For a long time agriculture and tourism were the country's main (and almost the only) economic sectors. In the age of globalization all this changed - which is also due to the high level of education among the population. Production and the service sector are now bigger than ever. And export and import are big and further growing as well - this partly has to do with the new-found wealth and economic success within the nearby Arab world. Not only through its geography is Cyprus in a perfect position to be a bridge between the Middle East and Europe. The introduction of the Euro as well had very positive effects on its economy. This is all so despite the fact that Cyprus is still a divided country: Ethnically and politically. The Northern half is a de-facto independent country, though Turkey is the only nation that recognizes it politically.

The division came about due to ethnic differences - the North is mostly inhabited by Turks, while in the rest of the country the vast majority of the people are ethnic Greeks.

Between the two parts of Cyprus there is a small stripe administered by the United Nations. It is very important to point out that the Cyprus of today is not a war zone, but rather a peaceful place enjoying a very high level of political and economic stability. In fact, Cyprus, as everybody knows, is now a major tourist destination. This is not surprising when one considers all the assets that the country has: Cyprus is a perfect combination of natural beauty, located in a warm and friendly climate, with cultural and historic significance.

Most tourists of course do come for the mountains and the sea, but some like to occasionally interrupt their holiday activities for a dose of history - which Cyprus offers in abundance. There are monuments from all ages and from many different cultures. This is such an intriguing mixture that not few of the visitors decide to make Cyprus their permanent, or at least their summer home. With the country now being fully integrated into the EU and the Euro currency, this is now even easier than ever before. If you speak Greek or not, communication with the islanders is fairly easy: Most Cypriots speak English very well - this has to do with the fact that the island used to be a British colony until 1960.