Cyprus’s geographical position is surprisingly good: the island is situated at the crossroads of trade routes between Asia, Africa, and Europe. Throughout its history, the island has been at the crossroads of the great civilizations and often conquered and colonized from different people, which very much determined its historical development.

Facts and figures of Cyprus

Cyprus is located in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. Distance from Cyprus to Egypt is 380 km, Turkey – 75 km, Syria is 105 km away and the world famous Greek islands of Rhodes and Karpasos – 380 km.

The island is of volcanic origin. That is why there are a lot of low mountains and hills. The unique shapes of the island formed a major mountain range, which is located in the North-East and can be seen from afar. Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and its total area is 9.2 thousands km².

 

Landscapes of Cyprus

Landscapes of Southern Cyprus and the eastern coast of the island are famous for its long sandy coasts. To the North the coast is rocky with numerous coves. At the time of landing, visitors can enjoy the amazing views of the coves and bays in whimsical forms as well as green valleys surrounded by rocky mountains. The main features of the Cypriot landscape are hilly fields, fertile plains, covered with vineyards, coniferous forests in the mountains. Almost parallel to each other along the island are two mountain ranges: the Kyrenia to the North and Troodos Mountains to the South. Low mountains and hills cover almost half of the island. The plains of Cyprus are planted with olive and carob trees, wheat, and grapes.

In the East part of the island are cultivated watermelons and melons as well as the delicious Cypriot potatoes.

Along the Southwestern coast of Cyprus, Troodos mountain range stretches, covered with pine trees, dwarf Oaks, cypress trees and different kinds of cedar. The highest mountain is called Olympus Troodos massif. It rises at 1952 meters above sea level and it is the highest point of the island. Between these two mountain ranges lies the fertile valley of Mesaoria.

The total area of forest in Cyprus is about 20 per cent of the island, while the fertile lands cover about 47%.

In South, Cyprus has the five large settlements: Nicosia, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos, and Polis. In the northern part of the island have three cities: Morphou, Kyrenia, and Famagusta. Unfortunately, since 1974, the northern part of the island is occupied by Turkey, but guests of the island are still able to visit and admire the sights of that area without a problem.