 Environment
Cyprus is positioned on the crossroad of three continents, Europe, Asia and Africa, in the north-eastern region of the Mediterranean. It covers a total of 9.251 square kilometres, with the largest length being 225 kilometres and largest width 97 kilometres.
The natural wealth of the island is the result of the changes of nature through time, and particularly ground and climate conditions, the adjacency with three continents, the long-lasting isolation as an island, as well as the effect of the human factor. The Cypriot variety of interchangeable landscapes, such as mountains, plains, valleys, cliffs, gorges, caves, steep coasts, as well as the local climatic variety, helped in the creation of abundant biotopes.
Protection Of The Environment
The environment was influenced by the millenniums which followed the appearance of the first cultures on the island, nearly 9.000 years ago.
In recent Cyprus history, what marked it's course, but also it's environment, more than any other event, was the Turkish invasion in 1974 and the continuing, until today, possession of 37% of the island by Turkey.
The rapid development of the island which followed the events of 1974, did not have the luxury, initially, to take into account the protection of the environment, but only the most direct and imperative need of accommodating 200.000 refugees and reactivating the economy. As a result, serious negative repercussions were caused to the environment.
Today, the things are changing with a quick pace. Cyprus, being an official member of the European Union, has brought the protection of the environment into the forefront of its concerns, making it a political priority.
In Europe, processes and procedures have been set, and laws have been voted, that make the protection of the environment as a fundamental objective of the society.
This institutional frame has also been adopted by Cyprus and as a complete member of European Union, Cyprus has included in it's legislation more than 300 Directives and Regulations and enough action plans that concern the subjects of the protection of the environment.
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