Cyprus
Brief Info Of The Isle
Kípros, an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea renowned since ancient times for its mineral wealth, superb wines and produce, and natural beauty.
A "golden-green leaf thrown into the Sea" and a land of "wild weather and volcanoes," in the words of the Greek Cypriot poet Leonidas Malenis, Cyprus comprises tall mountains, fertile valleys, and wide beaches. Settled for more than 10 millennia, Cyprus stands at a cultural, linguistic, and historic crossroads between Europe and Asia. Its chiefcities - the capital of Nicosia, Limassol, Famagusta, and Paphos - have absorbed the influences of generations of conquerors, pilgrims, and travelersand have an air that is both cosmopolitan and provincial. Today Cyprus is a popular tourist destination for visitors from Europe, favoured by honeymooners (as befits the legendary home of Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love), bird-watchers drawn by the island's diversity of migratory species, and other vacationers.
Geography
Cyprus lies about 65 km ( 40 miles) south of Turkey, 100 km (60 miles) west of Syria, and 770 km(480 miles) southeast of Greece mainland. Its maximum length, from Cape Arnautiin the west to Cape Apostolos Andreas at the end of the northeastern peninsula,is 225 km (140 miles); the maximum north-south extent is 100 km (60 miles ). Itis the third largest Mediterranean island, after Sicily and Sardinia.Climate
Cyprus has an intense Mediterranean climate, with a typically strongly marked seasonal rhythm. Hot, dry summers (June to September) and rainy winters (November to March) are separated by short autumn andspring seasons (October and April to May, respectively) of rapid change.Summer temperatures in Nicosia range between an average daily maximum of 37 ºC ( 98 ºF) and an average daily minimum of 21 ºC ( 70 ºF); in winter the range is between 15 ºC (59 ºF) and 5 ºC (41 ºF).Ethnic groups, languages and religions
The people of Cyprus represent two main ethnic groups, Greek and Turkish. The Greek Cypriots, who constitute nearly four-fifths of the population, descended from a mixture of aboriginal inhabitants and immigrants from the Pelloponnese who colonized Cyprus starting about 1200 BC and assimilated subsequent settlers up to the 16th century. Roughly one-fifth of the population are Turkish Cypriots, descendants of the soldiers of the Ottoman army that conquered the island in 1571 and of immigrants from Anatolia brought in by the sultan's government. Since 1974 additional immigrants from Turkey have been brought in to work vacant land and increase the total labour force.
The language of the majority is Greek and of the minority, Turkish. There are also a small number of Arabic-speaking Maronite Christians, as well as a small group who speak Armenian. These groups each total only a few thousand speakers, and they are mostly bilingual, with either Turkish or Greek their second language. English is widely spoken and understood. Illiteracy is extremely low, the result of an excellent educational system. The Greek Cypriots are primarily Eastern Orthodox Christians. Their church, the Church of Cyprus, is autocephalous. The Turkish Cypriots are Sunni Muslims. There are also smaller Maronite, Armenian, Roman Catholic, and Anglican Christian communities on the island.Practical Info
Time Zone:
GMT+ 2 (GMT + 3 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October)
Currency - Exchange Rates
The currency of the Republic is the Cyprus pound - CY £, which is divided into 100 cents.
Notes and coins currently in circulation are as follows:
Banknotes: CY £20, CY£10, CY £5, CY £1.
Coins: 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents.
Commercial Banks quote daily the exchange rates of the Cyprus Pound against all major foreign currencies.
The Indicative exchange rates (selling by banks) as at 1 March 2005 were as follows:
Sterling £1 = CY £0,85
US dollar $1 = CY £0,44
Euro €1 = CY £0,58
Electric Current - Voltage
The supply in Cyprus is 240 volts, a.c. 50Hz. Sockets are usually 13 amp, square-pin in most buildings.