Size: Third largest island in Mediterranean, after Sicily and Sardinia. 9,251 square kilometers, of which 1,733 square kilometers forested. Length, 225 kilometers maximum breadth, 96.5 kilometers. Situated in eastern Mediterranean, about 386 kilometers north of Egypt, 97 kilometers west of Syria, and 64 kilometers south of Turkey.

Topography: Principal topographic features Troodos Mountains: dry limestone hills including Kyrenia Range a broad inland plain--the Mesaoria and narrow coastlands. Highest peak of Troodos Mountains, Mount Olympus, rises to 1,952 meters. Winter rivers starting in the Troodos flow rapidly in all directions. Two large salt lakes many springs along the sides of Troodos Mountains and Kyrenia Range.

Climate: Mediterranean, with cycle of hot, dry summers from June to September, rainy winters from November to March, and brief spring and fall seasons between. Substantial differences, both daily and seasonally, in temperatures of coastal and inland areas.

Data as of January 1991