Portal:Cyprus

The flag of Cyprus

Cyprus (/ˈsaɪprəs/ ^ⓘ SY-prəss), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country situated in the Mediterranean Sea. It lies between the continental mainlands of Europe and Asia, being culturally and geopolitically placed in Southeast Europe. Cyprus is the third-largest and third-most populous island in the Mediterranean. It shares a land border with the British Overseas Territory of Akrotiri and Dhekelia; otherwise, Cyprus is located north of Egypt, east of Greece, south of Turkey, and west of Lebanon and Syria. Since the Turkish invasion of 1974, Cyprus exerts no de-facto control of its northeasternmost territory, which is administered by the internationally disputed state of Northern Cyprus, and considered by the United Nations to be under the illegal occupation of Turkish troops. Nicosia serves as Cyprus' capital and largest city, followed by Limassol.

Cyprus boasts a very ancient history, with evidence of human activity dating back to around the 10th millennium BC, including some of the world's oldest water wells. The island's most prominent Neolithic settlement is Khirokitia, notable for being proof of the existence of structured societies residing in fortified villages and practicing communal farming. Cyprus was settled by Mycenaean Greeks in the 2nd millennium BC, leaving a lasting impact on its culture, language, and architecture. To this day, the majority of Cypriots identify as ethnic Greeks, and Cyprus is the only country, aside from Greece, where Modern Greek is an official language.

As a strategic location in the Eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus thrived in the Bronze Age due to its abundant copper resources, fostering a prosperous bronze industry. Following the Bronze Age Collapse, the island was contested and occupied by various ancient powers. Cyprus successively came under the rule of the Assyrians, Egyptians, and Persians, organized into ten autonomous city-kingdoms. These city-kingdoms aided the Greeks during the Greco-Persian Wars and ultimately aligned with Alexander the Great, joining his empire in 333 BC. Cyprus subsequently formed part of the Ptolemaic Kingdom until its annexation by Rome in 58 BC. Over the next thousand years, the island was part of the Roman and later Eastern Roman Empire. During this era, the Church of Cyprus was established as a religious institution firmly rooted in tradition, playing a pivotal role in shaping Cyprus into a prominent hub for Eastern Orthodoxy and Byzantine culture. The French Lusignan dynasty established the medieval Kingdom of Cyprus following the Third Crusade, which was then sold to the Venetians in the late 15th century, from whom Cyprus was subsequently conquered by the Ottomans in 1571. (Full article...)

The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject: