Seventy million years ago, the area of the Mediterranean Sea where the island of Cyprus is located today was still covered by water. At the very beginning Cyprus was a mountain lying under the sea. Due to the displacement of the African plate towards the
the seabed rose and Cyprus was born. If you want to know exactly where Cyprus is located and what the island of Cyprus is all about, you should read the following information carefully.
The part of the Mediterranean Sea in which Cyprus is located is also called the Levantine Sea. Thus, Cyprus is located about 65 km south of Turkey, 770 km southeast of the Greek mainland and about 100 km west of Syria. With only 100 km in the north-south extension Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean after Sicily and Sardinia. In length we come to 225 km, measured from Cape Arnauti in the west, to Cape Apostolos Andreas, at the very end of the northeastern peninsula.
After the African plate shifted, it took another 50 million years for Cyprus to appear as a mountain above the sea surface. The highest elevation of Cyprus, the Troodos Mountains, appeared 20 million years ago as today's mountain range. The highest mountain of Cyprus, Mount Olympus, is also located in the Troodos Mountains. Later, about 5 million years later, the Kyrenia Mountains in the north of Cyprus appeared.
Over many years, due to forest fires, many plants have died. But there is still a variety of plants that grow only in Cyprus, which makes them special.
Cyprus is known and loved for its olive groves, carob trees, cypress trees and spruces. Among them is the Troodos pine, 30 meters high, which is found only in Cyprus. With a trained botanical eye you will also discover the endemic orchid, which is often photographed because of its beautiful flowers.
Depending on the season, the flora shows different sides. Discover the white blooming sea daffodils in summer, admire poinsettias, grape hyacinths and crocuses in winter. While the red soil in the east of the island grows delicious vegetables and especially potatoes, you will discover banana and mango plantations, especially in the west of the island. Oranges and lemons grow everywhere on the island, so you are well supplied with all vitamins.
As for the fauna of Cyprus, there are 26 species of reptiles and amphibians, plus 357 different species of birds and 197 species of fish. The mouflons, otherwise found only in Sardinia and Corsica, are wild sheep that live in the Paphos Forest and are protected.
The nose-biter, named by the Greek Cypriots, is the largest starry dragon among the dozen or so lizards, with a length of up to 30 cm. Besides lizards, there are weasels, wild rabbits, chameleons, snake species, water turtles and squirrels to discover.
The coast of Cyprus consists of steep rocky coasts with many small bays and extensive sand and pebble beaches, with a length of 671 km. The numerous beaches and the blue, extremely clean sea invite you to swim and relax. Water sports enthusiasts get their money's worth everywhere.
Near the coast are the two largest salt lakes, in Larnaca and Limassol. There are no freshwater lakes in Cyprus. After the snow melts in spring, the rivers are full of water, so that the various waterfalls also show their impressive side. Many rivers dry up during the hot summer months until they are fed again by the first rains at the end of the year. When it rains in Cyprus, a small river can quickly turn into a stream. With a length of 100 km, the Pedias is the longest river in Cyprus.
Cyprus has two international airports. Most tourists and visitors to Cyprus land at Larnaca, the main airport. The second airport is located near Paphos, close to the coast. Flights from the Middle East and European countries fly to both airports several times a week.
Made with ♥ by Tanas Digital
