Short facts about the geography of Cyprus
| Location: |
Middle East, island in the
Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
35 00 N, 33 00
E |
| Map
references: |
Middle
East |
| Area: |
total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in the Turkish Cypriot
area)
land: 9,240 sq km
water: 10 sq
km |
| Area -
comparative: |
about 0.6 times the size of
Connecticut |
| Maritime
claims: |
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial
sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
temperate, Mediterranean with hot, dry
summers and cool, winters |
| Terrain: |
central plain with mountains to north
and south; scattered but significant plains along southern
coast |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Olympus 1,951
m |
| Natural
resources: |
copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum,
timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures:
0%
forests and woodland: 13%
other: 70% (1993
est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
390 sq km (1993
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
moderate earthquake activity;
droughts |
| Environment
- current issues: |
water resource problems (no natural
reservoir catchments, seasonal disparity in rainfall, sea water intrusion to
island's largest aquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollution
from sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of wildlife
habitats from urbanization |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants | Source: World Factbook |
