Bird stamps from Cyprus.

Cyprus is an island country in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Cyprus is the third largest and third most populous island in the Mediterranean, and a member state of the European Union. It is located east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and Lebanon, northwest of Israel and the Gaza Strip, and north of Egypt.

The earliest known human activity on the island dates to around the 10th millennium BC. Archaeological remains from this period include the well-preserved Neolithic village of Khirokitia, and Cyprus is home to some of the oldest water wells in the world.

Cyprus was settled by Mycenean Greeks in two waves in the 2nd millennium BC. As a strategic location in the Middle East, it was subsequently occupied by several major powers, including the empires of the Assyrians, Egyptians, and Persians, from whom the island was seized in 333 BC by Alexander the Great. Subsequent rule by Ptolemaic Egypt, the Roman Empire, the Byzantines, Arab caliphates for a short period, the French Lusignan dynasty, and the Venetians, was followed by the Ottoman conquest in 1571.

It remained under Ottoman control for over three centuries. Cyprus was placed under British administration in 1878 until it was granted independence in 1960,becoming a member of the Commonwealth the following year. In 1974, seven years after the intercommunal violence between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, an attempted coup d'état by Greek Cypriot nationalists and elements of the Greek military junta  with the aim of achieving enosis (union of the island with Greece) took place.

 Turkey used this as a pretext to invade the northern portion of the island. Turkish forces remained after a cease-fire, resulting in the partition of the island; an objective of Turkey since 1955.

 The intercommunal violence and subsequent Turkish invasion led to the displacement of over 150,000 Greek Cypriots and 50,000 Turkish Cypriots,and the establishment of a separate Turkish Cypriots political entity in the north. These events and the resulting political situation are matters of ongoing dispute.

The Republic of Cyprus has de jure sovereignty over the island of Cyprus and its surrounding waters, except for the British Overseas Territory of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, administered as Sovereign Base Areas.

 However, the Republic of Cyprus is de facto partitioned into two main parts; the area under the effective control of the Republic, comprising about 59% of the island's area, and the Turkish-controlled area in the north, calling itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and recognised only by Turkey, covering about 36% of the island's area. The international community considers the northern part of the island as occupied territory of the Republic of Cyprus by Turkish forces.

Cyprus is a major tourist destination in the Mediterranean. An advanced, high-income economy with a very high Human Development Index, the Republic of Cyprus was a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement until it joined the European Union on 1 May 2004.

 On 1 January 2008, the Republic of Cyprus joined the Eurozone.

Face value | Family number | English name | Scientific name
1983.01   10.10.1983   Birds of Cyprus   Sheet   
European Bee-eater Merops apiaster European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis European Robin Erithacus rubecula Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus
10l     95     European Bee-eater    Merops apiaster     
15l     229     European Goldfinch    Carduelis carduelis     
50l     216     European Robin    Erithacus rubecula     
65l     158     Eurasian Golden Oriole    Oriolus oriolus     
1986.01   20.06.1986   Europa   2v sheet   
Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus
100l     37     Griffon Vulture    Gyps fulvus     
1989.01   31.07.1989   Wildlife   4v set   
Chukar Partridge Alectoris chukar Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus
100l     11     Chukar Partridge    Alectoris chukar     
700l     11     Black Francolin    Francolinus francolinus     
1990.01   05.06.1990   WWF      
Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
150l     215     Song Thrush    Turdus philomelos     
300l     200     Eurasian Blackcap    Sylvia atricapilla     
900l     216     Black Redstart    Phoenicurus ochruros     
1000l     191     Common Chiffchaff    Phylloscopus collybita     
1995.01   21.04.1995   Surcharge on 1990.01      
Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros
2000l     216     Black Redstart    Phoenicurus ochruros     
1997.01   31.07.1997   Birds of prey      
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus
40000l     37     Golden Eagle    Aquila chrysaetos     
40000l     38     Eleonora's Falcon    Falco eleonorae     
75000l     38     Common Kestrel    Falco tinnunculus     
100000l     37     European Honey Buzzard    Pernis apivorus     
2003.01   30.06.2003   Birds      
Cyprus Wheatear Oenanthe cypriaca Cyprus Warbler Sylvia melanothorax Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmeus Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus
100000l     216     Cyprus Wheatear    Oenanthe cypriaca     
and     216     Finsch's Wheatear    Oenanthe finschii     
300000l     200     Cyprus Warbler    Sylvia melanothorax     
and     216     Finsch's Wheatear    Oenanthe finschii     
500000l     32     Pygmy Cormorant    Microcarbo pygmeus     
and     216     Finsch's Wheatear    Oenanthe finschii     
600000l     22     Greater Flamingo    Phoenicopterus roseus     
and     216     Finsch's Wheatear    Oenanthe finschii     
2006.01   22.09.2006   Birds      
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
40c     58     Northern Lapwing    Vanellus vanellus     
50c     14     Mallard    Anas platyrhynchos     
60c     92     Common Kingfisher    Alcedo atthis     
1p     57     Black-winged Stilt    Himantopus himantopus     
2007.01   16.11.2007   Post delivery   4v set   
Rock Pigeon Columba livia
50c     70     Rock Pigeon    Columba livia     
2010.01   04.06.2010   World environment day      
Audouin's Gull Ichthyaetus audouinii Mediterranean Gull Ichthyaetus melanocephalus Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Slender-billed Gull Chroicocephalus genei
25c     66     Audouin's Gull    Ichthyaetus audouinii     
25c     66     Mediterranean Gull    Ichthyaetus melanocephalus     
30c     66     Black-headed Gull    Chroicocephalus ridibundus     
30c     66     Slender-billed Gull    Chroicocephalus genei     
2012.01   08.05.2012   Europa      
European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Audouin's Gull Ichthyaetus audouinii
80c     229     European Goldfinch    Carduelis carduelis     
80c     66     Audouin's Gull    Ichthyaetus audouinii     
Face value | Family number | English name | Scientific name
1969.01   07.07.1969   Birds of Cyprus      
European Roller Coracias garrulus Audouin's Gull Ichthyaetus audouinii Cyprus Warbler Sylvia melanothorax Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae
5m     90     European Roller    Coracias garrulus     
15m     66     Audouin's Gull    Ichthyaetus audouinii     
20m     200     Cyprus Warbler    Sylvia melanothorax     
30m     162     Eurasian Jay    Garrulus glandarius     
40m     96     Eurasian Hoopoe    Upupa epops     
90m     38     Eleonora's Falcon    Falco eleonorae     
1979.01   25.06.1979   Flora and fauna   4v set   
Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus
50m     11     Black Francolin    Francolinus francolinus     
1986.01   28.04.1986   Europa   2v set   
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus
17c     22     Greater Flamingo    Phoenicopterus roseus     
1986.02   13.10.1986   Anniversaries      
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
15c     183     Barn Swallow    Hirundo rustica     
1988.01   09.05.1988   Europa   4v set   
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus
18c     22     Greater Flamingo    Phoenicopterus roseus     
18c     22     Greater Flamingo    Phoenicopterus roseus     
1991.01   04.07.1991   Pied Wheatear      
Cyprus Wheatear Oenanthe cypriaca Cyprus Wheatear Oenanthe cypriaca Cyprus Wheatear Oenanthe cypriaca Cyprus Wheatear Oenanthe cypriaca
5c     216     Cyprus Wheatear    Oenanthe cypriaca     
7c     216     Cyprus Wheatear    Oenanthe cypriaca     
15c     216     Cyprus Wheatear    Oenanthe cypriaca     
30c     216     Cyprus Wheatear    Oenanthe cypriaca     
2009.01   10.09.2009   Domestic fowl   4v set   
Rock Pigeon Columba livia Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo
0.22€     70     Rock Pigeon    Columba livia     
0.34€     11     Wild Turkey    Meleagris gallopavo     
2011.01   04.05.2011   Europa   2v set   
Long-eared Owl Asio otus
0.51€     78     Long-eared Owl    Asio otus     
2011.02   04.05.2011   Europa   Booklet   2011.01
Long-eared Owl Asio otus Long-eared Owl Asio otus
0.51€     78     Long-eared Owl    Asio otus     ct
0.51€     78     Long-eared Owl    Asio otus     cb
 
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