North Cyprus Geography

If you are thinking of owning a North Cyprus property, then it is good to know a little about the geography of North Cyprus. Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean after Sardinia and Sicily. It lies 65 km from Turkey’s southern coast. Other neighbouring countries are Syria (97 km), Lebanon (108 km), Egypt (370 km), Israel and Greece. Since the division of Cyprus in 1974 the Turkish Cypriots have lived in the Northern part of the island while Greek Cypriots live in the south.

Area

The total area of the island is approximately 9,200 sq. km, with the land in North Cyprus covering a total area of 3,500 sq. km or approximately one third of the island. It is some 240 km wide and 64 km in length.

Mountains 

The most prominent feature of North Cyprus is the northern range of mountains, known as the Kyrenia Mountains, or Five Finger Mountains. It is approximately 130 km long, running parallel to the coastline and occupies an area of about 255 sq km, it is composed predominately of limestone, dolomite, and marble. The highest point is Mount Selvili, near village of Lapta, at 1,020 m.

Coastline 

The coastline consists of enchanting coves, rocky coast and long golden sandy beaches. The beaches of Northern Cyprus are among the cleanest and safest in the Mediterranean. The average water temperature is 24C between May and October.. The northern and eastern shores of North Cyprus are lapped by the clear, blue, warm waters of the Mediterranean. All along the coastline are bays and beaches where swimming and sunbathing can take place the whole year round. The largest bays are Guzelyurt and Famagusta.