Cyprus

By Alannah Harnett
 Introduction
Cyprus is an island country in the Eastern
Mediterranean and is the third largest
island in the Mediterranean.
It is located south of Turkey and north of
Egypt.
It is best known for cultural history and
tourism.
Factfile
 The capital city of Cyprus is Nicosia
 It's official languages are Turkish and Greek.
 The currency used is the Euro.
 It has a small population of 1.17 million
(2016)
 The Cyprus clock is 2 hours ahead of
Ireland, in line with the Eastern European
Time Zone.
Europe Map of Cyprus
 Cyprus in the EU
 Cyprus joined the European Union in 2004.
 It was the 24th country to join.
 Asof 2016, the EU recognised the north as
being outside the control of the Greek
Cypriot-led government of the Republic and
hence is temporarily exempt from EU
legislation.
 Seatsin the European Parliament are
allocated based on the population of both
North and South Cyprus together.
Aid Programme
 The EU has helped Turkish Cypriots in
their development.
 Reunification would mean the
application of EU law throughout
Cyprus. Through the Financial Aid
Regulation, the EU has funded
infrastructure projects and provided
training on EU law.
Currency
 Although they joined in 2004, they did
not adopt the euro until 1 January
2008.
 Before the euro, the currency used in
Cyprus was called the Cypriot pound.
 1 CYP =1.70860 EUR
 The sign which represented the
Cypriot pound was £C.
The Cypriot Pound
Cypriot Government

 The Republic of Cyprus is a unitary

presidential representative republic,
meaning the President of Cyprus is
both head of state and head of
government.
 The president of the Republic of
Cyprus is Nicos Anastasiades.
Cypriot Government

 Nicos Anastasiades is a
Greek Cypriot
politician who has
been President of
Cyprus since 2013
Education
 Education in Cyprus is overseen by the Ministry of
Education and Culture.
 The education system is divided into:
1. pre-primary education (ages 3–6)
2. primary education (ages 6–12)
3. secondary education (ages 12–18)
4. higher education (ages 18+).
 Full-time education is compulsory for all children aged
between 5 and 15.
 State-provided schooling including higher education is
paid for by taxes.
 Division on the island
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey
invaded the north in response to a military coup
on the island which was backed by the Athens
government.
The island was then divided between the north
and south with one third inhabited by Turkish
Cypriots in the north and the remaining two thirds
by Greek Cypriots in the south.
The Green Line
Dividing the two parts and
trooped by the United
Nations is what is called
the "Green Line".
The purpose of the
"Green Line" was to keep
the peace and prevent
people from either the
Turkish or Greek part
getting into the other.
 Timeline - Key dates in the
history of Cyprus
 1955
- Greek Cypriots begin guerrilla war
against British rule.
 1963 -Turkish side withdraws from power-
sharing.
 1974 - Turkish forces occupy a third of the
island. Greek and Turkish Cypriots flee in
opposite directions.
Timeline - Key dates in the history
of Cyprus
 2003 - Turkish and Greek Cypriots cross
island's dividing "green line" for first time in 30
years.
 2004 - Cyprus joins the EU, but does so as a
divided island.
 2011 - Cyprus becomes a part of the
eurozone debt crisis. It secures a 10-billion-
euro aid package to prevent its collapse and
a possible exit from the euro zone.
Language
 The two main languages spoken in Cyprus are Greek are Turkish.
 The official language spoken in the Republic of Cyprus is Greek.
Cypriots write in Standard Modern Greek, which they are taught in
school.
 However, they speak Greek Cypriot, which is mainly made up of
Greek but is also influenced by all the different nations that have
ruled Cyprus over the years. Although it observes the grammar and
order of words in a sentence of the Greek language, it contains
certain non-standard words, including some from Ancient Greek, and
some words are pronounced in a different way. Many Standard
Modern Greek (from mainland Greece) speakers will find it difficult to
understand Cypriots for these reasons.
Religion
 Orthodoxy is the religion of the majority of the Cypriot population.
 The church plays an important role in the history of the island.
 Tourist Attractions
• Tombs of the King • Kykkos
Monastery
 Art in Ancient
Cyprus

 Because of its
location between
East and West,
Cyprian art had
many influences.
 It is most famous for
its pottery which
dates
from as far back as
2200 BC.