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The
population of Cyprus is 759.000 of whom 85,2% are
Greek Cypriots (including Armenians, Maronites
and Latins), 88,000 (11,6%) are Turkish Cypriots
and 24,000 (3,2%) foreigners residing in Cyprus.
The density of the population is 82 persons / sq
km. (2000 figures - for the latest population
figures visit the website of the Statistical Service).
The population does
not include over 115.000 Turkish settlers
illegally residing in the Turkish-occupied part
of Cyprus.
The figure of the
Greek Cypriot population includes the 8.000
Maronites, Armenians and Latins who, under the
1960 Constitution where asked to choose between
the two communities and opted to join the Greek
Cypriot community.
The language of the
Greek Cypriot community is Greek and the
community adheres to the Autocephalous Greek
Orthodox Church of Cyprus. The language of the
Turkish Cypriot community is Turkish and the
community adheres to Islam. The religious groups
of Armenians, Maronites and Latins, in accordance
with 1960 constitution, opted to belong to the
Greek Cypriot community.
The capital of the
island is Nicosia (with a population of 197,800 (1999) in
the sector controlled by the government of the
Republic of Cyprus. It is situated roughly in the
centre of the island and is the seat of
government as well as the main business centre.
The 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation of 37 %
of the island's territory literally cut the
capital in half. After the fall of the Berlin
Wall, Nicosia remains the only militarily divided
capital in Europe.
The city dates back
to the bronze age when it was known as Ledra, the
actual name of the most popular commercial
street.
The name of Nicosia
(Lefkosia, in Greek), probably comes from Lefkos,
son of Ptolemy, who rebuilt the city in the 3rd
century B.C. Another probability is that the name
originated from the white poplar (lefki) which
was abundant in the bed of the city's river. The
city also bore the name of Lefkothea - the white
goddess.
The core of Nicosia
is surrounded by 16th century Venetian
fortifications. The city is rich in museums and
monuments of different periods. Nicosia
successfully blends its history with the
developed modern administrative commercial and
business centre it has become.
The second largest
town is Limassol in the south which has around 157,600
(1999) inhabitants. It is Cyprus' main commercial
port and an important tourist resort.
Larnaca, in the south-east of the island,
has a population of 69,700 (1999) and is the
island's second commercial port and an important
tourist resort. To the north of the town lies the
island's oil refinery, while to the south Larnaca
International Airport is situated. The city of
Larnaka is well-known for its picturesque
sea-front which includes rows of palm trees (oi
finikoudes, in the local Greek dialect. Much of
the activity is centred around the city promenade
during the major festivals. The most important of
these for the city of Larnaka is Kataklysmos or
the Festival of the Flood, celebrated in early
summer with a series of cultural
events.
Paphos in the
south-west with a population approaching 40,000
(1999) is a fast developing tourist resort, home
to the island's second International Airport and
an attractive fishing harbour. The Turkish
invasion and occupation of the major tourist
resorts of Keryneia and Ammochostos led to major
investments by the government and the private
sector in the district of Pafos. There was rapid
economic activity in all fields but especially
tourism. The government invested heavily in
irrigation dams and water distribution works,
road infrastructure and the building of Pafos
airport, while private initiative concentrated on
hotel, apartment and villa construction and the
entertainment infrastructure.
In the Turkish
occupied area, the town of Ammochostos
(Famagusta), the hub of the pre-1974 tourist
industry, is now a ghost town, deserted since
1974 when its inhabitants fled from advancing
Turkish troops. The towns of Keryneia (Kyrenia),
another important tourist resort on the north
coast, and Morphou, situated in the important
agricultural area of western Messaoria, are now
inhabited almost exclusively by Turkish Cypriots
and Turkish settlers as the Greek Cypriots were
forced in 1974 to abandon their homes and
properties and move to the south under the threat
of guns and armament of the Turkish occupation
army.
As a result of the
Turkish invasion in 1974, 36% of the territory of
the Republic of Cyprus is still under the control
of the Turkish occupation troops. Moreover,
162.000 Greek Cypriots ( 28 % of the Greek
Cypriot population ) have become refugees. Since
the Turkish invasion and occupation of over a
third of the island, the demographic balance has
changed dramatically as a result of Turkey's
colonisation policies. There are now 115,000
illegal Turkish settlers in the occupied area
while an estimated 55,000 Turkish Cypriots have
emigrated.
Travellers may enter
the Republic of Cyprus only through the legal
ports of entry - Larnaka and Pafos International
Airports and the ports of Larnaka, Limassol and
Pafos. The ports of Famagusta, Keryneia and
Karavostasi, as well as the airports in the part
of the island illegally occupied by the Turkish
invasion forces have been declared by the Cyprus
government as prohibited ports of entry and exit
and no passenger should enter or leave the
Republic through these ports. |
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