| » About Paphos |
Capital of the West and positively
teeming with history is Pafos, site of the island's second international
airport. The resort town has as its focal point a charming fishing
harbour by Pafos Fort, lined with open-air cafes and tavernas
that serve a tempting menu of the day's catch.
It was on Pafos shoreline that the mythological Goddess Aphrodite
was born a legend that spawned a massive wave of cult worship
from neighbouring countries that lasted several centuries. The
large rock that juts from th sea is known as "Petra tou
Romiou"- The venus Rock- while the Baths of Aphrodite at
Polis also echoes her apparent penchant for the island. At Palepafos,
Kouklia lie the remains of the Goddess earliest Sanctuary.
Another "first" for Pafos was its early recognition
of Christianity. While under Roman rule in 45 A.D., it was here
that Saint Paul converted the first ruler to the faith.
The legacy from its remarkable history adds up to nothing less
than an open museum, so much so that UNESCO simply added the
whole town to its World Cultural Heritage List. Among the treasures
unearthed, are the remarkable mosaics in the House of Dionysos,
Theseus ans Aion, beautifully preserved after 16 centuries under
the soil. Then there are the musterious vaults and caves, The
Tombs of the Kings, the Pillar to which Saint Paul was allegedly
tied and whipped, the ancient Odeon Theatre and other places
of interest including the Byzantine Museum and the District
Archaelogical Museum.
Geroskipou with its remarkable five-domed Byzantine church of
Agia Paraskevi, and its Folk Art Museum is a village known for
many years for its special delight "loukoumi".
Agios Neofytos Monastery, famous for its 'Encleistra', Enclosure,
carved out of the mountain by the hermit himself, boasts some
of the finest Byzantine frescoes of the 12th and the 15th centuries.
Chrysorrogiatissa Monastery makes its own range of wines using
homegrown grapes. A small museum dedicated to Archibishop Makarios,
is found at Pano Panagia. From here it is a rewarding drive
to the majestic Cedar Valley. home of the indigenous Cyprus
horned sheep, the moufflon.
Lempa village can be singled out as one with particylar historic
significance. In its pretty setting near the sea, Lempa's link
with prehistory is the site of a chalcolithic settlement. today
the faithful reconstruction of several dwellings, gives an insight
into chalcolithic life on the island.
Further north lies the resort-town of polis, overlooking the
beautiful Chrysochou Bay with its charming fishing refuge of
Latsi. The relatively unspoilt state of the countryside and
villages make the area a real delight for the walker and naturalist.
The low-lying scenery around Pafos, much of it cultivated with
banana plantations and backed by the gentle foothills of the
western Troodos range, has an attractively open quality to it.
This is the gateway to the Penisula of Akamas, a natural wilderness
of incredible beauty with breathtaking gorges, spectacular coastlines
and enjoyable nature trails |
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General
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Location: Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south
of Turkey
Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 33 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:
total: 9,250 sq km (note: 3,355 sq km are occupied by Turkish troops)
land: 9,240 sq km
water: 10 sq km
Area-comparative: about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 648 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate, Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and
cool, wet winters
Terrain: central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered
but significant plains along southern coast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Olympus 1,952 m
Natural resources: copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber,
salt, marble, clay earth pigment
Land use:
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 13%
other: 70% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 390 sq km (1993 est.)
 Natural
hazards: moderate earthquake activity
Environment-current issues: water resource problems (no natural reservoir
catchments, seasonal disparity in rainfall; sea water intrusion to
island's largest aquifer; increased salinization in the north); water
pollution from sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation;
loss of wildlife habitats from urbanization
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements.
PEOPLE
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Population: 748,982 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25% (male 94,006; female 89,256)
15-64 years: 65% (male 245,739; female 241,935)
65 years and over: 10% (male 33,989; female 44,057) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.69% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 13.93 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 7.51 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998
est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7.97 deaths/1,000 live births (1998
est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.79 years
male: 74.62 years
female: 79.07 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.03 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Cypriot(s)
adjective: Cypriot
Ethnic groups: Greek 78% (99.5% of the Greeks live in the Greek
Cypriot area; 0.5% of the Greeks live in the Occupied Turkish area),
Turkish 18% (1.3% of the Turks live in the Greek Cypriot area; 98.7%
of the Turks live in the Occupied Turkish area), other 4% (99.2%
of the other ethnic groups live in the Greek Cypriot area; 0.8% of
the other ethnic groups live in the Occupied Turkish area)
 Religions:
Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, and
other 4%
Languages: Greek, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94%
male: 98%
female: 91% (1987 est.)
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus
conventional short form: Cyprus
note: the Occupied Turkish area refers to itself as the "Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)
Data code: CY
Government type: republic
note: a desegregation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the
island began after the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation
was further solidified following the Turkish intervention in July
1974 following a Greek junta-based coup attempt, which gave the Turkish
Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the
only internationally recognized government; on 15 November 1983 Turkish
Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared independence
and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus"
(TRNC), which has been recognized only by Turkey; both sides publicly
call for the resolution of intercommunal differences and creation
of a new federal system of government
National capital: Nicosia
note: the Occupied Turkish area's capital is Lefkosa (Nicosia)
Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia,
Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos; note-Occupied Turkish area administrative
divisions include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and
small parts of Nicosia and Larnaca
Independence: 16 August 1960 (from UK)
note: Occupied Turkish area proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975
from Republic of Cyprus
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October
note: Occupied Turkish area celebrates 15 November as Independence
Day
Constitution: 16 August 1960; negotiations to create the basis for
a new or revised constitution to govern the island and to better relations
between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently;
in 1975 Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution and governing
bodies within the "Turkish Federated State of Cyprus," which
was renamed the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" in
1983; a new constitution for the Occupied Turkish area passed by referendum
on 5 May 1985
Legal system: based on common law, with civil law modifications
Flag description: white with a copper-colored silhouette of
the island (the name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper)
above two green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag;
the branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between
the Greek and Turkish communities
note: the Turkish Cypriot flag has a horizontal red stripe at the
top and bottom between which is a red crescent and red star on a white
field.
ECONOMY
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Economy-overview: The Greek Cypriot economy is small and prosperous,
but highly susceptible to external shocks. Industry contributes 22%
to GDP and employs 25% of the labor force, while the service sector
contributes 73% to GDP and employs 62% of the labor force. Erratic
growth rates in the 1990s reflect the economy's vulnerability to swings
in tourist arrivals, caused by political instability on the island
and fluctuations in economic conditions in Western Europe. The Turkish
Cypriot economy has about one-third the per capita GDP of the south.
Because it is recognized only by Turkey, it has had much difficulty
arranging foreign financing, and foreign firms have hesitated to invest
there. The economy remains heavily dependent on agriculture and government
service, which together employ about half of the work force. Moreover,
the small, vulnerable economy has suffered because the Turkish lira
is legal tender. To compensate for the economy's weakness, Turkey
provides direct and indirect aid to nearly every sector. In January
1997, Turkey signed a $250 million economic cooperation accord with
the Occupied Turkish area to support tourism, education, and industry.
TRANSPORTATION
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Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: Greek Cypriot area: 10,415 km; Occupied Turkish area: 2,350
km
paved: Greek Cypriot area: 5,947 km; Occupied Turkish area: 1,370
km
unpaved: Greek Cypriot area: 4,468 km (1996 est.); Occupied Turkish
area: 980 km
Ports and harbors: Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos,
Vasilikos Bay
Merchant marine:
total: 1,533 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 23,330,565 GRT/37,
272,825 DWT
ships by type: bulk 471, cargo 568, chemical tanker 23, combination
bulk 48, combination ore/oil 12, container 139, liquefied gas tanker
5, oil tanker 142, passenger 7, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo
54, roll-on/roll-off cargo 42, short-sea passenger 16, specialized
tanker 3, vehicle carrier 2
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 45 countries
among which are Greece 673, Germany 159, Russia 57, Latvia 28, Netherlands
25, Japan 24, Cuba 22, China 18, Belgium 17, and Poland 14; Cyprus
owns 78 additional ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,623,560 DWT
that operate under the registries of Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas,
Belize, Cambodia, Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, Liberia, Malta, Panama,
and Philippines (1997 est.)
Airports: 15 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 4 (1997 est.) |
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