Cyprus officially the Republic of Cyprus is a Eurasian island in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea south of the Anatolian peninsula (Asia Minor) or modern-day Turkey. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.

Cyprus became part of the Byzantine Empire after the partitioning of the Roman Empire in 395, and remained so for almost eight hundred years, interrupted by a brief period of Arab domination and influence.

Geography

Cyprus is geographically situated in the eastern Mediterranean and just south of the Anatolian peninsula (or Asia Minor) of the Asian mainland; thus, it is commonly included in the Middle East (see also Western Asia and Near East). Turkey is 75 kilometres (47 miles) north; other neighbouring countries include Syria and Lebanon to the east, Israel to the southeast, Egypt to the south, and Greece to the west-north-west.

Economics

Economic affairs in Cyprus are dominated by the division of the country.Cyprus has been sought as a basis for several offshore businesses, due to its highly developed infrastructure.
Recently, oil has been discovered in the sea south of Cyprus (between Cyprus and Egypt) and talks are under way with Egypt to reach an agreement as to the exploitation of these resources. The level of the oil field in terms of production (barrels per day) that the two countries will be able to produce is still a matter of speculation.

Population

Greek and Turkish Cypriots share many customs but maintain separate ethnic identities based on religion, language, and close ties with their respective motherlands. Greeks comprise 77% of the island's population, Turks 18%, while the remaining 5% are of other ethnicities.

Culture

Agricultural products include cereal grains, olives, citrus, potatoes, and cotton; in addition, the Greek sector grows deciduous fruits and wine grapes, and the Turkish side grows tobacco, vegetables, and table grapes.

The best Cypriot wines are their Spanish-style sherries and a dessert wine called Commandaria.

Cyprus has a well-developed system of primary and secondary education offering both public and private education.

The international dialing code for Cyprus is:   357

Area: total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus)
land: 9,240 sq km
water: 10 sq km