CYPRUS Christos Paraskeva - ΞΕ3 Geography of Cyprus Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia. It is also the world's 80th largest by area and world's 51st largest by population. It measures 240 kilometres long from end to end and 100 kilometres wide at its widest point, with Turkey. The population of Cyprus is about 1.18 million and is founded in 16 of August 1960. Cities of Cyprus: • Nicosia • Limassol • Larnaca • Pafos • Kerynia • Ammohostos The beginning The repeated rejections by the British of Greek Cypriot demands for enosis led to armed resistance organized by a group known as the National Organization of Cypriot Struggle, or EOKA.EOKA, led by the Greek-Cypriot commander George Grivas, systematically targeted British colonial Evagoras Pallikaridis authorities. Many people fight at this organization. Many of them plain people like all of us, also many students revolted and died for the country that they wanted to see free. Grigoris Afxentiou George Grivas Imprisoned Craves During the 1955-59 struggle for the liberation of Cyprus from the British yoke the colonial rulers constructed in the Nicosia Central Prisons a small cemetery which has gone down in history as the "Imprisoned Craves". The heroes who died on the gallows did not break despite the horrible and inhuman physical and mental tortures to which they were subjected from the time of their arrest until the time of their execution; they endured their terrible ordeal with a high morale and unshakeable faith. all young people aged 19-24, are in the order they were executed They were executed together on May 10 1956: • Michael Karaolis -23 years old • Antreas Dimitriou -22 years old They were executed together on August 9 1956: • Antreas Zakos -25 years old • Iakovos Patatsos -22 years old • Harilaos Michael -21 years old They were executed together on September 21 1956: • Michael Koutsoftas -22 years old • Stelios Mavromatis -24 years old • Antreas Panagides -22 years old Executed on March 14 1957: • Evagoras Pallikaridis - 18 years old The first president of Cyprus Independent Cyprus On August 16, 1960 Cyprus gained its independence from the United Kingdom. Archbishop Makarios III, a charismatic religious and political leader, was elected the first president of independent Cyprus. In 1961 it became the 99th member of the United Nations. The Zurich agreement, however, did not succeed in establishing cooperation between the The Zurich agreement Greek and the Turkish Cypriot populations. Archbishop Makarios III 1974 In July 1974, Turkish forces invaded and captured 3% of the island before a ceasefire was declared. The Greek military junta collapsed and was replaced by a democratic government. In August 1974 another Turkish invasion resulted in the capture of approximately 40% of the island. The ceasefire line from August 1974 became the United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus and is commonly referred to as the Green Line. Many people died and others stay without home…. Some of them they still missing….. Cypriot Cuisine Cypriot cuisine is the cuisine of Cyprus and is closely related to Greek and Turkish cuisine, it has also been influenced by Byzantine, French, Italian, Catalan, Ottoman and Middle Eastern cuisines. Halloumi Souvla Zivania Our famous drinks: is a Cypriot pomace brandy produced from the distillation of a mixture of grape pomace and local dry wines made from Xynisteri and Mavro grapes.Zivania is colourless and alcoholic with a light aroma of raisins. Its alcohol content varies, with 45% by volume being the typical value. Commandaria is an amber-coloured sweet dessert wine made in the Commandaria region of Cyprus on the foothills of the Troödos mountains. Commandaria is made from sun-dried grapes of the varieties Xynisteri and Mavro. While often a fortified wine, through its production method it often reaches high alcohol levels, around 15%, already before fortification. It represents an ancient wine style documented in Cyprus back to 800 BC and has the distinction of being the world's oldest named wine still in production, with the name Commandaria dating back to the crusades in the 12th century. Thank you for your Christos Paraskeva attention .