Cyprus' Geography | Cyprus Geography
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 north Cyprus) land: 9,240 sq km water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative: About 0.6 times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries: Total: NA; note - boundary with Dhekelia is being resurveyed border countries: Akrotiri 47.4 km, Dhekelia NA
Coastline: 648 km
Maritime claims: Territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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: Mount Olympus 1,951 m
Natural resources: Copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment
Land use: Arable land: 7.79% permanent crops: 4.44% other: 87.77% (2001)
Irrigated land: 382 sq km (2001 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, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: The third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia)
