CYPRUS, an island lying on the S. of Asia Minor, and the most easterly in the Mediterranean. Its greatest length is 145 miles, maximum breadth about 60 miles; area, 3,584 square miles. The chief features of its surface are two mountain ranges, both stretching E. and W., the one running close to the N. shore, and extending through the long N. E. horn or prolongation of the island, the other and more massive (Mount Olympus) occupying a great part of the S. of the island, and rising in Tro6dos to 6,590 feet. Between them is the bare and mostly uncultivatedplain called Messaria. There is a deficiency of water. The climate is in general healthy. The mountains are covered with forests of excellent timber (now under govern ment supervision), and the island is esteemed one of the richest and most fertile in the Levant. Wheat, barley, cot ton, tobacco, olives, raisins, and carobs are the most important vegetable prod ucts. The wine is famous. Silk-worms are reared, and a coarse kind of silk is woven. Salt in large quantities is produced. The minerals are valuable; the copper mines were of great impor tance in ancient times (the name copper is derived from that of this island), and are again being worked. Large num bers of sheep and goats are reared on the extensive pasture lands of the island. The principal towns are Lefko sia or Nicosia, the capital, the only con siderable inland town, and the seaports Larnaca and Limassol. The chief c
ports are carobs, wine, and cotton, with cheese, raisins, cocoons, wool, etc.
After belonging successively to the Phoenicians, Greeks, Egypt, Persia, and again Egypt, Cyprus in 57 B. C. became a Roman province, and passed as such to the E. division of the empire. In 1191 it was bestowed by Richard of England (who had conquered it when engaged in the third crusade) on Guy de Lusignan, and after his line was ex tinct, it fell into the hands of the Vene tians (1489), with whom it remained till it was conquered by the Turks in 1571 and annexed to the Ottoman Em pire. In 1878 it was ceded to Great Britain by the convention of Constanti nople concluded between England and Turkey. The island has become much more prosperous under British adminis tration, and roads, harbor-works, etc., have been constructed, trees planted, and schools opened. The head of the government is the chief-commissioner, and there is a legislative council. Great Britain annexed the island in November 1914. Over three-fourths are Greeks, the rest Mohammedans. Pop. (1919) 311,108. Capital, Nicosia (pop. 16,632).