Cyprus country profile
27 August 2006by eub2 -- last modified 12 January 2017
Cyprus is the largest island in the eastern Mediterranean, and is situated south of Turkey. Cyprus joined the European Union on 1 May 2004.
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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 has long been a crossing point between Europe, Asia and Africa and still has many traces of successive civilisations – Roman theatres and villas, Byzantine churches and monasteries, Crusader castles and pre-historic habitats.
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.Since Turkey occupied the north of the island in 1974, the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities have been separated by the so-called Green Line.
Cyprus is well known as the island of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, who, according to legend, was born there.
Capital: Nicosia
Geographical size: 9 251 km²
Population: 847 008 (2015)
Population as % of total EU: 0.2 % (2015)
Gross domestic product (GDP): € 17.421 billion (2015)
Official EU language(s): Greek
Political system: presidential republic
EU member country since: 1 May 2004
Seats in the European Parliament: 6
Currency: Euro. Member of the eurozone since 1 January 2008
Schengen area member? No, Cyprus is not a member a member of the Schengen Area.
Presidency of the Council: Cyprus has held the revolving presidency of the Council of the EU once, in 2012.
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Head of State:
Source: European Commission, CIA - The World Factbook
