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Cyprus

EuropeSouthern Europe

9.25 Thousand km²

Quick Facts

Capital

Nicosia

Area

9,251 km²

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

Map tiles by CARTO. Data by OpenStreetMap.

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.

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

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

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 & 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 Mountains

Mountain

Mountain range rising to 1,952m at Mount Olympus, covered in pine forests and home to UNESCO-listed painted churches

Akamas Peninsula

National Park

Wild, undeveloped peninsula in the northwest with the Blue Lagoon, sea caves, and turtle nesting beaches

Cape Greco

Coast

National forest park with dramatic sea caves, natural stone arches, and crystal-clear waters for diving

Avakas Gorge

Canyon

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

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

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

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