Cyprus, officially Republic of Cyprus, island pop. 890,208, 9,267 sq km, an island in the
Mediterranean Sea, c.60 km south of Turkey and c.100 km west of Syria.
The capital and largest city is Nicosia. In addition to the capital, other important cities
are Famagusta, Larnaca, Limassol and as a tourist centre Paphos.
Two mountain ranges traverse the island from east to west; the highest point is Mt. Olympus
(1,953 m), in the southwest. Between the ranges lies a wide plain, the chief agricultural region.
Over three quarters of the population is Greek, generally occupies the southern sector of
the country, and belongs to the Greek Orthodox Church. Less than 20% of the people are Turkish
Muslims, mainly living in the northern region. In addition to Greek and Turkish, English is also
widely spoken.
Cyprus, officially Republic of Cyprus, island pop. 890,208, 9,267 sq km, an island in the
Mediterranean Sea, c.60 km south of Turkey and c.100 km west of Syria.
The capital and largest city is Nicosia. In addition to the capital, other important cities
are Famagusta, Larnaca, Limassol and as a tourist centre Paphos.
Two mountain ranges traverse the island from east to west; the highest point is Mt. Olympus
(1,953 m), in the southwest. Between the ranges lies a wide plain, the chief agricultural region.
