Southern Europe · Europe

Cyprus

Discover Cyprus - the mythical birthplace of Aphrodite, a Mediterranean island at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa with 10,000 years of history.

Where Is Cyprus?

Cyprus is a country in Southern Europe. Its capital is Nicosia.

Where Cyprus isSouthern Europe · Capital Nicosia

Capital Nicosia
Population 1.37M
Area 9,251 km²

Cyprus is the third-largest island in the Mediterranean and it's been fought over by pretty much every civilization that ever sailed past it. Greeks, Phoenicians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, Venetians, Ottomans, and the British all had a go, and they all left something behind. The result is an island layered with archaeological sites like a geological cross-section of Mediterranean history.

The island has been divided since 1974, with the Greek Cypriot south (the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member) and the Turkish Cypriot north separated by a UN buffer zone that runs right through the capital, Nicosia - the world's last divided capital. Despite the politics, Cyprus is genuinely lovely. The climate is warm enough for year-round swimming, the food is a glorious mashup of Greek and Middle Eastern traditions, and the island somehow manages to pack ancient ruins, mountain villages, and beach resorts into an area smaller than Connecticut. They drive on the left here, a leftover from British rule, and halloumi cheese is practically a religion.

At a glance

Language

Greek, Turkish

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Calling Code

+357

Drives On

Left

Internet

.cy

Timezone

EET (UTC+2)

Script

Greek, Latin

Government

Presidential Republic

Independence

1960

By population

Largest cities in Cyprus

Nicosia

The world's last divided capital, split between Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides with a fascinating old town within Venetian walls

341,000

Limassol

Cyprus's second city and main port, a modern coastal hub with a medieval castle and wine region nearby

235,000

Larnaca

Coastal city with a palm-lined promenade, Hala Sultan Tekke mosque, and the Church of Saint Lazarus

145,000

Paphos

Mythical birthplace of Aphrodite, a UNESCO World Heritage city with stunning Roman mosaics

63,000

Famagusta

Walled city in the north with Gothic cathedral turned mosque and the eerie ghost town of Varosha

40,000

People

Famous people from Cyprus

Zeno of Citium
Science
Born in Citium (modern Larnaca), founded Stoic philosophy, one of the most influential schools of thought in Western history
Marcos Baghdatis
Sport
Tennis player who reached the 2006 Australian Open final, Cyprus's most famous athlete
Stelios Haji-Ioannou
Business
Greek Cypriot entrepreneur who founded easyJet and the easyGroup brand
Christopher Pissarides
Science
Won the 2010 Nobel Prize in Economics for his work on search frictions in labor markets
Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam)
Music
Born to a Greek Cypriot father, one of the best-selling folk-rock artists of all time

Food

Traditional cuisine of Cyprus

Halloumi: Cyprus's gift to the world - a semi-hard cheese that squeaks when you bite it and doesn't melt when grilled
Meze: The Cypriot tradition of sharing 20-30 small dishes, from dips and salads to grilled meats and fish
Souvlaki: Grilled meat skewers served in pitta with salad and tzatziki, the ultimate Cypriot street food
Kleftiko: Slow-roasted lamb sealed in a clay oven for hours until it falls off the bone, named after the bandits who cooked stolen meat underground
Sheftalia: Pork and herb sausages wrapped in caul fat and grilled, a uniquely Cypriot specialty
Commandaria: The world's oldest named wine still in production, a sweet dessert wine made in Cyprus since 800 BC

Nature

Nature and landmarks in Cyprus

Petra tou Romiou (Aphrodite's Rock)Coast: Sea stack off the Paphos coast where Aphrodite, goddess of love, was said to have emerged from the sea
Troodos MountainsMountain: Mountain range rising to 1,952m at Mount Olympus, covered in pine forests and home to UNESCO-listed painted churches
Akamas PeninsulaNational Park: Wild, undeveloped peninsula in the northwest with the Blue Lagoon, sea caves, and turtle nesting beaches
Cape GrecoCoast: National forest park with dramatic sea caves, natural stone arches, and crystal-clear waters for diving
Avakas GorgeCanyon: Dramatic limestone gorge near Paphos with towering walls and a river walk through Mediterranean vegetation
Salt Lake (Larnaca)Lake: Seasonal salt lake that attracts thousands of flamingos in winter, sitting next to the Hala Sultan Tekke mosque

Sport

Sports in Cyprus

Football: APOEL FC reached the Champions League quarter-finals in 2012, a historic achievement for Cypriot football
Tennis: Marcos Baghdatis reached the Australian Open final in 2006, putting Cyprus on the tennis map
Sailing: Mediterranean sailing culture with growing competitive presence
Athletics: Growing Olympic program with shot put and high jump competitors

Facts

Did you know?

Cyprus has been inhabited for over 10,000 years, with evidence of some of the earliest settled communities in the world
Nicosia is the world's last divided capital, with a UN buffer zone separating the Greek and Turkish sides
Halloumi cheese is so important to Cyprus that the EU granted it Protected Designation of Origin status
Commandaria wine has been produced continuously in Cyprus since at least 800 BC, making it the world's oldest named wine
Cyprus has 340 sunny days per year, more than almost any other European country
The island was once covered in so many copper mines that the Latin word for copper (cuprum) comes from Cyprus
Richard the Lionheart conquered Cyprus in 1191 on his way to the Third Crusade and married there