Budget car hire in Ayia Napa, Protaras, Larnaca, Paphos and Limassol.

About Cyprus

General Information

Cyprus became a full member of the European Union in May 2004. It is a modernized, westernized place. People are friendly and hospitable and almost everyone speaks English. The combination of the sun, sand and sea make it an increasingly popular holiday destination.

Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean, 150 miles long (240km) and 60 miles (95km) wide with an area of 3,584 square miles (9,282 sq. km). The island is divided into two parts since the Turkish invasion of 1974: The unrecognized by the international community Northern areas which until today are occupied by the Turkish military troops and the legal republic of Cyprus to the South which was founded 1st of October 1960. The Northern occupied areas cover 37% of the island in which there is a population of about 200.000 people most of them being Turkish settlers being brought to the island after 1974. The southern areas cover the rest 63% of the island in which there is a population of 780.00 Greek-Cypriots. The majority of Cyprus are the Greek Orthodox Christians co-existing with the Catholic, Latin, Protestant, Evangelist & Armenian minorities. The Muslim religion prevails to the occupied North. Crossing over from one part to the other it is now possible through the check points guarded by the United Nations. To the Eastern side of the island we find the popular summer resorts of Protaras and Ayia Napa. Famagusta the occupied city can also be seen shimmering in the distance from certain roads in the far east of the island. Larnaca city with the main international airport of the island is also located towards the East. Nicosia or Lefkosia in Greek, is the capital of the island and also the biggest city in Cyprus which is located to the centre. It is also the last divided capital in the world. To the Southern  shores we find Limassol or Lemesos the second biggest city with one of the most important ports of Eastern Mediterranean. To the West the small town of Paphos is located close to Akamas peninsula, Polis & Latchi summer resorts. Kyrenia town is to the Northern shores close to Morfou bay which just like Famagusta is in the occupied zone.

Landscape and Resources

The island's regions offer contrasting views and landscapes. Eastern Cyprus is flat transformed into fine agricultural land through extensive irrigation of its fertile red soil. It is here that the best beaches have been developed for tourists. Out at Ayia Napa, at the far eastern side of Cyprus, perhaps the main beach resort has been developed very much as a substitute for Famagusta. The Central Plain, known as Mesaoria is green and vibrant in spring but very hot in summer in its centre we locate the capital of the island Nicosia or Lefkosia. The old city is enclosed by its Venetian Walls of the 16th century while the wide avenues of the modern city radiate beyond. The Troodos mountains known also as the green heart of Cyprus, are very high and offer ideal landscapes for walkers and in winter for skiers. The highest mountain of Troodos is Olympus mountain 1.952 meters above sea level. Troodos mountain range was formed from volcanic rock 90 million years ago which is now covered in pine and oak forests. The Pentadaktylos mountain range to the North was created by shifts in the northern continental plates and it is made mainly of limestone. The highest mountain of this range is Kyparissobouno 1.064 meters above sea level. The island used to be covered in trees but these were cut down first to built ships for the Persians and Alexander the Great in the BC years and later to provide grazing land. Forests are now mostly visible to the Troodos mountains where the Forestry Commission has embarked on extensive reforestation projects with the result that 20% of the island is now covered in trees. In the Middle Ages the main exports were sugar and cotton and Cyprus was a major traiding nation. Later salt from the salt lakes near Akrotiri and Larnaca was added to the list of Cypriot products. Nowadays tourism and agriculture are the main industries of the island. Cyprus also claims to be a business centre close to the middle East and this is borne out by the numbers of foreign firms (5500) which are registered on the island.

Way of Life

People meet a different life style in Cyprus which is generally more relaxed and unstressed especially in the small villages where the visitors will see old men sitting to the local "Kafeneion"- coffee shops playing backgammon or cards or exchanging different political views. Here people are very friendly and hospitable they will introduce themselves to perfect strangers and engage them in conversations. They might even invite you to their house for coffee and home made sweets. There is no better insight into Cypriot culture than a village wedding when all will gather to celebrate after the ceremony in the church and the visitors will be more than welcomed. In the cities life is a bit more hectic but still business is done in a more relaxed way. Weddings in the towns usually are more sober affair. Receptions take place in large and luxurious hotels. Unemployment in Cyprus stands only at 3%, illiteracy at 2% where the 93% of the population are private house owners. Education and public health systems are indeed very well organized. On average, a Cypriot employee earns about 950.00 Euros monthly.