Cyprus, the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, is located 70 kilometres south of Turkey and 96 kilometres off the coast of Syria.
With an area of 9,251 km² , the island is the size of Puerto Rico. Some 611,000 are Greek Cypriots, while some 142,000 are of Turkish origin.
In ancient times, Cyprus was famous for its copper mines. In fact, the name of the island gave rise to the word kypros which is what the Greeks called copper. This Latin word is Cuprum and from which comes our modern word for copper.
Over the centuries, Cyprus has been conquered and ruled by many peoples, including the Egyptians, Phoenicians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Turks and Crusaders. The British gained control of the island in the 19th century, and Cyprus did not become an independent nation until 1960.
After independence, many Greek Cypriots on the island wanted to be part of Greece, while the Turkish Cypriots wanted to divide the island between the Greeks and the Turks who lived there. A civil war in 1974 caused Turkish troops to invade Cyprus and conquer the northern part of the island.
Cyprus is still divided today. The southern part is populated by the Greeks and is called the Republic of Cyprus. The north, Turkish part was declared independent in 1975, and established a government of its own, although it is not recognized by the United Nations.
Today, Cyprus still produces small quantities of copper. But it is best known for its wine and cigarettes. In relation to its population, Cyprus produces more wine and cigarettes than many countries on Earth.
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