter.
Currency / finance
Currency unit: Euro (EUR)
Classification: 1 euro = 100 cents
ATMs: Plenty of them available in the larger cities.
International credit cards: These are accepted in larger hotels and shops.
Regulations: Currencies can be imported in unlimited amounts. The export is permitted in the amount of the declared import.
When entering Cyprus, a declaration of the foreign currency carried is necessary if these exceed the equivalent of 10,000 euros.
In the Turkish administered north of the island, the Turkish currency (TRY) is legal tender.
Customs regulations
The following may be carried duty-free:
- 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco
- 1 liter of alcoholic beverages
- small amounts of perfume
(Information applies to people aged 18 and over)
Tourists and people in transit can bring items of personal use with them duty-free.
The export of antiques is prohibited.
Travel advice
As Cyprus is split in two, special care should be taken when approaching the buffer zone (along the demarcation line).
The area is a restricted military area, where strict controls take place.
Some sections of the restricted area consist of minefields.
Behavioral advice
The trafficking and possession of drugs (even in very small quantities) is severely punished.
Photographing military people and facilities is prohibited.
Economy
The south of Cyprus is economically more advanced and better developed than its northern counterpart.
The economy in the north of the country is very closely linked to that of Turkey.
The main agricultural products are barley, potatoes and grapes. The main livestock are sheep, pigs and goats.
Tourism brings more and more foreign currency into the country, as it has become an increasingly large part of the economy in recent years.
Much income was previously obtained from the export of food and textiles.
Cyprus is also known for the fact that many shipping companies operate their ships under the Cypriot flag.
Industries: chemistry, wood processing, food production, metal processing, textiles, tourism
Natural resources: asbestos, gibs, wood, copper, marble, salt, clay
Land use:
- Usable land: 12%
- Grain cultivation: 5%
- Pasture area: 0%
- Forests: 13%
- other: 70%
Plants
As there is very little rain all year round, the flora is very limited.
Various grasses, shrubs, bushes and parched trees shape the landscape. In winter and spring, larger fields bloom after rainfall.
The few available pastures are used for livestock farming.
Animals
Due to the sometimes poorly developed flora, the biodiversity of the animal world has also been greatly decimated.
The remaining areas are also heavily exploited through animal husbandry in agriculture.
Commonly seen are turtles, butterflies and many species of migratory birds that fly over Cyprus every year.
Most annoying for Europeans are the mosquitoes, which are native in particularly large numbers near the salt lakes.
There are also few fish in the Cypriot region of the Mediterranean.