Contents

Draft:Cyprus

Cyprus
Country



Native name
Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία
Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti




Capital
Nicosia
Largest city
Nicosia



Official languages
Greek, Turkish


Demonym
Cypriot




Legislature
House of Representatives








Currency
Euro(EUR)



Calling code
+357
Internet TLD
.cy





Website
Official website


Cyprus, officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its capital and largest city is Nicosia. Cyprus has an area of 9,253 square kilometres and a population estimated by Eurostat at 979,865 in 2025.[1] It is the third-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies south of Turkey, west of Syria and Lebanon, northwest of Israel, north of Egypt, and southeast of Greece.[2]

Cyprus is a presidential republic. The president serves as both head of state and head of government and is directly elected for a five-year term.[3] Nikos Christodoulides has served as president since 2023, after winning the presidential election held that February.[4]

The Republic of Cyprus became independent from British rule in 1960. Political and communal tensions between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots led to intercommunal violence in the 1960s, and the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) was established in 1964.[5] Following a 1974 coup by elements seeking union with Greece and a subsequent military intervention by Turkey, the island became divided along ceasefire lines.[6] The northern part of the island is administered by the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. United Nations Security Council resolutions 541 and 550 called on states not to recognize a Cypriot state other than the Republic of Cyprus.[7][8]

Cyprus joined the European Union on 1 May 2004 and adopted the euro on 1 January 2008.[1][9] The whole island is legally part of the EU, although EU law is suspended in the areas where the government of the Republic of Cyprus does not exercise effective control.[10]

Geography

Cyprus occupies 9,253 square kilometres in the eastern Mediterranean.[1] The island is approximately 240 kilometres from west to east and about 100 kilometres across at its widest north–south extent.[2]

The island's landscape includes two main mountain systems. The Troodos Mountains dominate the central and southwestern parts of Cyprus, while the narrower Kyrenia Range extends across much of the north. Mount Olympus, in the Troodos range, reaches approximately 1,952 metres and is the island's highest point.[11] Between the mountain ranges lies the Mesaoria plain, an important agricultural area.[2]

Cyprus has a Mediterranean climate characterized by hot, dry summers and comparatively mild, wetter winters. The mountainous interior is cooler than the coastal and lowland regions, and snow can occur on the higher parts of the Troodos Mountains during winter.[11]

The island's coastline contains sandy beaches, rocky shores, bays and headlands. Coastal tourism is particularly developed around areas such as Ayia Napa, Protaras, Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos.[12]

History

Prehistory and antiquity

Human settlement in Cyprus extends back to the early Neolithic period. The Cyprus Department of Antiquities dates the island's Pre-Pottery Neolithic period to the 10th–6th millennia BC, followed by the Ceramic Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Bronze Age periods.[13]

The prehistoric settlement of Choirokoitia, occupied during the Neolithic period, provides important evidence of early farming communities in the eastern Mediterranean. Archaeological excavations have revealed circular stone and mudbrick structures, defensive works and evidence of organized community life.[14]

During the Bronze Age, Cyprus developed extensive links with the eastern Mediterranean, helped by its copper resources and its position along major trading routes. Mycenaean and Achaean Greek settlement contributed to the spread of Greek language and culture on the island, while Phoenician communities also became established, particularly at Kition.[15]

Cyprus came under the influence or rule of several regional powers, including the Assyrian, Egyptian and Persian empires. Following the campaigns of Alexander the Great, the island became part of the Hellenistic world and was eventually controlled by the Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt.[15] Cyprus later became a Roman possession and remained within the Roman world until the division of the empire.[13]

Christianity reached Cyprus during the Roman period. According to Christian tradition, the apostles Paul and Barnabas travelled on the island during their missionary activity.[16]

Byzantine and medieval periods

After the division of the Roman Empire, Cyprus formed part of the eastern Roman, or Byzantine, sphere. Byzantine rule, interrupted by periods of conflict and Arab raids, lasted until 1191.[13]

In 1191, during the Third Crusade, Richard I of England captured Cyprus. Control subsequently passed briefly to the Knights Templar and then to the French Lusignan dynasty, which ruled the island for nearly three centuries.[13] The Lusignan period brought strong western European political, architectural and religious influences.

Venetian control began in 1489 and continued until the Ottoman conquest in 1571.[17] Fortifications built or strengthened during Venetian rule remain visible in cities including Nicosia and Famagusta.

Ottoman and British rule

The Ottoman Empire ruled Cyprus from 1571 until the late 19th century. Ottoman rule contributed to the development of the Turkish Cypriot community and left a lasting influence on the island's architecture, religious landscape and system of land tenure.[18]

Under the Cyprus Convention of 1878, administration of the island passed to Britain while formal Ottoman sovereignty initially continued. Britain annexed Cyprus in 1914 after the Ottoman Empire entered the First World War on the side of the Central Powers. Turkey relinquished its claims to Cyprus under the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, and Cyprus became a British Crown colony in 1925.[19]

During the colonial period, the movement among many Greek Cypriots for enosis, or union with Greece, became a major political issue. From 1955 to 1959, the Greek Cypriot organization EOKA conducted an armed campaign against British colonial rule. Negotiations involving Britain, Greece, Turkey and representatives of the Cypriot communities eventually produced the agreements that established an independent republic rather than union with another state.[19]

Independence and intercommunal conflict

The Republic of Cyprus was established on 16 August 1960 under arrangements negotiated by the United Kingdom, Greece and Turkey.[20] The Constitution created a power-sharing system between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities, with a Greek Cypriot president and Turkish Cypriot vice-president and communal representation in state institutions.[3]

Political disputes over the constitutional structure were followed by intercommunal violence in December 1963. In March 1964, the United Nations Security Council established UNFICYP to help prevent renewed fighting, contribute to law and order, and support a return to normal conditions.[5] Turkish Cypriot representatives withdrew from central government institutions during this period; the vice-presidential post has remained vacant since then.[3]

Events of 1974 and division of the island

On 15 July 1974, a coup against President Makarios III was carried out by elements favouring enosis with Greece and supported by the military government then ruling Greece. Five days later, Turkey launched a military intervention, citing its role as a guarantor under the 1960 arrangements.[6] Fighting continued during the summer, and a de facto ceasefire came into effect on 16 August 1974.[5]

The resulting ceasefire lines divide the island. UNFICYP maintains a buffer zone, commonly known as the Green Line, between the opposing positions. The zone extends for approximately 180 kilometres and varies in width from only a few metres in parts of Nicosia to several kilometres elsewhere.[21]

In 1983, the Turkish Cypriot administration in the north declared the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. United Nations Security Council Resolution 541 considered the declaration legally invalid and called upon states not to recognize any Cypriot state other than the Republic of Cyprus.[7] Resolution 550 reiterated the call for non-recognition.[8]

The Cyprus dispute remains unresolved. The United Nations continues to support efforts aimed at reaching a comprehensive political settlement.[6]

Government and politics

Cyprus is governed under the Constitution that entered into operation in 1960 and has subsequently been amended. The constitutional system is based on separation of powers and originally provided for executive power to be exercised by a Greek Cypriot president and Turkish Cypriot vice-president with separate constitutional powers.[22]

Following the withdrawal of Turkish Cypriot officeholders from central government institutions in the 1960s, state institutions continued to operate under what the government describes as the doctrine of necessity. The office of vice-president remains vacant.[3]

The president is directly elected by universal suffrage for a five-year term and serves as head of state and government.[23] Nikos Christodoulides became the eighth president of the Republic of Cyprus in 2023 after receiving 51.97% of the vote in the second round of the presidential election.[4]

Legislative authority is exercised by the House of Representatives. The political system operates within the framework of a multiparty parliamentary legislature alongside the separately elected presidency.

Administrative divisions

The Republic of Cyprus is traditionally divided into six districts: Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Famagusta, Paphos and Kyrenia. The division of the island since 1974 affects the government's effective administration of parts of several districts.

The 2021 census conducted in government-controlled areas recorded 923,381 residents. Of these, 350,035 lived in Nicosia District, 262,157 in Limassol District, 155,765 in Larnaca District, 101,106 in Paphos District and 54,318 in the government-controlled part of Famagusta District.[24]

European Union

Cyprus joined the European Union on 1 May 2004 following a long accession process that began with its application for membership in 1990.[25]

Although the entire territory of the Republic of Cyprus entered the EU, application of the EU acquis is suspended in areas where the government does not exercise effective control. The Green Line Regulation establishes rules governing the movement of people, goods and services across the ceasefire line.[10]

Cyprus entered the euro area on 1 January 2008. The euro replaced the Cyprus pound at the fixed conversion rate of €1 to CYP 0.585274.[26]

Economy

Cyprus has a high-income, service-oriented economy. Important sectors include tourism, professional and financial services, shipping, information and communications technology, real estate, construction and trade.

World Bank data placed Cyprus's gross domestic product at about US$41.23 billion in 2025 and GDP per capita at approximately US$41,783.[27]

The International Monetary Fund reported in 2026 that the Cypriot economy had continued to show strong growth and fiscal performance, supported by domestic demand and exports of services, particularly information and communications technology and tourism. The IMF also noted that public debt had fallen below 60% of GDP, while geopolitical tensions, energy prices and weaker tourism demand remained risks to the outlook.[28]

Tourism is an important source of employment and foreign revenue. Cyprus attracts visitors for its beaches, warm climate, archaeological sites, historic cities, mountain villages and cultural heritage.[12]

Population and society

The 2021 census counted 923,381 people in the areas controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus, an increase of 9.9% from the 2011 census. Approximately 66.7% of the enumerated population lived in urban areas and 33.3% in rural areas.[24] Eurostat figures reported by the European Union placed the population at 979,865 in 2025.[1]

Greek and Turkish are the two official languages of the Republic under the constitutional framework.[29] English is also widely used, reflecting more than eight decades of British administration and the importance of international business and tourism.

Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots are the island's two principal historic communities. The majority of Greek Cypriots traditionally belong to the Church of Cyprus, an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church, while Islam is historically the principal religion among Turkish Cypriots. Cyprus has also long been home to Armenian, Maronite, Latin and other communities.

Culture

Cypriot culture reflects the island's long history and its position between southeastern Europe, Anatolia and the eastern Mediterranean. Archaeological and architectural remains include prehistoric settlements, classical temples, Roman theatres and mosaics, Byzantine churches, Crusader castles, Gothic buildings, Venetian fortifications, Ottoman mosques and British colonial architecture.[30]

Traditional Cypriot cuisine combines Mediterranean ingredients and culinary traditions. Well-known foods include halloumi, breads, olives, vegetables, pulses, grilled meats and meze, a sequence of small dishes. Winemaking has a history extending back many centuries, particularly in communities around the Troodos foothills.

Music, dance, embroidery, pottery, basket-making, silversmithing and other crafts remain part of local cultural traditions, especially in rural communities.[11]

Heritage

Cyprus has three properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List: Paphos, the Painted Churches in the Troodos Region, and Choirokoitia.[31]

Paphos was inscribed in 1980. Its archaeological remains include villas, palaces, theatres, fortifications, tombs and mosaics connected with the ancient city and the historical cult of Aphrodite.[32]

The Painted Churches in the Troodos Region consist of ten Byzantine and post-Byzantine churches and monasteries known for their wall paintings and distinctive mountain architecture.[33]

Choirokoitia, inscribed in 1998, preserves an important Neolithic settlement and provides evidence about early farming societies and the spread of settled life through the eastern Mediterranean.[14]

Nicosia

Nicosia is the capital and largest city of Cyprus. It lies in the central part of the island between the Troodos and Kyrenia mountain systems.[2] The Green Line passes through the city, making Nicosia one of the most visible locations of the island's continuing political division.

The historic centre is enclosed by extensive Venetian fortifications, while the wider urban area functions as Cyprus's main administrative, financial, commercial and educational centre.

Cyprus dispute

The unresolved political division of Cyprus remains one of the country's central international issues. The United Nations has maintained a peacekeeping presence on the island since 1964 and has supervised the ceasefire lines and buffer zone since the events of 1974.[5]

Most Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots have lived in separate areas of the island since 1974. The UN buffer zone crosses Cyprus from northwest to southeast and includes sections of Nicosia.[21]

Various rounds of United Nations-supported negotiations have sought a comprehensive settlement. The European Union states that the entire island is EU territory but that the EU acquis remains suspended in areas where the Republic of Cyprus does not exercise effective control pending a settlement.[10]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Cyprus – EU country. European Union. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Cyprus ESA356100. European Space Agency via Wikimedia Commons. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Government. Government of the Republic of Cyprus. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Nikos Christodoulides. Government of the Republic of Cyprus. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Mandate. United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 About UNFICYP. United Nations. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Resolution 541 (1983). United Nations Security Council. 18 November 1983. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Resolution 550 (1984). United Nations Security Council. 11 May 1984. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  9. ↑ Cyprus and the euro. European Commission. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Green Line Regulation. European Commission. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Troodos Region. Visit Cyprus, Deputy Ministry of Tourism. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 About Cyprus. Visit Cyprus, Deputy Ministry of Tourism. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Chronological Table. Department of Antiquities, Republic of Cyprus. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Choirokoitia. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Cyprus at a Glance – History. Press and Information Office, Republic of Cyprus. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  16. ↑ The History of Cyprus: 11,000 Years of History and Civilisation. Visit Cyprus. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  17. ↑ Cyprus – Venice Cultural Route. Visit Cyprus. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  18. ↑ Historical Background. Department of Lands and Surveys, Republic of Cyprus. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Cyprus at a Glance – Chronology. Press and Information Office, Republic of Cyprus. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  20. ↑ Treaty concerning the Establishment of the Republic of Cyprus. United Nations Treaty Collection. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 About the buffer zone. United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  22. ↑ Translation and Consolidation of the Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus. Government of the Republic of Cyprus. 16 April 2025. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  23. ↑ Office & Competencies. Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Census of Population and Housing 2021 – Final Results. Statistical Service of Cyprus. 9 August 2024. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  25. ↑ Cyprus in the EU. European Commission Representation in Cyprus. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  26. ↑ Cyprus (since 1 January 2008). European Central Bank. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  27. ↑ Cyprus – Data. World Bank. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  28. ↑ IMF Executive Board Concludes 2026 Article IV Consultation with Cyprus. International Monetary Fund. 23 June 2026. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  29. ↑ The Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus. Law Office of the Republic of Cyprus. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  30. ↑ Culture. Visit Cyprus. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  31. ↑ Cyprus. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  32. ↑ Paphos. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Accessed 26 September 2026.
  33. ↑ Painted Churches in the Troodos Region. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Accessed 26 September 2026.
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