Untitled - ente nazionale per il turismo di cipro

of copper, asbestos, chromites and iron pyrites.
Troodos provides a unique opportunity for
anyone interested in geology, because it is one
of the rare places in the world where you can
actually stand on the earth’s mantle.
The Pentadactylos range, which runs parallel
to the northern coastline, is the east
Mediterranean’s southernmost range of the
great Alpine-Himalaya chain. It consists of thrust
masses of limestone of the Permian,
Carboniferous and Cretaceous periods,
with marl, sandstone and conglomerates
from the Miocene era on the lower slopes.
The Mesaoria, between the two mountain
ranges, stretches from Morfou in the west
to Ammochostos (Famagusta) in the east,
with the capital, Lefkosia (Nicosia), lying more
or less in the middle. This central plain is mainly
marl and shell-limestone, while in the eastern
foothills of the Troodos range, chalk, limestone
and gypsum are common.
Natural features
The rock formations have played a significant
role in the development of the landscape.
The erosion resistant dunites, serpentines,
gabbros and diabases of the Troodos massif are
the main reason for its height and its harsh,
rugged scenery, while less erosion-resistant
chalks at lower altitudes have formed the
rounded white landscape of the vineyards.
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