2023-Cyprus-Country-Report

CYPRUSCOUNTRY REPORT 2023
In more recent times, Cyprus gained independence from Britain in 1960. A coup staged
by the Athens' junta against the democratically elected government of President
Makarios on 15 July 1974, was used by Turkey to illegally invade Cyprus on 20 July 1974,
violating all rules of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations. The
island remains divided to this day and the capital city, Nicosia, is the last remaining
divided capital city in the world. The unilaterally declared so-called "Turkish Republic
of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)", was condemned by the international community and was
declared by relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, as legally invalid.
CLIMATE
Cyprus enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with long, warm, dry summers from May
to October and mild winters with occasional rain, lasting from December to
February. Summer and winter in Cyprus are separated by short autumn and spring
seasons. The average daytime temperatures during summer range from +21C to +34C,
although summer temperatures can reach as high as +40C. During the cooler months,
temperatures can range between +7C and +15C although even during the height of winter
there are generally six hours of bright sunshine during the day.
LANGUAGE
C
ypriots are highly educated and multilingual. The official languages of Cyprus are
Greek and Turkish, however English is widely spoken and written and is the language of
international business. German, French and Russian are also widely spoken in commerce,
due both to the number of Cypriot graduates from overseas universities and the island’s
commercial ties with the global business community.
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