The Republic of Cyprus is usually called simply Cyprus. This island country is situated in the eastern Mediterranean, south of Turkey, west of Lebanon and Syria, northwest of Israel, north of Egypt, and southeast of Greece. It has two official languages: Greek and Turkish. Armenian and Cypriot Arabic are the minority languages. Its four major ethnic groups are Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Armenians, and Maronites. The capital is Nicosia.
Its history dates back to the Paleolithic era, and it has been under the rule of the Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, the Rashidun and Umayyad Arab Caliphates, the Venetians, Lusignans, Crusaders, English, and Ottomans.
Around 546 BC, the Cypriot kings heard that King Cyrus of Persia was heading their way. They sent him a message in which they surrendered their kingdoms to him and to top it off, said they would supply Cyrus with military help to help him conquer Caria. Cyrus was happy to accept their offer and allowed them to have their own leadership and to mint their own coins.However, he also sent his own troops to ensure that everything went as he wanted.
The Persians remained in charge of Cyprus until Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire. In 323 BC, after Alexander died, the island was part of the Ptolemaic Empire, and during this period of time during the Hellenistic Period, they became fully hellenized.
In 58 BC, Cyprus became a Roman province, and Cyprus failed to thrive during this time. The high taxes and poor management added to the problems. During the Second Jewish-Roman War in 115-117 AD, Jewish leader Artemion killed 240,000 Cypriots before being bested by a Roman army in 117 AD, after which the Roman government passed a law banning Jews from Cyprus entirely.
The apostle Paul and Barnabas arrived in Cyprus on a mission to spread the Gospel among the Cypriots. Many became Christians. Once the Roman Empire was divided into the Byzantine Empire, which was the eastern part of the empire, and The Holy Roman Empire, which was the western portion, Cyprus fell under Byzantine rule. In the 650s, Arabs invaded Cyprus, and in 688, the last Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian II signed a treaty with the Caliph And al-Malik ibn Marwan which made Cyprus neutral ground and agreed to split the taxes between them, and for the next 300 years, Cyprus would be ruled jointly by the Byzantines and the Arabs as a political territory, even though the Arabs and the Byzantines were in a constant state of war with one another in one country or another. The Byzantines regained control for a while, but the treaty was restored continually until the year 965 when Byzantine general Niketas Chalkoutzes conquered the island again for Byzantium. Isaac Komnenos of Cyprus attempted to regain the throne in 1185, but his coup failed. However, he was able to retain control of the island nation.
In April 1191, during the Third Crusade, Richard the Lionheart (King Richard I of England) and a fleet of ships, one of which was carrying his sister Joan and his fiancée Berengaria, were caught up in a storm. Richard became separated from the ship carrying them. It was reported to the king that the missing ship was anchored at Limassol, on the southern coast of Cyprus, and the wrecks of two other ships, both belonging to England, in the vicinity. The survivors of the wrecks had been taken prisoner by Isaac Komnenos.
In May of 1191, Richard and his army put into the port of Limassol. Isaac refused to release the hostages, and Richard's army forced him and his own army to flee the city. Richard and his soldiers tracked the ruler of Cyprus down and invaded his camp before morning. Isaac somehow escaped again with a handful of his men, but Richard still pursued him. Eventually, Isaac surrendered and ceded control of Cyprus to the King of England, swearing fealty to him. He offered Richard 20,000 marks of gold and 500 men-at-arms and threw in his daughter and castles to ensure his good behavior. Still spooked, however, Isaac snuck away yet again after making the pledges to Richard, this time running to Kantara. A few weeks later, Isaac attempted an escape from Kantara to the mainland, but he was caught and imprisoned in Syria at the Castle of Markappos where he died shortly after his capture.
Ownership of the island nation changed hands repeatedly, until 1878, when the United Kingdom took over the governance of Cyprus as a result of the Cyprus Convention, making the island into a protectorate from the Ottoman Empire.
In 1960 Cyprus became an independent republic. In 1975, Northern Cyprus, which had been a de facto state for a while, changed its name to Turkish Federated State of Cyprus and in 1983, it was renamed the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Unfortunately for Northern Cyprus, the only country to consider them to be the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is Turkey. All others consider it to be part of the Republic of Cyprus.
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Set up in 1980, the professional firm of chartered surveyors offers a variety of real estate services in Cyprus, including property evaluation and valuation, structural property surveys, property management and development, property management consults, estate agency and promotions, real estate sales, town planning services, and education through the publication of articles intended to expand the reader's knowledge of property matters.
http://www.aloizou.com.cy/
Once the flag carrier airline of Cyprus, Cyprus Airlines began operations in 1947 and ceased operations in 2015. Charlie Airlines acquired the rights to its trademarks and brand in 2016. Its schedules, offers and competitions, fare rules, payment methods, travel agents, and online check-ins are listed. Its fleet and offices, hours, contacts, and career information are included. Flight schedules and announcements are posted.
https://www.cyprusairways.com/
Organized as the Hoteliers National Trade Union in the 1930s, most of the hotel establishments and other licensed tourist accommodation units in Cyprus are members. An overview of the Association, and a list of member five-star hotels are put forth, and a guide to Paphos and the island of Cyprus are given, including things to do, Cyprus schools and medical facilities, bus routes, and a photo gallery. Rooms may be booked online.
http://www.pafoshoteliers.com/
The vertical industry network is a directory of businesses and services in Cyprus. Listed businesses may be found through a variety of topical categories representing the nature of the business or service. Other resources include Cyprus history, geography, defense and security, and other aspects of the island country, as well as links to other information portals. Advertising and career opportunities are published to the site.
https://www.cyprusnet.com/
The Cyprus citizenship program offers an efficient means of obtaining citizenship in the European Union through investment in Cyprus, as there are no residency requirements. The benefits, eligibility requirements, and tax consequences of Cyprus citizenship are stated. The application process and fees are stated, and brochures of eligible properties can be downloaded in PDF format.
http://cyprusnewcitizenship.com/
CTO is a semi-governmental organization under the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism. Operating offices in Cyprus and abroad, it is headquartered in Lefkosia, Cyprus. Its offices and contacts are published to the site, and highlights of island regions and cities, villages, and rural destinations, things to do, and attractions in Cyprus are set forth, along with guest accommodations, regular events, and a trip planning guide.
http://www.visitcyprus.com/index.php/en/
The Internet web directory lists Cyprus web sites, categorized by topic and sub-topic. New listings, popular listings, top-rates listings, and the editor's picks are highlighted, and a site search is also available. Website owners may submit their business, organizational, or services website for consideration of inclusion in the directory or update their listings. Advertising options may also be available.
http://www.cyprus-net.com/
Representing the government of Germany to the people and government of Cyprus, the embassy offers a variety of services to Germany citizens in Cyprus and for Cyprus citizens wanting to do business, attend school, or move to Germany. Its ambassador is introduced, and its services are defined. Information about the relationships between the two countries, an introduction to Germany, German politics, culture, and education are included, along with a free German language course on video and audio.
https://nikosia.diplo.de/cy-en
Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Cyprus
The government ministry is responsible for the public finance and fiscal policies of the Republic of Cyprus. The minister and other officials within the department are introduced, and administrative contacts and hours are posted. Its directorates, units, departments, and offices are outlined, and access to various reports, policy statements, and other publications may be downloaded from the site.
http://mof.gov.cy/en/
Written by people expert on the subjects, the guide includes an overview of the various regions and cities of Cyprus, as well as a general profile of the island country's history and demographics, consulates, visa requirements, languages, and driving issues, a calendar of events, local news and informational articles, and guides on specific topics relating to the island, including accommodations, restaurants, attractions, shopping venues, services, health facilities, and property.
https://www.myguidecyprus.com/
The Internet-based land-sale site features private property that is offered for sale in Cyprus, as vacation homes, residences, retirement, or investments. Rentals may also be listed here. Property owners and managers are invited to submit their property to be advertised or listed in the site, whether for sale or lease. Properties may be found through a variety of searches and sorting mechanisms, and advertising opportunities are available. A business directory is included.
https://www.onlinecyprus.com/
Pafos Regional Board of Tourism
Established for the purpose of encouraging travel and tourism to the Pafos region of Cyprus, the site offers a guide to the region, including a list of tour operators, travel options, guest accommodations, museums, sports and leisure activities, golf courses, entertainment venues, restaurants, archaeological sites, and other attractions. Religious and nature tourism are discussed, and a photo gallery, traditional products, and a calendar of events are posted.
http://www.visitpafos.org.cy/
Paphos Theatre Archaeological Project
Under the auspices of the Department of Antiquities of the Republic of Cyprus, the University of Sydney has been excavating the World Heritage site of the ancient Hellenistic-Roman theater of Nea Paphos. The site presents its latest research, project targets and methodologies, information about upcoming field seasons, an educational dig blog, teaching resources, and an archive of information. Its publications, supporters, and colleagues are acknowledged.
http://www.paphostheatre.org/
Republic of Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The structure of the Ministry is outlined on the official government website, along with an introduction to the Minister, office hours, and administrative contacts. Information about vacancies, scholarships, and student internships are highlighted, along with protocols, various documents and reports, photographs, and an outline of embassy and consular services for the Republic of Cyprus.
http://www.mfa.gov.cy/mfa/mfa2016.nsf/index_en/index_en
Located in Nicosia, the United States embassy in Cyprus offers a variety of services to American citizens in Cyprus, such as dealing with visa or passport issues, emergency notifications, travel warning, and so on. Citizens of Cyprus might turn to the embassy for English language tutorials and assistance in traveling to the Unites States, studying in the US, or doing business in the Unites State or with a US company. Office hours and contacts are included.
https://cy.usembassy.gov/
