First Meeting of Comenius 2009 Protect- Don’t Neglect Cyprus team

THE CREATION OF CYPRUS  Duration : years  Mediterranean, Caspian, Black Sea  Due to underwater volcanic activity

THE CLIMATE OF CYPRUS  Mediterranean climate –Gives to Cyprus a double face:  In Winter: looks like a green garden  In Summer: looks like a desert  Rainfall: –mainly in autumn and winter –decreasing trend of rainfall amount in the last 30 years  Temperature: –Hot summer and mild winter –Frequent frosts in winter

 Sunshine –Very sunny climate –Central plain and eastern lowlands:75% of the time that the sun is above the horizon, there is a bright sunshine  Sea temperatures –27°C in August and 16-17°C in January

Agriculture adapted to the climate conditions  Long hot summer  Main rainy season: three months (70% from December to February)

Drought is a normal phenomenon for Cyprus In history, time to time, there are drought reports with disastrous results

Cyprus face the water issue by:  Dam and reservoir constructions  Water saving measures  Desalination  Use of the worked water of the draining systems, for gardens and parks

Traditional agricultural products  Wheat and barley  Grapes (raisin, wine products)  Carobs  Olives (olive oil)  almonds

In the ancient years, in Homeric age, Cyprus was known as a ‘forest covered island’ but nowadays only the 17% of the surface of the island is covered by forests

CYPRUS FLORA  Endemic plants: Troodos and Pentadaktylos mountains  Indigenous plant taxa: more than 1900  Cypriots: keen collectors of wild mushrooms –Overcollection and the use of tools= destruction of the habitat and the mushrooms themselves.  Trees nature-monuments or Giant Trees  Many of the plant species: rare

CYPRUS FAUNA  Rich and diverse  Largest mammal: the endemic mouflon (=a wild sheep species)  Geographical position: Important bird migratory routes in Europe because of its geographical position