Resources from Pearl Linguistics

CYPRIOT Facts & Figures

Size: 3,572 square miles

Population: 803,147

Capital: Nicosia

Currency: Euro

Weather / Climate:

Cyprus has a subtropical climate – Mediterranean and Semi-arid type (in the north-eastern part of island) – according to Köppen climate classification signes Csa and Bsh, with very mild winters (on the coast) and warm to hot summers. Snow is possible only in the Troodos Mountains in the central part of island. Rain occurs mainly in winter, with summer being generally dry.

Cyprushas the warmest climate (and warmest winters) in the Mediterranean part of the European Union. The average annual temperature on the coast is around 24 °C (75 °F) during the day and 14 °C (57 °F) at night. Generally – summer's/holiday season lasts about 8 months, begins in April with average temperatures of 21–23 °C (70–73 °F) during the day and 11–13 °C (52–55 °F) at night, ends in November with average temperatures of 22–23 °C (72–73 °F) during the day and 12–14 °C (54–57 °F) at night, although also in remaining 4 months temperatures sometimes exceeds 20 °C (68 °F). Among all cities in the Mediterranean part of the European Union, Limassol has the warmest winters, in the period January–February average temperature is 17–18 °C (63–64 °F) during the day and 8–9 °C (46–48 °F) at night, in other coastal locations in Cyprus is generally 16–17 °C (61–63 °F) during the day and 7–9 °C (45–48 °F) at night. In March and December in Limassol average temperatures is 19–20 °C (66–68 °F) during the day and 10–11 °C (50–52 °F) at night, in other coastal locations in Cyprus is generally 17–19 °C (63–66 °F) during the day and 8–11 °C (46–52 °F) at night. Middle of summer is hot – in July and August on the coast the average temperature is usually around 33 °C (91 °F) during the day and around 23 °C (73 °F) at night (inside the island, in the highlands average temperature exceeds 35 °C (95 °F)) while in the June and September on the coast the average temperature is usually around 30 °C (86 °F) during the day and around 20 °C (68 °F) at night. Large fluctuations in temperature are rare. Temperatures inside the island are more stringent, with colder winters and more hot summers compared with the coast of the island.

Average annual temperature of sea is 21–22 °C (70–72 °F), from 17 °C (63 °F) in February to 27–28 °C (81–82 °F) in August (depending on the location). In total 7 months – from May to November – the average sea temperature exceeds 20 °C (68 °F).

Sunshine hours on the coast is around 3,400 per year, from average 5–6 hours of sunshine / day in December to average 12–13 hours in July. This is about double that of cities in the northern half of Europe, for comparison: London – 1,461, however in winter up to some times more sunshine, for comparison: London has 37 hours while coastal locations in Cyprus has around 180 hours of sunshine in December (that is, as much as in May in London).

Taken from wikipedia

CYPRIOT languages

Greek and Turkish are the official languages according to Article 3 of the Constitution of Cyprus. In Northern Cyprus, the official language is Turkish (Article 2 of the 1983 Constitution of Northern Cyprus). English is widely spoken on the island, and Russian has become fairly widespread in recent years due to the influx of immigrants and investors from CIS countries.

Greek is predominantly spoken in the South, where the majority are Greek Cypriots, Turkish in the north, where the majority are Turkish Cypriots . English is widely used over all of the island.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Cyprus

CYPRIOT culture

Small in size but bulging with all the personality of a sassy Mediterranean hotspot, Cyprus woos visitors with profound legends of love, epic tales from over 10,000 years of colourful history, and a veritable smorgasbord of culinary treats. After dining on salty halloumi, tangy dolmades (stuffed vine leaves) and chunks of kleftiko (seasoned slow-baked lamb), visitors will find many an all-night party pumping throughout Cyprus' main towns - Ayia Napa in particular - and an assortment of pristine beaches on which to revive and rejuvenate the next day. For an altogether slower pace, the café culture of Nicosia is well worth sampling, as are some gentle wanders around the country's fascinating selection of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Whatever speed you choose to go, Cyprus is guaranteed to leave you wanting more.

By legend the birthplace of the ancient Greek goddess of love Aphrodite, Cyprus's modern history has, in contrast, been dominated by enmity between its Greek and Turkish inhabitants.

Like many Mediterranean islands, Cyprus has long been seen as an important strategic base and has suffered a variety of occupations. The Athenians, the Persians, the Egyptians, Alexander the Great and the Romans were the most important invaders during the ancient period. After the partition of the Roman Empire in the fourth century AD, Cyprus became part of the Eastern Byzantine Empire.

From 1571, the Ottoman Turks ruled Cyprus for over three centuries, before ceding it to Britain in 1878. Independence was achieved in August 1960, after a four-year military struggle between the UK and the guerrillas of EOKA (National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters) who sought union with Greece.

The political leader of the liberation movement, Archbishop Makarios, was elected President in December 1959. The island's new constitution was an elaborate compromise between the British and the rival Greek and Turkish communities, between whom considerable distrust remained. The British retained two large tracts of land for military purposes. It fell apart in July 1974, when Makarios was deposed by a military coup. Within days, Turkish troops arrived on the northern coast of Cyprus, having been 'invited' by the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, to intervene in order to protect the Turkish community on the island. The Greeks failed to respond effectively, not least because of the simultaneous collapse of the military junta in Athens.

In 1974 the island was effectively partitioned with the northern third inhabited by Turkish Cypriots and the southern two-thirds by Greek Cypriots. A "Green Line" - dividing the two parts from Morphou through Nicosia to Famagusta - is patrolled by United Nations troops.

The UN drew up the Green Line as a ceasefire demarcation line in 1963 after intervening to end communal tension. It became impassable after the Turkish invasion of 1974, except for designated crossing points. In 1983 the Turkish-held area declared itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The status of Northern Cyprus as a separate entity is recognised only by Turkey, which keeps around 30,000 troops in the north of the island.

The prospect of EU enlargement concentrated minds in the search for a settlement. UN-sponsored negotiations continued throughout 2002 and a peace plan was tabled. Soon afterwards the EU invited Cyprus to become a member. But hopes that the island could join united were dashed when leaders of the Turkish and Greek communities failed to agree to the UN plan by the March 2003 deadline.

In the months that followed travel restrictions were eased, enabling people to cross the border for the first time in nearly 30 years, raising hopes that progress might be on the way. As EU entry approached, a revised UN reunification plan was put to both communities in twin referendums in April 2004.

The plan was endorsed by Turkish Cypriots - though not by their then leader Rauf Denktash - but overwhelmingly rejected by Greek Cypriots. Because both sides had to approve the proposals, the island remained divided as it joined the EU in May. EU laws and benefits apply only to the Greek Cypriot community. More than two years later, hopes of progress were rekindled at UN-sponsored talks between Cypriot President Tassos Papadopolous and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat. The two agreed on a series of confidence-building measures and contacts between the communities.

Hopes were given further impetus by the election of Demetris Christophas as president in February 2008. He immediately began talks with Mehmet Ali Talat on reuniting the country as a bi-zonal federal state. However, the initial optimism faded as talks made only slow progress through 2008, and hopes for a deal were dealt a blow by the victory of right-wing nationalists at parliamentary elections in northern Cyprus in April 2009.

Talks stalled through 2009, and the nationalists consolidated their dominance of northern Cyprus by winning the presidential election there in April 2010. Turkey has a particular interest in seeing the situation resolved as its own EU aspirations are linked to the island's future.

Greek Orthodox religion is predominant with Islam as a main religion in the north.

The family, including extended family, is at the centre of Cypriot society, and particular respect is shown to elders, as well as religious beliefs. It is customary to shake hands on greeting, and other normal courtesies should be observed. It is viewed as impolite to refuse an offer of Greek coffee or a cold drink, and it is typical to bring a small gift of wine or confectionery, particularly when invited for a meal. For most occasions, casual attire is acceptable. Beachwear should be confined to the beach or poolside. More formal wear is required for business, and in more exclusive dining rooms and social functions.

Photography is forbidden near military camps or installations. A licence from the appropriate authorities is required to photograph museum artefacts - this can sometimes be purchased from the museum's ticket desk. No flash photography is allowed in churches with murals or icons.

Holidays

· 01 January – New Year's Day

· 06 January – Epiphany

· March – Green Monday

· 25 March – Greek Independence Day

· 01 April – Greek Cypriot National Day

· April – Greek Orthodox Good Friday

· April – Greek Orthodox Easter Monday

· 01 May – Labour Day

· June – Pentecost, Kataklysmos

· 15 August – Assumption

· 01 October – Cyprus Independence Day

· 28 October – Greek National Day, Ochi Day

· 25 December – Christmas Day

Taken from:

www.bbc.co.uk

www.worldtravelguide.net

CYPRIOT people

The Demographics of Cyprus is about the demographic features of the population of Cyprus, including population growth, population density, ethnicity, education level, health, economic status, religious affiliations, and other aspects of the population.

The people of Cyprus are broadly divided into two main ethnic communities, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, who share many customs but maintain distinct identities based on ethnicity, religion, language, and close ties with their respective motherlands. Before the dispute started in 1964 the peoples of Cyprus (then 77% Greek Cypriots, 18% Turkish Cypriots, 5% other nationalities, including Armenians and Maronites)[1] were dispersed over the entire island. The Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 de facto partitioned the island into two political areas: 99.5% of Greek Cypriots now live in the Republic of Cyprus, while 98.7% of Turkish Cypriots live in Northern Cyprus (of other nationalities, 99.2% live in the Greek Cypriot area in the south).

Population

796,740 in Government controlled area (July 2009 est.) [15]

265,100 in Northern Cyprus (2006 population census).[9]

1,054,400 total population of Cyprus (sum of population in Government controlled area and Northern Cyprus, 2006-2007 data)

Population by citizenship

Republicof Cyprusgovernment controlled area:[13]

1992 census: 95.8% Cypriot, 4.2% Non-Cypriot

2001 census: 90.6% Cypriot, 9.4% Non-Cypriot

Northern Cyprus:[9]

2006 census (de facto population): 66.7% TRNC, 29.3% Turkey, 4.0% other

The data in subsections Age structure through Divorce rate are for the area controlled by the Republic of Cyprus government only. The estimates are for 2007 from the Republic of Cyprus Statistical Abstract 2007 (pp. 63–88)[5] unless indicated otherwise.

Age structure

0-14 years: 17.47% or 137,900 ( 70,700 males/67,200 females)

15-64 years: 70.07% or 553,100 ( 274,300 males/278,800 females)

65 years and over: 12.46% or 98,300 ( 44,600 males/53,700 females)

Population growth rate

1.4%[15]

Net migration rate

Total immigrants: 19,142

Total emigrants: 11,752

Net migration: +7,390

Net migration rate: 9.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio

At birth: 1.087 male(s)/female

Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female

Ethnic groups

Greek 77%, Turkish 18%, other 5% (2001 est., entire island)

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Cyprus

CYPRIOT food

Cypriot cuisine is the cuisine of Cyprus and can be described as a blend of Greek cuisines. Greek Cypriot cuisine is another regional Greek cuisine along with Cretan, Ionian, or Attic. Modern western cuisine (especially fast food) has an increasing influence on the day-to-day diet on the island. The names given to the foods of the Cypriot cuisine are different amongst the dominant population,the Greeks.

Seafood

Popular seafood dishes include calamari, octopus, cuttlefish, red mullet parpouni, sea bass lavraki, and gilt-head bream (chipura/tsipoura).^[1] Octopus, due to its robust nature, is made into a stiffado (stew) with red wine, carrots, tomatoes, and onions. Calamari is either cut into rings and fried in batter or is stuffed whole with rice, cumin, cloves, sometimes adding mint to the stuffing, and then baked or grilled. Cuttlefish (soupies) may be cooked like calamari or like octopus in red wine with onions. It is sometimes prepared with spinach, but without adding garden peas, which are a popular accompaniment for cuttlefish in Turkey, specially in west and south coast, some parts of Greece and Italy. Calamari, octopus, and cuttlefish commonly feature in meze, a spread of small dishes served as an appetizer or a meal.

The most traditional fish is salt cod, which up until very recently was baked in the outdoor beehive ovens with potatoes and tomatoes in season. Gilt-head bream is popular because it is relatively inexpensive and like sea bass extensively farmed. Until recently, salted herrings bought whole out of wooden barrels were a staple food. They are still enjoyed, but not as much now, as fresh fish and meat are regular alternatives.

Vegetables

Moussaka

Cyprus potatoes are long and waxy with a unique taste, exported internationally. Locals love them baked in the oven, preferably the outdoor beehive fourni. Many Cypriots add salt, cumin, oregano, and some finely sliced onion. When they barbecue, some Cypriots put potatoes into foil and sit them in the charcoal to make them like jacket potatoes - served with butter and/or as a side dish to salad and meat.

Salad vegetables are eaten at every meal, sometimes whole. More often, they are prepared chopped, sliced, and dressed with lemon and olive oil. In the summer, the usual salad is of celery leaves and stalks, parsley, coriander leaves, tomatoes, and cucumber. Summer purslane is very popular as are wild dandelion leaves.

In the early spring, artichokes are in season. Cypriots eat the leaves by detaching and bitting off the fleshy base. A common preparation for the stalks and the heart is braised with garden peas, with a little onion and perhaps a chopped tomato. Meat is sometimes added.

Bamies(okra or ladies' fingers) are baked in the oven with tomato and oil, and kounoupidhi (cauliflower) is also given this treatment.

Cauliflower is also made into moungra, a sour pickle covered with a marinade of vinegar, yeast, and mustard seeds. It is also cooked in tomato sauce, onions and mince meat.

Vazania(aubergines) can be prepared in a variety of ways, including stuffed and in moussaka. They are commonly fried and stewed slowly in oil, where the cooking time brings out the flavour and also allows them to shed the oil they have absorbed. Turkish cypriots hollow them, fry them, stuff them with tomatoes and garlic or mince meat and tomato paste, cook them in the oven and garnish with parsley.

Meat

Being only a very recently urbanized country, Cypriots traditionally ate fresh meat on weekends. This was usually a boiled chicken, served with a starch (maybe pasta, maybe pourgouri) cooked in its juices. This would stretch the meat to enable the whole family to eat. Other fresh meat dishes were only enjoyed occasionally, sometimes en masse as a feast such as a wedding. Now, as people are better off and meat is widely available, traditional meat dishes are enjoyed frequently.

Afelia, when well prepared, is a delicious saute of pork, red wine, and coriander seeds. Psito is large chunks of meat and potatoes cooked in the oven. Plenty of fat is used in its preparation; traditionally, this would have been rendered pig fat, but now sunflower oil is used. Olive oil is used as a dressing for salads, vegetables, and pulses but is not used to cook meat dishes.

Preserved pork meat is very popular, and before refrigeration, it was the main source of red meat available to Greek Cypriots. Cypriots also add red wine; therefore, there is a characteristic flavour to most of the charcuterie from the island.

Lountza is made from the pork tenderloin. After the initial brining and marinading in wine, it is smoked. Although it can be aged, many prefer younger, milder lountza. It is often cooked over coals or fried with eggs to act as a sandwich filler or as part of a meze. Stronger than lountza and made from the leg, is chiromeri, which is similar to any smoked, air-dried ham from Southern Europe, although the wine flavour makes it characteristically Cypriot. In non-mountain areas, the same meat used for chiromeri is cut into strips along the muscle compartments and dried in the sun as basta. The shoulder of a freshly slaughtered animal is cut into chunks about the size of an almond along with a smaller quantity of chopped back fat, which are marinated in wine and brined, stuffed into intestines, and smoked as sausages (loukaniko). The Italians have a sausage of the same name.

A traditional practice that is dying out fast is to render pig fat for use as a cooking medium and a preservative. Loukaniko and also chunks of fried salted pork meat and fat can be stored in earthenware jars submerged in the lard for a long time, even in the heat of the island. Koupes is the Island's variant of what is called Kouba in the Arabic world. It's made from a burghouri grain exterior which is molded into a spherical shape and filled with a mince and onion mixture. The variation from the Arabic version is that the Cypriots use pork instead of beef, as well as the spices. You can find these in any bakery, which would be made fresh in the morning. However for the best Koupes you have to have it straight from the frier! For this you need to visit local pastry shops that will make it for you on order. See below links for some of these.

Lamb and goat meat is also preserved as tsamarella, made very salty to prevent the fatty lamb meat from going rancid. Very popular amongst both communities is preserved beef. The whole silversides and briskets are salted and spiced quite powerfully to make pastourma. The same meat and some fat is chopped finely and made into pastourma-loukaniko sausages.

Many Greek Cypriots consider snails a delicacy. Snails are in season in late autumn, when the first good rains arrive after the hot summer. After being purged, they are either prepared as a pilaf with rice, or cooked in cinnamon, onions and tomatoes as a stifado.

Mezedes

Mezedes is a large selection of dishes with small helpings of varied foods, brought to the table as a progression of tastes and textures. The meal begins with black and green olives,tahini, skordalia (potato and garlic dip), humus, taramosalata (fish roe dip), and tzatziki, all served with chunks of fresh bread and a bowl of mixed salad. Some of the more unusual meze dishes include octopus in red wine, snails in tomato sauce, brains with pickled capers, samarella (salted dried meat), quails, pickled quail eggs, tongue, ram's testes, kappari pickles (capers), and moungra (pickled cauliflower). Bunches of greens, some raw, some dressed with lemon juice and salt, are a basic feature of the meze table. The meal continues with fish, grilled halloumi cheese, lountza (smoked pork tenderloin), keftedes (minced meatballs), sheftalia (pork rissoles), and loukaniko (pork sausages). Hot grilled meats – kebabs, lamb chops, chicken – may be served toward the end. The dessert is usually fresh fruit or glyka – traditional sugar-preserved fruits and nuts.^[2]

Desserts

Loukoumades(fried doughballs in syrup), Loukoumia, Ravani,Touloumbes,Baklavas are some of the loved desserts. There is also Pastish, a cookie made of ground almonds that are offered to guests at weddings.

Flaounes are savory Easter pies that contain goats cheese (or a variety of cheeses), eggs, spices and herbs all wrapped in a yeast pastry, then brushed with egg yolk and dipped into sesame seeds.^[3]

Cypriots also make many traditional sweets that are usually made of turunch/ bergamot, figs, tiny aubergines, fresh fleshy walnuts, watermelon or pumpkins processed akin to jam but without the over-cooking. The fruit is soaked for two weeks (depending upon the fruit) then boiled with sugar until the correct texture is obtained.

Cheese

Halloumi is a semi-hard white-brined cheese with elastic texture, made in a rectangular shape from a mixture of goat and sheep milk; it may be sliced and eaten fresh, grilled, or fried. Aged halloumi may be grated over pasta dishes. It is the national cheese of Cyprus.

Anari, from Greek (αναρ?) is a crumbly fresh whey cheese, similar to ricotta, made from goat or sheep milk. Usually unsalted (though salted versions are available), it is sometimes eaten with a drizzle of honey or carob syrup.

Drinks

Non alcoholic

Ayrani is a traditional drink made of milk. Its recipe varies from region to region. Triantafyllo, a thick concentrated dark pink syrup (en: Rose cordial) made from the extract of the Cyprus (Damascus) rose, has water or milk added to make a refreshing sweet cordial, especially in summer. It is distinct from rodostagma (lit. rose drops) (rose water) and anthonero (blossom water), which are clear liquids, are used to sweeten machalepi and other sweetmeats.

Alcoholic

Among Cypriots traditional Brandy and Zivania are of the most popular drinks on the island. The second popular drink is beer. The local breweries of KEO and Carlsberg command the lion's share of the market. In the Turkish-controlled areas, Efes is the most widely sold. Evidence of wine production on Cyprus —one of the first wine producers— goes back for millennia. Commandaria, the oldest wine in continuous production, is a popular dessert wine.

Cyprusalso has a tradition of brandy production, with production by various Limassol-based distilleries since 1871. Cypriot brandy is commonly drunk with meze dishes, and forms the base for the distinctive brandy sour cocktail, developed on the island in the late-1930s. Zivania, a grape distillate similar to raki, is another popular spirit.

Taken from wikipedia

Places to go in CYPRUS

Cypriot purchases include handmade lace, woven curtains and tablecloths, silks, basketwork, pottery, silverware and leather goods. Jewellery is an art which has been practised on the island since the Mycenaean period; craftspeople working in contemporary and traditional styles produce some very fine pieces. Silver spoons and forks are a traditional symbol of Cypriot hospitality. Lefkara lace is famous throughout the world as one of the products most closely associated with Cypriot workmanship; the name originates from the village Lefkara, situated on a hill on the Nicosia-Limassol road. Local wines and brandy also make good purchases. Imported goods sell at competitive prices, including cameras, perfume, porcelain and crystal.

There is a vibrant night-time scene in the coastal towns and cities of Cyprus, with hundreds are discos and bars to choose from; the summer party scene in Ayia Napa is the pick off the bunch. It is normal for nightclubs in Ayia Napa to reinvent themselves every couple of years, but first club in the town, Black & White, remains the same and is still going strong. Typical Cypriot bars line the sea front in Larnaca, with livelier options along the harbour in Kyrenia. In northern Cyprus, ballroom classes and evenings are available, and attract a wide range of age groups.

Take a walking tour of the capital Nicosia and visit the Cyprus Museum - a storehouse of the island's archaeological treasures - the Folk Art Museum, the new Archbishop's Palace, St John's Cathedral, Byzantine churches, the Byzantine Museum/Makarios Cultural Centre and the Ömeriye Mosque.

Get your wager on at the Nicosia Race Club. It's the only licensed racetrack on the island, and has a pleasant colonial atmosphere as well as the chance to back a favourite.

From the capital, take an excursion to the Royal Tombs and Agios Irakleidios Monastery at Tamassos, the five-dome church and the mosque in Peristerona, and the Panagia Chrysospiliotissa Church found in a cliff-side cave near Deftera.

Near Larnaca Airport, enjoy the Hala Sultan Tekke: a historic mosque standing in beautiful gardens on the edge of Larnaca Salt Lake - dry in summer, and a winter home of migratory flamingos.

Celebrate the feast of Kataklysmos (the Greek Orthodox Whitsun); although celebrated throughout Cyprus, there is special enthusiasm in Larnaca, where crowds throng the shore for water sports, singing, dancing, eating and drinking.

In the ancient city of Kourion, on a steep hillside near Episkopi, discover a Greco-Roman theatre, where concerts and Shakespearean plays are performed in summer. See also the House of Eustolios, which has beautiful mosaics; the Acropolis; the ruins of the Roman-era forum; and the Christian Basilica.

Kykkos Monastery is the largest and most famous monastery in Cyprus. Founded in AD1100 by the Byzantine emperor Alexios Komnenos, the monastery is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and is home to one of the three surviving icons painted by the Apostle Luke. Kykkos Monastery is ornately decorated and covered in a silver gilt, enclosed in a tortoiseshell shrine. It is also famous for its museum, located within the monastery grounds, which houses an impressive collection of icons, woodcarvings and manuscripts, and other Cypriot antiquities. The nearby Troodos Mountains, with magnificent hills and valleys, should also be explored as they are home to nine Byzantine churches, included on UNESCO's World Heritage list, and richly decorated with murals and Byzantine paintings.

Be serenaded whilst gazing at Pafos' beautiful medieval fort. It's worth seeing anytime of the year, but particularly during the three days each summer when operatic sounds reverberate around the ancient walls.

Explore one of Cyprus' ancient castles. Saint Hilarion castle towers out of the limestone rocks of the Besparmark mountains, and is one of the finest sights in northern Cyprus. Kolossi Castle, near Limassol, is entered via a reconstructed drawbridge, and has an extremely impressive opening hall.

At Kouklia visit the ruins of ancient Palaia Pafos and the Temple of Aphrodite. At the coast is Petra tou Romiou (Rock of Aphrodite).

At the edge of the Akamas Peninsula, witness where, so legend has it, the Greek goddess of love bathed. The Baths of Aphrodite is a grotto containing a freshwater pool, and the surrounding area is virtually untouched.

Party hard in Ayia Napa, which has an increasingly boisterous reputation as a major clubbing resort. It also attracts families to its beaches, Waterworld leisure centre and Go-Karts track.

On the coast south of Famagusta lie busy resorts, speckled with golden sand beaches, that are ideal for children; try Fig Tree Bay and Flamingo Bay. Family-oriented Protaras and Pernera resorts also boast good beaches, with cafés and beach bars.

Indulge your taste buds on the slopes of the Troodos Mountains at the Platres chocolate workshop. The owners import all chocolate from Venezuela, and have entered the Guinness Book of World Records for making the world's most expensive Easter egg.

Find perfect sand-castle building south of Limassol: the Akrotiri Peninsula's Lady's Mile Beach is a vast stretch of golden powder. On the coast north of Pafos, Coral Bay is a fast-growing resort around a good beach.

Hike through the many unspoilt areas in Cyprus. Recommended nature trails include Atalante, Kaledonia and Persephone in the Troodos area; Aphrodite and Adonis in the Akamas area; and several trails through the forests of Machairas and Limassol.

Both Platres and Kakopetria are conveniently placed for the skiing season on Mount Olympus, which usually lasts from January to mid March, but Troodos is actually the nearest resort to the skiing area.

Take in the the spectacular scenery and 10 Byzantine churches of the forested (or, more accurately, reforested) Troodos Mountains. Platres, 1,200m (3,937ft) above sea level on the southern slopes, is the ideal base for excursion, and lies on the approaches to Mount Olympus (at 1,952m (6,404ft), the highest peak in Cyprus).

Look after your soul with a dose of yoga at Sumeru Resort. Located near Kritou Tera is one of the oldest villages in Cyprus; Ohm your way to enlightenment from a beautiful vantage point surrounded by rugged terrain.

Taken from www.worldtravelguide.net

Doing business in CYPRUS

The Cypriot economy is prosperous and has diversified in recent years.^[83] According to the latest International Monetary Fund estimates, its per capita GDP (adjusted for purchasing power) at $28,381 is just above the average of the European Union.^[84] Cyprus has been sought as a base for several offshore businesses for its highly developed infrastructure. Tourism, financial services, and shipping are significant parts of the economy. Economic policy of the Cyprus government has focused on meeting the criteria for admission to the European Union. The Cypriot government adopted the euro as the national currency on 1 January 2008.^[83]

In recent years significant quantities of offshore natural gas have been discovered in the area known as Aphrodite in Cyprus' exclusive economic zone (EEZ),^[85] about 175 km south of Limassol at 33°5′40″N and 32°59′0″E.^[86] Cyprus demarcated its maritime border with Egypt in 2003, and with Lebanon in 2007.^[87] Cyprus and Israel demarcated their maritime border in 2010,^[88] and in August 2011, the US-based firm Noble Energy entered into a production-sharing agreement with the Cypriot government regarding the block's commercial development.^[89]Turkey, which does not recognize the border agreements of Cyprus with its neighbors,^[90] threatened to mobilize its naval forces in the event that Cyprus would proceed with plans to begin drilling at Block 12.^[91] Cyprus' drilling efforts have the support of the US, EU, and UN, and on September 19, 2011 drilling in Block 12 began without any incidents being reported.^[92]

The economy of the Turkish-occupied areas operates on a free-market basis although it continues to be handicapped by the lack of private and public investment, high freight costs and shortages of skilled labor. Despite these constraints the economy turned in an impressive performance in 2003 and 2004 with growth rates of 9.6% and 11.4%. The average income in the area was $15,984 (S?16,289) in 2008.^[93] Growth has been buoyed by the relative stability of the Turkish new lira and by a boom in the education and construction sectors. The island has witnessed a massive growth in tourism over the years and as such the property rental market in Cyprus has grown alongside. Added to this is the capital growth in property that has been created from the demand of incoming investors and property buyers to the island.^[94]

Transport

Available modes of transport are by road, sea, and air. Of the 10,663 km (6,626 mi) of roads in the Republic of Cyprus as of 1998, 6,249 km (3,883 mi) were paved, and 4,414 km (2,743 mi) were unpaved. As of 1996 the Turkish occupied area had a similar ratio of paved to unpaved, with approximately 1,370 km (850 mi) of paved road and 980 km (610 mi) unpaved. Cyprus is one of only four EU nations in which vehicles drive on the left-hand side of the road, a remnant of British colonisation, the others being Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom.

There are several modern motorways in Cyprus. A series of motorways runs along the coast from Paphos east to Ayia Napa, with two motorways running inland to Nicosia, one from Limassol and one from Larnaca.

A1 Nicosia to Limassol
A2 connects A1 near Pera Chorio with A3 by Larnaca
A3 Larnaca to Agia Napa
A5 connects A1 near Kofinou with A3 by Larnaca
A6 Pafos to Limassol
A9 Nicosia to Astromeritis

Per capita private car ownership is the 5th highest in the world. There are approximately 344,000 privately owned vehicles, and a total of 517,000 registered motor vehicles in the Republic of Cyprus.^[95] In 2006 extensive plans were announced to improve and expand bus services and restructure public transport throughout Cyprus, with the financial backing of the European Union Development Bank. In 2010 the new revised and expanded bus network was implemented.^[96]

In 1999, Cyprus had six heliports and two international airports: Larnaca International Airport and Paphos International Airport. Nicosia International Airport has been closed since 1974 and although Ercan airport was still in use it was only for flights from Turkey.

The main harbours of the island are Limassol and Larnaca, which service cargo, passenger, and cruise ships.

Communications

Main article: Communications in Cyprus

Cyta, the state-owned telecommunications company, manages most Telecommunications and Internet connections on the island. However, following the recent liberalisation of the sector, a few private telecommunications companies have emerged including MTN, Cablenet, OTEnet Telecom, Omega Telecom and PrimeTel. In the Turkish-controlled area of Cyprus, three companies are also present. These are Turkcell, Vodafone and Turk Telekom.