Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean. Its territory is 9 250 thousand square km. It is situated in the eastern part of the Mediterranean where three continents (Asia, Europe and Africa) are meeting. Population of Cyprus amounts about 780,133 (est.) people.

Those who visited it say that if the paradise is on Earth it's for sure Cyprus. It was not by chance that Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, has chosen Cyprus as her birthplace. As ancient myths told, it was here near coasts of Cyprus that she appeared from sea waves.

Warm climate, gold sandy beaches, picturesque pine-clad mountains, timeless cloisters as well as lively night life make Cyprus one of the most favourite resorts for tourists from all over the world.

The island of Aphrodite (as Cyprus is often called) is rather small. It extends from east to west by 230 km, from north to south by 96 km only. You can go round the whole island by car or bus for a day, having learnt the life of its people in towns and villages. Cypriots are hard working, kind and hearty people. By birth they are Greeks, Turks and Armenians.

The contours of their island Cypriots often compare with an emerald and purple leaf that felt from a tree to the sea. And that's true, when you fly up to the island by airplane you can see numerous bays and gulfs that make the island look like a leaf and you see green valleys framed by brown mountains.

The mountain Pentadactylos ("Five fingers" in translation from Greek) rises above the long mountain chain that stretches out along the northern coast of Cyprus.

In the south-eastern part Cyprus is crossed by another mountain range - Troodos. From here, from Olympus, the highest point of the island, the splendid panorama is opened - picturesque bright green valleys, emerald forests and vineyards on mountainsides, housing estates of towns, wild rocks of canyons and tiny villages nestled up to twisting banks of small mountain rivers.

The farther in mountains the more green. In ancient times Cyprus was covered with thick impassable forests. Ships built from Cyprian pine and cedar were considered the best in the Mediterranean. In forest bushes and steep mountainsides you can meet rare animals and birds. If you'll be lucky you can see even moufflon, this gracious argali that lives high in the mountains and can be met very rarely. But on the Salty lake near Larnaki you can watch pink flamingoes as much as you want. They fly here from coasts of the far Caspian Sea.

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