Republic of Cyprus facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Republic of Cyprus
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: Ethnikós Ýmnos tis Kypriakís Dimokratías Εθνικος Υμνος τις Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας National Anthem of the Republic of Cyprus¹
Location of Republic of Cyprus (green) in the European Union (light green) — [Legend]
Capital and largest city	Nicosia (Λευκωσία, Lefkoşa)
Official languages	Greek, Turkish
Recognised regional languages	Armenian, Cypriot Arabic
Ethnic groups (2001)	77% Greek 18% Turkish 5% others
Demonym(s)	Cypriot, Greek Cypriot, Turkish Cypriot
Government	Presidential republic

• President	Nicos Anastasiades

Independence from the United Kingdom

• Zürich and London Agreement	19 February 1959
• Proclaimed	16 August 1960

Area
• Total	9,251 km² (3,572 sq mi) (167th)
• Water (%)	negligible
Population
• 2010 estimate	803,147 (Does not include North) 1,088,503 (whole island)
• Density	117/km² (303.0/sq mi) (115th)
GDP (PPP)	2010 estimate
• Total	$23.190 billion
• Per capita	$28,256
GDP (nominal)	2010 estimate
• Total	$23.174 billion
• Per capita	$28,237
Gini (2005)	29 low · 19th
HDI (2011)	0.840 very high · 31st
Currency	Euro² (EUR)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Driving side	left
Calling code	357
ISO 3166 code	CY
Internet TLD	.cy³
Also the national anthem of Greece. Before 2008, the Cypriot pound. The .eu domain is also used, shared with other European Union member states.

A map showing the division of Cyprus

Kyrenia castle, northern Cyprus

The Republic of Cyprus is a member state of the European Union. It is in Asia, but it is often associated with Europe because of the culture and history of the people. It is also closer to Africa than to Europe. The capital is Nicosia. Most of the population speaks Greek and Turkish.

History
Geography
Politics
Districts
Cities
Related pages
Images for kids
See also

History

Cyprus is the only place outside England where an English royal wedding took place. That was the wedding of Richard I and Berengaria of Navarre on 12 May 1191.

Cyprus gained independence from the British Empire in 1960. The UK, Turkey and Greece became guarantor powers of the island.

In July 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus. Since then the northern part of the island has been under Turkish control. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus became independent in 1983 but it is recognised only by Turkey. When entering by aeroplane, a short stop is made at an airport in mainland Turkey.

The present situation with the island split came about because Cyprus, historically Greek, was conquered and became part of the Ottoman Empire from 1570–1914. The British administered it from 1878 until 1960. Likewise, Greece had been part of the Ottoman Empire for several centuries. Negotiations for a unified island have been held several times without success.

In 2004, Cyprus joined the European Union. On 1 January 2008 Cyprus adopted the Euro, the single European currency. Northern Cyprus accepts Turkish lira, and sometimes the Euro or United States dollar.

Geography

Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia.

There are two mountain ranges, the Troodos Mountains and the smaller Kyrenia Range. The Pedieos River is the longest on the island. The highest point on Cyprus is Mount Olympus at 1,952 metres (6,404 feet).

The Republic of Cyprus is only on the southern two-thirds of the island (59.74%). The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is the northern third (34.85%) and rest are Akrotiri and Dhekelia owned by the British.

Politics

The Republic of Cyprus is a constitutional presidential republic. Each president is elected for a five-year term. The president has a lot of power. Cyprus is the only member of the European Union that is governed by a presidential system of government. It is one of few countries (along with San Marino) to have had a democratically-elected communist government, in office from 2008 until 2013. Since 2013 governing party has been the Democratic Rally.

The European Union issued a warning in February 2019 that Cyprus, an EU member, was selling EU passports to Russian oligarchs. This would allow allow organised crime syndicates to get into the EU. In 2020 leaked documents revealed a range of former and current officials from Afghanistan, China, Dubai, Lebanon, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine and Vietnam who bought a Cypriot citizenship before a change of the law in July 2019. Cyprus and Turkey have been engaged in a dispute over the extent of their exclusive economic zones. It was apparently caused by the potential for oil and gas exploration in the area.

Districts

The Republic of Cyprus is divided into six districts: Nicosia, Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos. These are not the same as those of Northern Cyprus.

Cities

Largest municipalities in Cyprus CYstat – Population — Place of Residence, 2011 (Cyprus Census 2011) (sheet C1); DPÖ –Northern Cyprus 2011 Population and Housing Census
Rank	Name	Pop.
1	Nicosia (north and south)	200,452
2	Limassol	154,000
3	Strovolos	67,904
4	Larnaca	51,468
5	Famagusta	42,526
6	Lakatamia	38,435
7	Kyrenia	33,207
8	Paphos	32,892
9	Kato Polemidhia	22,369
10	Aglandjia	20,783

Images for kids

A copper mine in Cyprus. In antiquity, Cyprus was a major source of copper.
Archeologic site of Khirokitia with early remains of human habitation during Aceramic Neolithic period (reconstruction)
The Walls of Nicosia were built by the Venetians to defend the city in case of an Ottoman attack
Kyrenia Castle was originally built by the Byzantines and enlarged by the Venetians
Cypri insvla nova descript 1573, Ioannes á Deutecum f[ecit]. Map of Cyprus newly drawn by Johannes van Deutecom, 1573.
Büyük Han, a caravanserai in Nicosia, is an example of the surviving Ottoman architecture in Cyprus.
Hoisting the British flag at Nicosia
Greek Cypriot demonstrations for Enosis (union with Greece) in 1930
A British soldier facing a crowd of Greek Cypriot demonstrators in Nicosia (1956)
Ethnic map of Cyprus according to the 1960 census.
Varosha (Maraş), a suburb of Famagusta, was abandoned when its inhabitants fled in 1974 and remains under Turkish military control
Foreign Ministers of the European Union countries in Limassol during Cyprus Presidency of the EU in 2012
Cyprus taken from space by the International Space Station in 2021
Sea caves at Cape Greco.
The Troodos Mountains experience heavy snowfall in winter
Kouris Dam overflow in April 2012
Central Bank of Cyprus
Limassol General Hospital
A1 Motorway between Agios Athanasios junction and Mesa Ghetonia junction in Limassol
Population growth, 1961–2003 (numbers for the entire island, excluding Turkish settlers residing in Northern Cyprus).
The Armenian Alphabet at the Melkonian Educational Institute. Armenian is recognised as a minority language in Cyprus.
Faneromeni School is the oldest all-girl primary school in Cyprus.
The entrance of the historic Pancyprian Gymnasium
Typical Cypriot architecture in old part of Nicosia, Cyprus
Laouto, dominant instrument of the Cypriot traditional music.
Zeno of Citium, founder of the Stoic school of philosophy.
Ioannis Kigalas (c. 1622–1687) was a Nicosia born Greek Cypriot scholar and professor of Philosophy who was largely active in the 17th century.
Cypriot meze
Cypriot Halloumi
Cypriot style café in an arcade in Nicosia
Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Centre in Limassol