Limassol, Nicosia, Troodos

CAPITAL CITY OF Cyprus: Nicosia
LANGUAGE OF Cyprus: Greek
CURRENCY OF Cyprus: Cypriot pound
COMMENTS ABOUT Cyprus:
Cyprus is an island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey.
Cities : Nicosia (capital), Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos
Best Places : Ayia Napa, Akamas Peninsula, Troodos Mountains
Electricity : 240V/50Hz (UK plug)
Calling Code : +357
Time Zone : UTC +2

CLIMATE OF Cyprus: temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
RELIGION OF Cyprus: Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, and other 4%
POPULATION OF Cyprus: 775,927 (July 2004 est.)>
HISTORY OF Cyprus: A former British colony, Cyprus received independence in 1960 following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia. Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek-sponsored attempt to seize the government was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," but it is recognized only by Turkey. The latest two-year round of UN-brokered direct talks - between the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to reach an agreement to reunite the divided island - ended when the Greek Cypriots rejected the UN unity plan in an April 2004 referendum. Although only the internationally recognized Greek Cypriot-controlled "Republic of Cyprus" joined the EU on 1 May 2004, every Cypriot carrying a Cyprus passport will have the status of a European citizen. However, Nicosia continues to oppose EU efforts to establish direct trade and economic links to northern Cyprus as a way of rewarding the Turkish Cypriot community for voting in favor of the UN unity plan.
ECONOMY OVERVIEW OF Cyprus: The Greek Cypriot economy is prosperous but highly susceptible to external shocks. Erratic growth rates over the past decade reflect the economy's vulnerability to swings in tourist arrivals, caused by political instability in the region and fluctuations in economic conditions in Western Europe. Economic policy is focused on meeting the criteria for admission to the EU. EU-driven tax reforms in 2003 have introduced fiscal imbalances, which, coupled with a sluggish tourism sector, have resulted in growing fiscal deficits. As in the Turkish sector, water shortages are a perennial problem; a few desalination plants are now on-line. After 10 years of drought, the country received substantial rainfall from 2001-03, alleviating immediate concerns. The Turkish Cypriot economy has roughly one-third of the per capita GDP of the south. Because it is recognized only by Turkey, it has had much difficulty arranging foreign financing and investment. It remains heavily dependent on agriculture and government service, which together employ about half of the work force. To compensate for the economy's weakness, Turkey provides grants and loans to support economic development. Ankara provided $200 million in 2002 and pledged $450 million for the 2003-05 period. Future events throughout the island will be highly influenced by the outcome of negotiations on the UN-sponsored agreement to unite the Greek and Turkish areas.