Cyprus is in the eastern Mediterranean basin, at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and Asia. Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Its 9,251 square kilometres encompass citrus and olive groves, pine forested mountains, and some of Europe’s cleanest beaches. The island has a mild, typically Mediterranean climate, with abundant sunshine even in winter and little rainfall. Prominent geographic features include the Troodos massif that occupies most of the south-western part of the country, the Pentadaktylos range in the north around Kyrenia and the Messaoria Plain in between them.

It is here that the capital city, Nicosia (Lefkosia), is located. The elongated Karpasia Peninsula occupies the north-eastern part of Cyprus, while the south-eastern point terminates in Cape Greco. The southern coast is where the major towns of Larnaca and Limassol (Lemesos) are located. Pafos and the Akamas Peninsula are on the far western edge.

Cyprus enjoys one of the best climates in the Mediterranean, with an average of 340 days of sunshine a year. The Troodos Mountains ensure the west coast gets cooling breezes during the summer to take a few degrees off typical temperatures of around 32C (90F). In the winter, the mountains provide a shield against the northerly winds to ensure the temperature rarely falls below 15C (59F).

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