Cyprus: landmarks, animals & facts for kids

Cyprus is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon. It is the third-largest island in the Mediterranean. Its capital is Nicosia, and around 1.3 million people live on the island. Cyprus is known for its sunny beaches, ancient ruins, painted mountain churches, halloumi cheese and myths about the goddess Aphrodite.

On My Earth Toy you can see Kolossi Castle, a square stone tower near Limassol. It was built by crusader knights, rebuilt in the 1400s, and stands among the vineyards that produced Commandaria, a sweet wine with a very long history.

Geography and nature

Two mountain ranges cross Cyprus: the Troodos Mountains in the southwest, whose highest peak is Mount Olympus at about 1,950 metres, and the narrow Kyrenia range along the north coast. Between them lies the Mesaoria plain. Summers are long, hot and dry, and winters are mild. The Cyprus mouflon, a wild sheep with curled horns, lives in the Troodos forests, and sea turtles nest on sandy beaches.

People, languages and culture

Greek and Turkish are the official languages, spoken by Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. Most Greek Cypriots are Orthodox Christians and most Turkish Cypriots are Muslim. Halloumi, a firm cheese that can be grilled without melting, is the island's best-known food, and meze, many small shared dishes, is a popular way to eat. Lefkara lace, a fine embroidery, is listed by UNESCO, as are the painted churches of the Troodos region.

History in a nutshell

Cyprus has been settled for about 10,000 years, and it was famous in ancient times for its copper. Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, crusaders, Venetians, Ottomans and the British all ruled the island. Cyprus became independent from Britain in 1960. Since 1974 the island has been divided: the south is governed by the Republic of Cyprus, while the north is administered by Turkish Cypriot authorities, with a UN buffer zone between them.