About Cyprus
Cyprus is an island of great beauty and endless variety. Golden beaches and rugged coastline are contrasted by the impressive backdrop of unusual mountain ranges. Greek temples, Roman, remains, Byzantine churches and Crusader castles, inspire fascinating excursions.
The people of Cyprus are warm, friendly and naturally hospitable, and it is a genuine pleasure for us to welcome visitors - perhaps because we have been doing just that for thousands of years. As the third largest island in the Mediterranean, with its unique proximity to Europe, Asia and Africa, Cyprus has been coveted, won and lost by countless civilisations over the centuries. Since the Mycenean Greeks settled here over 3,000 years ago establishing the Greek civilisation on the island, we have seen Phoenicians, Romans, Crusaders, Franks, Venetians and other conquerors who have all left their mark here and helped to shape the island's special character.
Location
Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea with an area of 9251 sq. km (about the size of Connecticut, USA). It is located about 200 km north-west of Israel, 380 km north of Egypt, and 800 km east of the Greek mainland. The latitude of Cyprus is 34°,33' to 35°,34' North and its longitude is 32°,16' to 34°,37' East.
Virtually all major european airlines and Cyprus Airways have daily flights to Larnaca or Paphos (the two Cypriot airports). Visitors can also easily reach Cyprus by boat from Greece, Egypt, Israel and other neighboring countries.
Climate & Temperatures
With 340 days of sunshine a year, Cyprus has got one of the most enjoyable climates in Europe. The summers are warm and dry beginning in May and lasting till October with an average of 11.5 hours of sunshine a day. A cool breeze accompanies the coming of autumn whilst the sun remains high in the clear blue sky.
On the areas of Famagusta for example, people can enjoy swimming nine months of the year, in the remaining time, the sea is only appropriate for the passionate yearly swimmers.
On the other hand, the winter is short and mild, and the sun usually shines even just after a big storm. The summer season basically begins from the end of March, and stretches up to the middle of November.
Average temperatures comparison
| |
jan |
feb |
mar |
apr |
may |
jun |
jul |
avg |
sep |
oct |
nov |
dec |
| Cyprus |
17 |
18 |
21 |
23 |
27 |
30 |
32 |
32 |
31 |
28 |
23 |
18 |
| London |
5 |
5 |
8 |
11 |
14 |
17 |
18 |
18 |
16 |
12 |
9 |
6 |
| Paris |
4 |
5 |
7 |
10 |
13 |
16 |
19 |
19 |
15 |
11 |
7 |
5 |
| Moscow |
-8 |
-7 |
-2 |
6 |
12 |
17 |
18 |
16 |
11 |
5 |
-2 |
-6 |
| Amsterdam |
5 |
5 |
8 |
12 |
16 |
19 |
21 |
21 |
18 |
14 |
9 |
6 |
| Tokio |
15 |
5 |
6 |
9 |
14 |
18 |
21 |
25 |
27 |
24 |
13 |
8 |
Currency and Banking
Cyprus has its own currency - the Cyprus Pound made up of one hundred cents. One Cyprus Pound is approximately equivalent to two US dollars. In addition to the six large local banks there is a number of International Offshore Banking Units operating in Cyprus.
Government
Cyprus is a Presidential Democracy. Presidential elections as well as the House of Representatives are held every five years, the same with the parliament. Both of the elections are held by popular vote.
Population
The today estimated population of Cyprus is approximately 700,000.
Greek Cypriots form by far the larger ethnic group, accounting for about 80% of the population. Turkish Cypriots comprise the second larger group ( at 18% ), while others make up the rest.
Holidays in Cyprus
1st January - First Day of January
10th March - Green Monday
25th March - Greek Independence Day
1st April - Cyprus National Day
25th April - Good Friday
28th April - After Easter
29th April - After Easter
1st May - Labour Day
16th June - Holy Spirit
15th August - Assumption Day
1st October - Cyprus Independence Day
28th October - Greek National Day
25th December - Christmas Day
26th December - After Christmas Day
|
