Information on Cyprus
Please see the following pages for more information on Cyprus...
Climate | Currency | Food | Drink
Cyprus interesting facts
Where did the word Cyprus come from?
Kypros is the Greek word for copper. It doesn’t take a great leap of imagination to see that Cyprus probably owes its name to the trade of copper in the ancient times.
Flora and fauna
The Cyprus cyclamen is one of the 20 known species of this plant. Because it’s endemic to Cyprus, it has been selected as the national flower of the country. Cyprus has 1,950 different species of flowering plants. Of these, 140 can only be found on the island
How big is Cyprus?
3rd largest island in the Mediterranean!
Cyprus is the 3rd largest island in the Mediterranean – after Sicily and Sardinia.
It covers 9,250 square kilometres.
Cyprus has a population of around 776,000.
Which languages are spoken in Cyprus?
English is spoken by around 90% of the population
The traditional language is Cypriot which, sadly, has been in decline since the 1950s. It was never recognised as a written language in its own right but the Cypriot Academy is working to breathe new life into it. Official languages are Greek (south) and Turkish (north).
Other Cyprus information
Kyrenia Harbour
Kyrenia may be the only harbour but historical buildings, fantastic scenery and the historical significance of the ruins of walls and towers that once protected this city from attack – not to mention the night life – make it a place well worth visiting.
Capital of Cyprus
Nicosia is the capital of Cyprus.
Other main towns are Limassol, Larnaka and Paphos.
Cypriot mountains
Mount Olympus (also known as Mount Troodos) at c1950m is the highest ‘top’ of the island.
From mid-December through to the end of March you can Ski on Mount Olympus.
