Cyprus, although a small country, has a rich cultural heritage, which is evident from the vast number of ancient monuments and sites, castles and forts around the island.

The antiquities of Pafos, the Neolithic Settlements of Choirokoitia, as well as nine Byzantine Churches from the Troodos region are included in the official World Cultural Heritage list, thereby endorsing their importance. The East coast of the Island offers some of the best beaches with Ayia Napa, Kapparis, Pernera and Protaras providing safe, clean bathing with many sporting the European "blue flag" for quality.

Cyprus becomes more and more popular every year. To some people it is an old favourite; to others making a first visit, it is a delightful discovery.

Whether your preference is lazing in sun, investigating history, engaging in watersports or exploring the Island's diverse countryside by jeep, Cyprus has something to offer everyone.

Nightlife can be a quiet meal in a traditional tavern, a more exotic location such as the Japanese, Mexican, Italian, Thai, Brazilian, Indian or Chinese restaurant or the nightclubs that offer entertainment until the small hours of the morning.

The weather is fantastic, the scenery stunning and Cypriots even drive on the left and speak English. Cyprus is now one of the more sophisticated islands in the Mediterranean, attracting tourists from all over the world who come not only for the sunshine but also to see its many historic sights. The remnants of many past civilisations can be seen here and legends and myths abound, while nature lovers can delight in the island’s beauty from the varied scenery of its coastline to the pine-clad hills of the interior.

You can even book a cuise to Egypt, Syria or the Lebanon and extend the range of your holiday experience.

Traveling Documents
Entry formalities are very simple. All citizens of EU member countries may enter Cyprus on presentation of their identification card only. No vaccination is required when entering the island

Cypriot Hospitality
Cypriots are a mixture of many trading nations on the Mediterranean. The people are open, frank and friendly to foreigners while being astute replicas de relojes businessmen. They are among the most hospitable people on earth, always making you feel at home on the island.

Low Crime Rate
Cyprus enjoys a very low crime rate in comparison with other competitive Mediterranean countries such as Spain, Portugal, Italy and France. Cyprus crime rate is only one tenth of the average rate of the other European countries (6% of United Kingdom). One will find that in residential areas, people rarely lock their cars panerai replica, many times leave houses, windows or even doors open. This is all due to friendliness and honesty of the local population and the reason people return year after year

International Relationships
During the Copenhagen European Council in December 2002, Cyprus officially confirmed the successful completion of the accession negotiations and was invited to join the European Union on 1st May 2004. The European Commission has facilitated the accession negotiations, organising the acquis communautaire into 31 Chapters. Cyprus begun its accession negotiations with the EU in March 1998 and has successfully completed them during the Copenhagen European Council in December 2002, where it officially confirmed the closure of the last three outstanding chaptersreplica orologi di lusso, the ones of Agriculture, Financial and Budgetary Provisions and Other. The benefits to Cyprus as a whole from membership of the EU will be quite substantial, with the whole population of the island benefiting from political, economic, social, environmental and other advantages. Also, it is worth noting that the EU is Cyprus main trading partner accounting for approximately 50% of total trade, the United Kingdom being Cyprus' main export destination. Further, Cyprus is a member of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the British Commonwealth and also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Climate & Temperatures
Cyprus enjoys the best Mediterranean climate with approximately 340 days of sunshine per year. Pafos has the finest climate on the island with cooler summers and short mild winters. The swimming season practically starts from April and does not end until November. Pine forests are close to the coast and it is possible to ski in the mountains and swim in the blue Mediterranean all in the same day.

Standard of Living
Cyprus provides a fairly high, European level standard of living. The annual per capita income is about US 27,000. The overall cost of living averages about 1/3 to 2/3 of most parts of Europe, Japan or the USA. A recent international poll showed Cyprus towns to have one of the lowest costs of living within a developed nation.

Education
In addition to a wide variety of public schools, more than 20 private elementary and secondary schools are available to English, French, Russian and Italian students. Tertiary education is provided at the University of Cyprus, as well as at a number of private English language universities and 20 colleges offering more than 180 accredited study programs in diverse fields. Currently, there are three public universities in Cyprus, including a branch of the Open University, and three private universities

Languages
The local population is Greek speaking. Cyprus was once a British colony resulting in over 80% of the population speaking English. It is also useful to note that all street signs, direction signs, shop signs etc. are written in English. Knowledge of German, French, Russian and other European languages is increasing with the Island tourist trade.

Food
Eating out has become a local habit and is part of entertainment in Cyprus. There is a wide variety of restaurants, catering for all tastes. Along with taverns, which provide local patek philippe replica and Greek dishes, there are restaurants that offer international cuisine such as French, Chinese, Italian, Indian, Lebanese, Japanese, Russian, Mexican and others.

Nightlife
Night clubs with good live music, discos and a variety of bars are some of the entertainment choices that can be found in all towns relojes de imitacion and tourist resorts.

Transport & Telecomunications
There is public transport service with regular connections between cities with scheduled taxi services and comfortable coaches. Private taxis and rental cars are readily available.
Cyprus ranks third in the world in having modern telecommunications facilities. CYTA (Cyprus Telecommunications Authority) has a network, which enables participants to have direct dial access to over 200 countries. Excellent communications have contributed to a large extent in the progressive development of the island. The two international airports in Larnaca and Pafos as well as the ports of Limassol and Larnaca, connect Cyprus with all countries of the world. More than 40 airlines operate over 260 flights weekly to and from Cyprus. More than 60 charter airlines fly to Cyprus. Both airports of the island are among the most frequented in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Medical Services
Cyprus has a very high standard of medical services. Hospitals, private clinics and medical centres are equipped with the latest facilities. The latest technology and operating techniques are standard, with heart bypass surgery and kidney transplantation now routine in hospitals. Many Cyprus doctors of various faculties jointly run polyclinics whose standard is comparable to other highly developed countries. High standards can also be judged by statistics which show that one in every 600 Cypriots is a qualified member of the medical profession. Doctors and dentists, both specialists and general practitioners, are available everywhere and their fees are quite low compared to European standards. Low cost international private medical insurance is available for non-Cypriot people living in Cyprus.

Fast Facts About Cyprus

Population  
(July 2009 estimate)  796,740  

Area  9 251 km2
3rd largest island in the Mediterranean Sea
(after Sicily and Sardinia)

Coastline
648 km

Climate
Mediterranean hot, dry summers and cool winters

Capital Nicosia

 EU Membership Full member of the E.U. since May 1st 2004 

Currency   Euro

Official Languages  Greek, Turkish (English and Russian widely spoken)

Main Airports :Larnaca, Pafos

Dialing code  : 00357

Time Zone   Eastern European 
Winter UTC +2
Summer UTC +3

Government type : Republic

President  
(as of February 24th 2008) Demetris Christofias