What is Cyprus (island)?
{{About|the island|the country|Republic of Cyprus|the disputed territory|Northern Cyprus}} [[File:NCyprus districts named.png|thumb|Areas of Cyprus; the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus zone is red, the Republic light blue, the buffer zone greenish, and the naval bases dark blue]] '''Cyprus''' is a [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] island off the coasts of [[Syria]] and [[Turkey]]. It is the third-largest [[island]] in the [[Mediterranean|Mediterranean Sea]]; [[Sicily]] and [[Sardinia]] are larger. It is slightly larger than [[Puerto Rico]]. Geographically, it is part of [[Asia]] and in the [[Middle East]], but for political reasons, it is sometimes counted as being part of [[Europe]]. Cyprus was part of the [[Byzantine Empire]] for hundreds of years. The Greek god [[Aphrodite]] was from Cyprus. There are two states on the island: * The [[Republic of Cyprus]] (internationally recognized) is also part of the [[European Union]]. Most of the world considers the whole island to be the Republic of Cyprus. Greek is the most spoken language in the Republic of Cyprus. * The [[Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus]] is the northern part of the island. The only nation that recognizes this entity is [[Turkey]]. These states are separated by a buffer zone, which is controlled by the [[United Nations]]. In addition to the two countries, there are [[Akrotiri and Dhekelia]], two territories on the south zone which are under [[Great Britain|British]] control, and which are used as military bases. The island has been Greek for thousands of years of recorded history, many empires have ruled Cyprus. They include [[Assyria]], [[ancient Egypt]] [[Achaemenid Empire|Persia]], [[Alexander the Great]], the [[Roman Empire]], the [[Byzantine]]s, Arab [[caliphate]]s for a short period, [[French colonial empire|France]], the [[Republic of Venice]] and the [[Ottoman Empire]]. Cyprus is often described as an 'unsinkable aircraft carrier' due to its strategic position in the Eastern [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]].<ref>{{Cite web|dat