About Cyprus
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Austria
Egypt
France
Germany
Greece
Lebanon
Poland
Russian Federation
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
USA
Location
Cyprus, the third largest island in the Mediterranean, lies at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and Asia. In addition, Cyprus is close to the busy shipping and air routes linking Europe with the Arab world and the Far East, representing a strategic hub for business activities in the region. Its total area is 9.251 sq. km (3.572 sq. miles), comparable in size to that of Lebanon, Puerto Rico, Connecticut in the USA, the Land of Hessen in Germany, and Dordogne in France. The island is two hours ahead of Greenwich meantime, seven hours ahead of New York, seven hours behind Tokyo, and in the same time zone as Athens.
Climate
Cyprus has a pleasant climate with dry summers and mild winters, enjoying about 300 days of sunshine. The rainy season is confined to the period between November and March. In January, the coldest month, minimum and maximum mean temperatures are 6oC and 13oC respectively, while in August, the hottest month, the corresponding minimum and maximum mean temperatures are 21oC and 36oC.
History
According to mythology, Cyprus is the birthplace of the Greek goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite. The island is both an ancient land, with eleven thousand years of history and, since 1960, a young independent republic. Its strategic location, positioned in the north-eastern corner of the Mediterranean and at the meeting point of great civilisations, has been one of the critical factors influencing the course of the island's history throughout the centuries.
Population
The estimated total population of Cyprus is 837.300 (Jan 2005)1, out of which 77,8% belong to the Greek Cypriot community, 10,5% to the Turkish Cypriot community and 11,7% are foreigners residing in Cyprus. The official languages of the Cyprus Republic are Greek and Turkish. In addition, English is widely spoken and extensively used in commerce and government.
Education
Full time education is compulsory for all children from the age of five. The 12 year span of education consists of six years elementary education and six years of secondary education. Several private fee-paying schools operate in all towns, catering for the needs of foreign speaking pupils. Their basic teaching language is usually English and tuition is offered at reasonable fees.
The University of Cyprus is a distinguished institution offering a wide range of programmes of study at various levels, while a good number of private institutions of higher education is also available. Two more public universities, the Open University of Cyprus and the Technological University of Cyprus have been established and are expected to start operating soon.
Cyprus’ determination to become a regional education centre, establishes the background for a significant growth of the higher education sector. The legislation which will govern the establishment and operation of private universities has already been approved creating a new momentum for the tertiary education sector.
International Relations
Cyprus is a member of the European Union, the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the World Trade Organisation, the World Bank, the Commonwealth, and the International Monetary Fund. Moreover, Cyprus is represented through diplomatic missions in over 30 countries and has particularly good relations with the Middle East region, the Mediterranean countries, as well as other developing countries.
State Structure
Cyprus became an independent Republic in 1960, adopting a governmental structure modelled on Western democracies. The Head of State is the President of the Republic, elected by universal suffrage for a five-year term of office. The Council of Ministers, appointed by the President, constitutes the main executive body of the Republic. Cyprus has an efficient civil service, with highly trained personnel, a considerable percentage of which holds academic qualifications.
Legislative power rests with the House of Representatives, elected for a five-year term. A multi-party system is in operation, while the electoral system is based on proportional representation.
Infrastructure
Cyprus is well connected via sea, air and telecommunications. Due to its advanced telecommunications network and the superb regional and global connectivity on offer, the island is considered as one of the most important telecommunication hubs in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East region. This is also enhanced by an extensive submarine fibre optic cable network and access to major satellite systems.
In addition, Cyprus' role as a regional commercial and business centre, coupled with the increasing tourist traffic, has led to the development of a wide network of air-routes offering excellent connections with Europe, Africa, and Asia. The country's two international airports are situated near Larnaca and Paphos, while a build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract has been signed for the construction of the new Larnaca and Paphos airports.
The multi-purpose ports of Limassol and Larnaca are the country's main sea gateways for seaborne cargo and passenger traffic. Both ports have become important regional warehouse and distribution centres. Finally, the island has developed a network of four lane highways linking all central destinations. Indicatively, the motorway density ratio of Cyprus is approximately 33 km/1.000 sq. km (2002 figures), while the corresponding EU average figure for the same year was about 15 km/1.000 sq. km.
Reference: Cyprus Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (2006) Cyprus – A guide for foreign investors.
