Facts Cyprus has an intense Mediterranean climate with the typical seasonal rhythm strongly marked in respect of temperature, rainfall and weather generally. Hot dry summers from mid-May to mid-September and rainy, rather changeable, winters from November to mid- March are separated by short autumn and spring seasons of rapid change in weather conditions. And the capital is called “Nicosia”

Typical foods Typical food includes: Yemista are stuffed vegetables all kinds, favourites in every Cypriot family. Especially in summertime you will appreciate the interesting taste of this Mediterranean speciality. You can order the great number of stuffed vegetables as starters or as main dishes. They can be hot or cold.

Foods Continued… Tzadziki Dip - A yoghurt, cucumber and mint dip that you will find in most restaurants, served along with tahini, olives and salad. Kefalotiri - Cheese Hard rinded cheese, comes in large rounds, you buy a wedge of it. Nice texture and quite strong. Halva - Sweet Sesame seeds pulp and sugar melded into a square, sometimes with nuts, or vanilla flavouring. A little goes a long way.

Figures Total 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 Population 780,133 (July 2005 est.) Languages Greek, Turkish, English Literacy total population: years male: years female: years (2005 est.) Religions Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, and other 4% Life Expectancy total population: years male: years female: years (2005 est.)

Figures continued Currency Greek Cypriot area: Cypriot pound (CYP); Turkish Cypriot area: Turkish lira (TRL) Republic of Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $15.71 billion north Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $4.54 billion (2004 est.) Labour Force Republic of Cyprus: 330,000, north Cyprus: 95,025 (2004 est.) Exports Republic of Cyprus: $1.094 billion f.o.b. north Cyprus: $49.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports Republic of Cyprus: $5.258 billion f.o.b. north Cyprus: $415.2 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Natural Resources copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment

Flights Edinburgh Airport is serviced by an express bus service (Airlink no.100) which takes approximately 25 minutes to/from the city centre. Road access to the airport is easy from the two-level junction on the A8 midway between the Gogar and Newbridge roundabouts.

Flights Continued Edinburgh to Paphos Outbound flights Edinburgh to Paphos Departure Date DepartsArrivesPrice was Today's PriceFri 18 December :0015:50£99.99£ inc taxThu 24 December :0013:50£134.99£ inc taxThu 31 December :0013:50£139.99£ inc taxReturn flightsPaphos to Edinburgh Departure DateDepartsArrivesPrice was Today's PriceFri 08 January :4019:40£150.99£ inc taxFri 15 January :4019:40£80.99£ inc tax