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.
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.
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.
| 1983.01 | 10.10.1983 | Birds of Cyprus | Sheet |
| 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 |
| 100l | 37 | Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus |
| 1989.01 | 31.07.1989 | Wildlife | 4v set |
| 100l | 11 | Chukar Partridge Alectoris chukar | |
| 700l | 11 | Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus |
| 1990.01 | 05.06.1990 | WWF |
| 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 |
| 2000l | 216 | Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros |
| 1997.01 | 31.07.1997 | Birds of prey |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 50c | 70 | Rock Pigeon Columba livia |
| 2010.01 | 04.06.2010 | World environment day |
| 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 |
| 80c | 229 | European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis | |
| 80c | 66 | Audouin's Gull Ichthyaetus audouinii |
| 1969.01 | 07.07.1969 | Birds of Cyprus |
| 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 |
| 50m | 11 | Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus |
| 1986.01 | 28.04.1986 | Europa | 2v set |
| 17c | 22 | Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus |
| 1986.02 | 13.10.1986 | Anniversaries |
| 15c | 183 | Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica |
| 1988.01 | 09.05.1988 | Europa | 4v set |
| 18c | 22 | Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus | |
| 18c | 22 | Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus |
| 1991.01 | 04.07.1991 | Pied Wheatear |
| 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 |
| 0.22€ | 70 | Rock Pigeon Columba livia | |
| 0.34€ | 11 | Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo |
| 2011.01 | 04.05.2011 | Europa | 2v set |
| 0.51€ | 78 | Long-eared Owl Asio otus |
| 2011.02 | 04.05.2011 | Europa | Booklet | 2011.01 |
| 0.51€ | 78 | Long-eared Owl Asio otus | ct |
| 0.51€ | 78 | Long-eared Owl Asio otus | cb |
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