2020 Cyprus Country Report

Travel & Living
CountryProfiler
Essential
Expat Guide
Cyprus is a top tourist destination for all
seasons, and one of Europe’s hot spots
for expats thanks to its thriving economy
and relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle.
COUNTRY
Located in the Eastern Mediterranean at the crossroads of Europe,
the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Cyprus’ strategic position has
played a key role in shaping its history and in developing the
island into a centre for trade and international business. Cyprus
enjoys around 340 days of glorious sunshine a year and boasts a
coastline teeming with endless stretches of golden sands, secluded
bays and rocky coves. Surrounded by the crystal-clear waters of
the Mediterranean Sea, the island is dotted with the fascinating
remains of history from Neolithic settlements and ancient citykingdoms
to exquisite Byzantine art and magnificent Venetian architecture.
Cyprus is known for its hospitality – filoxenia – a fact
reflected in the Greek word xenos which is used for both guest and
stranger. Life is meant to be enjoyed in Cyprus, where emphasis is
put on working to live, as opposed to living for work. Café culture
predominates, with both business and social meetings taking place
over a leisurely iced coffee frappé in the numerous cafes in every
town and city.
HISTORY
Cyprus has been coveted, conquered and colonised numerous
times during its 10,000-year history. The island attracted the interest
of a succession of dominant powers in the region, which battled
for it through the millennia. The first of these are believed to have
been the Achaean Greeks who arrived in around 1200 BC introducing
their language, religion and customs to the island. Cyprus
was subsequently colonised by the Phoenicians, the Assyrians,
the Egyptians and the Persians. In the 4th century BC Alexander
the Great claimed the island, which remained part of the Greek-
Egyptian kingdom until 30 BC, when the Romans arrived, and
Cyprus became a senatorial province. It was during this period
that Saint Paul was said to have visited the island and converted
the Roman governor to Christianity. Cyprus remained a Roman
possession until the empire began to disintegrate in 330AD, when
it became part of the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire.
In 1191, Cyprus was conquered by the English king, Richard
the Lionheart, while on his way to take part in the Third Crusade.
He later sold the island to the Knights Templar, who consequently
sold it on to the Franks or Lusignans, a dynasty which went on to
rule Cyprus for almost 300 years, until the last of the Lusignans
ceded the island to Venice in 1489. Despite building heavy fortifications
around the island’s major cities of Famagusta and Nicosia,
the Venetians were not able to withstand the invading Ottoman
troops who conquered the island in 1571. Cyprus remained under
Ottoman rule until the arrival of the British in 1878.
The island’s long history offers visitors a journey of discovery
paved with ancient archaeological treasures. The ancient citykingdoms
of Kourion and Amathus, and the Mosaics of Paphos,
are considered among the finest mosaic floors in the Eastern
Mediterranean. Other must-see historic sites include the Neolithic
settlements of Choirokoitia and Kalavasos-Tenta, the Tombs of
the Kings and the famous Sanctuary of Aphrodite, the Goddess of
Love, who legend claims was born on this island.
In more recent times, Cyprus gained independence from
Britain in 1960, however a Greek sponsored coup d’état in 1974 was
swiftly followed by an invasion of Turkish forces which occupied
the northern one-third of the island. Despite numerous efforts over
the intervening decades, the island remains de facto divided, and
the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)
remains unrecognised by the international community. The Greek
Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders continue to look for a solution
to end the division of the island, but while negotiations have
been slow, some progress is being made. The capital city, Nicosia,
is still split between the two sides, though visitors can access either
side from checkpoints at Ledra Palace and Ledra Street, and today
Nicosia is the last remaining divided capital city in the world.
158 Country Report CYPRUS 2020