Cyprus, officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Cyprus is the third largest and third most populous island in the Mediterranean.

Some of the world’s oldest water wells can be found in Cyprus.

The largest bank in Cyprus is owned by the Cypriot Orthodox Church. The church also plays a significant role in the social and political life of the island’s people.

Alexander the Great seized the island from the Assyrians, Egyptians, and Persians in 333 BC.

Cyprus became independent from the British in 1960, on August 16th. However, they celebrate their independence day on the 1st of October every year.

Legend has it that the Greek goddess of love–Aphrodite–was born in Cyprus. The country is also known as the playground of the Gods.

The island nation had seen its golden era during the Copper and Bronze Ages. At that time, the country was among the wealthiest of nations.

Sunset at Petra tou Romiou, Cyprus
A beautiful sunset at Petra tou Romiou, Cyprus. Image credit – Evgeniy Isaev
The island country is divided into two parts. The North and the South. The northern part is called the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” while the southern part is called the “Independent Republic of Cyprus” or the “Greek Cyprus.”

As per topcyprustaxi.eu, taxi drivers in Cyprus do not give change. They keep the change as a tip. A quick tip to save money in Cyprus is to tender exact change to the taxi driver.

Oddly, Cypriots do not like fishing and they do not fish, despite being an island nation.

In Cyprus, there are some cafes that are only for men.

Cypriots are big-time foodies. The typical Cyprus citizen likes to dine at their favorite restaurant once per week.

The shape of Cyprus is like that of a Cigar pipe. Have a close look at the map of Cyprus included below.Cyprus is a major tourist destination in the Mediterranean.

Would you believe that a whole town in Cyprus is a UNESCO World Heritage Site? The name of this town is Paphos. There are a total of three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the country, including the town of Paphos.

The world’s oldest wine label belongs to Cyprus. Yes, you heard it right! “Commandaria” is recognized as the world’s oldest named wine dating back 5000 years.

Cyprus is the only foreign venue at which an English Royal Wedding has been hosted. The wedding happened between King Richard and Queen Joanna on May 12, 1191.

There is a tree in Cyprus known to fulfill wishes. This tree at the entrance to the Christian catacombs in Paphos is adorned with handkerchiefs and ribbons. People believe that infertile women will bear children and people will return to their loved ones when something that belonged to them is tied to the tree along with a belief that good will happen.

The capital city of Cyprus—Nicosia—is divided by “The Green Line.” This line is also known as the UN buffer zone. It is the only capital in the world that is divided between two nations.

The Green Line in Nicosia
Notice the gray dotted lines that cut through the capital city. The region between these lines is the Green Line. It is 180 km long and it spans an area of 346 square kilometres (134 sq mi), varying in width from less than 20 metres to more than 7 kilometres.
Depending on which part of the country a person lives, the residents are either known as “Greek Cypriots” or “Turkish Cypriots”.