INTRODUCING MY COUNTRY TO THE STEEMIT COMMUNITY – THE BEAUTIFUL ISLAND OF CYPRUS

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This will be a short presentation on the island of Cyprus, the country I was born in and spent most of my early years. I will use the #introduceyourcountry hashtag, hoping that more people will hop on board and show Steemit the country where they come from.  All images used in this presentation are royalty free with no attribution required (even though credit is still given).   

 

Where is Cyprus?  

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Cyprus is the 3rd largest island of the Mediterranean Sea. Even though politically it is part of the European Union, geographically it is situated between the junction of Asia (to the north and east) and Africa (to the south). You can find Cyprus on the map under Turkey and above Egypt. The island is divided in 6 districts: Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Famagusta, Paphos and Kyrenia.   

Politics and Demographics  

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Cyprus has a population of just over a million people. 75% of the population are of Greek ethnicity, 20% of Turkish and 5% consists of foreign nationals mainly from Greece, Russia, Britain, Philippines and Eastern Europe. The official languages of Cyprus are Greek and Turkish, with the majority of the population also having at least a basic knowledge of English. Cypriots are very religious with 78% of the island being Christian Orthodox and 20% Muslims. Only 1% of the population are officially Atheists even though the real number is believed to be higher. 

Cyprus was a British colony until 1960 when it declared its independence. Unfortunately for the next years there was frequent intercommunal violence between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, with the worst happening in 1963 during which hundreds died from both communities. As nationalism in the country grew stronger, Greek-Cypriots wanted a union with Greece. Turkish-Cypriots strongly opposed that. In 1974, the Greek military junta organised a coup in Cyprus, during which the president of the country was replaced. Following the coup, Turkey invaded the island resulting in the final division of the two communities and the occupation of 37% of the Cypriot territory. The majority of Turkish Cypriots today live in the self-declared Republic of Northern Cyprus (recognized only by Turkey) and the Greek-Cypriots live in the Republic of Cyprus (recognized by the international community, except Turkey). Since then, the tensions between the two communities have stopped and even though nationalist feelings still exist, there are attempts by both communities to find a solution which will lead to the reunification of the island.     

Climate     

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Cyprus has a sub-tropical, Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. The average annual temperature is 24 Celsius (75 Fahrenheit) during the day and 14 Celsius (55 Fahrenheit) during the night. Cyprus has about 320 days of sunshine per year with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius (105 Fahrenheit) during the summer. Rainfall is limited and you can find snow in Cyprus only on the Troodos mountains during the winter.   

Culture and Cuisine  

Cypriot culture is mainly influence by Greek, Turkish and Middle-Eastern ones. Since Cyprus joined the EU, western values and habits have started to influence the island. The Cypriot Cuisine consists of a variety of Greek, Turkish and Arabic dishes. 

'SOUVLA' - large pieces of meat (usually pork or lamb) cooked over coal   (Source)

'SIEFTALIA' - Ground pork with herbs, wrapped with omentum and then grilled  (Source)

HALLUMI - The traditional Cypriot cheese.  Can be eater raw, or even better grilled!  (Source)

The usual 'meze' served in traditional Cypriot taverns (Source)

PLACES YOU HAVE TO VISIT IN CYPRUS    

1. Cavo Greco - Ayia Napa

A protected national park which is found between the towns of Ayia Napa and Protaras.  Its amazing beauty makes it on of the most popular tourist attractions in Cyprus

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2. Choirokitia

The most ancient signs of human settling on the island.  It is believed to have been inhabited around 7000BC

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3. Tombs of the Kings 

Found in the town of Paphos these underground tombs are an UNESCO World Heritage Site.  They date back to 4th century BC.  It is a necropolis consisting of numerous tombs.  The truth is that no king is actually buried there - it received the name because of the impressive architecture

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4. Salamis

An ancient Greek city found on the east coast of Cyprus.  

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5. Kyrenia Harbor

Found in the most northern Cyprus the harbor of the Kyrenia Town is one of the most beautiful places to relax on the island

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6. Caledonia Falls

Located in the mountain of Troodos the small, but impressive Caledonia Falls are a favorite attraction for tourists and locals.  To reach the falls you have to walk for about 6km along a beautiful trail.

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7. Saint Hilarion Castle

Close to the town of Kyrenia, the Saint Hilarion Castle was originally a monastery built in the 10th century AD.  In the 11th century AD it was turned into a castle by the Byzantines

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8. Lots and lots of Churches

As a very religious place, Cyprus has many churches and monasteries for tourists to visit.

The Machairas Monastery (Source)

Bellapais Abbey (Source)

Kykkos Monastery (Source)

Saint Lazarus Church (Source)

9. The Zenobia Shipwreck

If you like diving, this is a must.  The ferry sank in 1980 on her maiden voyage taking £200 million worth of cargo with her.

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Some interesting facts about Cyprus

• Life expectancy is 81.7 years for women and 77 years for men
• Cyprus history begins around 10.000BC. Since then many settlers have reached the island, including Mycenaeans, Alexander the Great, Romans, Venetians and Ottomans. 
• The mouflon (subspecies of wild sheep) is the national animal of Cyprus
• In 2004 the remains of a cat and its human owner were discovered in a grave estimated to be around 9.500 years old.  This predates the Egyptian Civilization and it is one of the oldest discoveries of human-feline association.  Currently, thousands of stray cats live on the island but they are usually well taken care of by locals.  
• 10,000 year old water wells have been discovered on the island which are dated back to the Stone Age.  This makes them among the oldest in the world.
• Commandaria, a type of sweet dessert wine, is the national drink of Cyprus
• Cyprus has no subway or trams.  Public Transport is not popular among locals and buses are mostly used by tourists.  Most foreign visitors prefer to rent a car for their transport.  
• Ayia Napa is a town on the east coast of Cyprus.  Despite its small size it is considered one of the most popular party destinations in Europe.  It is especially popular among British and Russians. 
• Hundreds of donkeys live in a feral state in the northern parts of Cyprus after they were abandoned by their owners following the 1974 war.
• The town of Paphos has so many archaeological sites that UNESCO decided to include the whole town in its world heritage cultural treasures.
• Cyprus has one of the lowest crime rates in the world
• Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, is the last divided capital of the world.  After the 1974 war, about 2/3 of the city belong to the south part of Cyprus and 1/3 to the northern part.