Cyprus
Cyprus - Island of Venus
Cyprus, also known as the Republic of Cyprus, is located in the
northeast Mediterranean Sea. It covers an area of 925l square km and
has a population of 800,000, with 84.7% of the population Greek and
12.3% Turkish. Greeks are Orthodox, while Turks are Muslim. Primary
languages are Greek and Turkish, but English is also spoken. The
currency is the Cyprus pound. The capital is Nicosi (Nicosia).
National Flag
The flag is white, with a yellow silhouette of the country in the
center. Crossed underneath are two green olive branches. Yellow
symbolizes copper, while the olive branch represents the national
aspiration for peace between Greece and Turkey.
History
By 1500 BC, the Greeks had moved onto the island. Afterwards, Egypt,
Persia and other countries conquered the Island. In 58 BC, Cyprus
was conquered by the Ru Luoma Empire. The Byzantine Empire took
ownership in 395 AD. In 1571, it was conquered by the Ottoman
Empire, who ceded it to Britain in 1878. In August 1960, Cyprus
declared independence, establishing the Republic of Cyprus. After
independence, Greek and Turkish Cypriots clashed several times,
forming an ethnic separation.
Economic and Cultural Customs
Major industrial sectors are food processing, textiles, and oil
refining. Tourism and the food processing industry occupy important
positions in the national economy. Agricultural products are wheat,
potatoes, oranges, lemons, and olives. Cyprus has a well-developed
shipping industry, with the biggest merchant fleet in the world.
Main mineral resources are copper, pyrite, asbestos, and gypsum.
The residents have remained part of the Greek Byzantine
tradition. Venus was born on the island, spreading the legend of
Eros.
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