Geographical Characteristics of Cyprus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Geographical Characteristics of Cyprus - Essay Example Cyprus experiences a subtropical climate as a benefit from the presence of mountain ranges and vast central plain which is drained by rivers. The quick-developing Cyprus economy is largely indebted to its geographic specifications and the socio-cultural influences of the migrant populations residing in the mainland. This essay will clearly study the geography of Cyprus as an evaluative overview of its climatic, demographic and socio-cultural designs. Topographic Details The charm of the topography of the country is elevated with the mighty stand of Mount Olympus. Geologists like Simmons have always focused this island for its location; Cyprus covers around 9550 square kilometers of land area that lies nearly 65 kilometers south of Turkey and 105 kilometers far from the west of Syria with four major topographic provinces including the coastal belt, the northern range, the southern range, and the central plain (6). Cyprus has a typical climate that experiences warm winters and moderate ly hot summers with a high number of sunshine hours and frequent rains in winter. The country has been renowned for its historical and epical prominence in the European civilization. This small island country is known for its rich mineral wealth, wine produces and extreme natural beauty. Interim volcanoes along the mountains and violent weather conditions across the fertile valleys make the golden-leaf like island a location of might hiding in beauty. In the opinion of Bowman, Goult and Hunt, the prominence of Greek mythology has also helped Cyprus achieve the position as the world’s hottest choice for honeymooners, bird watchers and all kinds of tourists as this island is believed to be the home of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. This Island features home for a wide range of plants and animals that add to its specific beauty. Economic and Political Implications of Geography Salt lakes and salt marshes that lie over a large area of the mainland makes the scarcity of wat er worse; however, there are many rivers that drain the agricultural land and meet the purpose of the population to a great extent. Cyprus is largely an agricultural region where the people engage mostly in livestock production and related trades while a large proportion of the people engage in crop production. According to an expert’s opinion, â€Å"the island’s microclimates and varied topography allow for diversified crop production† (Mirbagheri, 4). Animal husbandry involves the production and sales of milk, egg and meat of different animals. Farmers engaged in the crop production from irrigated farms produce grapes, melons, lemons and bananas while wine grapes, cereals, olives, fodders and almonds are produced mainly depending on rain-fed farms. Spring-summer cultivation of majority of crops Cyprus depend on the stored moisture of the land and deep summer crops depend on irrigation. The crops produced are largely used for the domestic consumption while the surplus is exported mainly to the European Union nations. Certain studies reveal that Cyprus gains around 480milli litter of average annual rain fall – a meager quantity compared to the requirement – a result of which farmers depend on scarce water resources for agricultural purposes (Cyprus Profile). Continuous droughts and volcanoes create water shortage in the central plains of Cyprus that