English language
It has official status only in the Territory of the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, but it is spoken by almost everyone, often to perfection. Most official bodies translate everything into English, including laws. Since the division of the island, English has even established itself as the common language of Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Before 1974, it was Greek and its local variant, Cypriot Greek, which made it possible for everyone to understand each other. But their use has been lost in the northern part of the island. In the southern part, young people now use greeklish, a mixture of Greek and English: sorry replaces the Greek sygnomi ("forgiveness"), kettlo means "kettle " and hoteli means "hotel" instead of the Greek word xenodochio.
Division of the island
Undeniably, it is the British who have been responsible for the separation of Cyprus since 1963. Of course, the inhabitants themselves, Greece and Turkey, also have their share of responsibility, but London has a certain experience in chaotic decolonization (India, Palestine, Nigeria...). Here, the British made the mistake of considering the island only as a military base to control the Suez Canal, without taking into account the aspirations of the "natives. Moreover, the United Kingdom retained a part of the island and is still officially responsible for the security of the country. With the result that we know.
Military Bases
The United Kingdom retains 2.76% of the island's surface with the sovereign zones of Akrotiri and Dhekelia. Despite the uniforms of the local police and the presence of the last RAF base in the Mediterranean, these two confetti of the ex-Empire are not necessarily the most British corners of the island. The local authorities are doing their utmost to forget this embarrassing colonial presence, even to the point of adopting the single European currency in 2008. Akrotiri and Dhekelia are the only British territories where the euro is the official currency. But a headache presents itself: the completely free movement between the Republic of Cyprus and the two bases could be challenged with the Brexit.
Left-hand drive
As in the UK, in Cyprus, you drive on the "wrong side" of the road. Allow a day or two to get used to it. You should also be aware that this may result in additional costs for car rental if you come from a country where people drive on the right side of the road, such as France. On the other hand, distances and speed limits are indicated in kilometers and not in miles.
Golf practice
It is not very common among Cypriots, but the subjects of Her Gracious Majesty love to come to the island to hit the ball while contemplating the Mediterranean. There are five 18-hole courses of fairly modern design. Four of them are located in the southern part, near Paphos. Secret Valley Golf is the most technical and the most recent (2013). The one of Minthis Hills is quite physical, as it is very hilly, but it offers splendid landscapes along the Stavros tis Minthis monastery. TheElea course is rather rustic, but its hole n° 16 is the most feared on the island. The Aphrodite Hills course is also very hilly and it is the most expensive. Finally, on the northern side, near Kyrenia, the Korineum Golf is ideal for beginners with its very accessible rates.
Beer
Some of the bars in the South End have nothing to envy to the London pubs. You can find the same decoration and the same English or Irish beers. They also serve the productions of the two big local breweries, Keo and Leon, founded during the British era. In some of the more specialized pubs, such as Brewfellas, in South Nicosia, you can also taste the suds of the two local craft breweries, Prime and Aphrodite's Rock. In the northern part of the island, one drinks mostly Turkish beer Efes and more rarely that of the craft brewery Lion's Heart, whose name refers to Richard the Lionheart. But is it only a British heritage? In 2012, traces of fermented barley malt were discovered near Paphos in the ruins of a 3,500-year-old brewery.
Tourism
Every year, about 1.4 million British tourists visit Cyprus: that is more than the number of inhabitants of the island. Often invasive, especially when they are young and drunk, they are nevertheless well received by the local population. And they feel at home here (with the added bonus of sunshine): driving on the left, English language, Indian restaurants, the same large shops as in the country, etc. It is thanks to the British that tourism developed in Cyprus at the end of the 19th century, when the troops of the Empire stationed in Egypt came to cool off during the summer in the Troodos.
Diasporas
British ties with their former colony are also maintained by the Cypriot diaspora, which numbers about 800,000 in the United Kingdom. Cyprus is home to between 50,000 and 120,000 British nationals. Most were settled before the end of the withdrawal agreement in 2021, which allowed a transition after the Brexit. These are mostly well-off retirees, whose presence has the effect of driving up property prices. Less numerous in the northern part, they reside mainly and quite illegally in properties belonging to Greek Cypriot families expelled in 1974. In addition to these expatriates, there are about 7,000 English people living in British territory, in the sovereignty zones of Akrotiri and Dhekelia. Since the Brexit, the duration of stay of non-resident Britons is limited to 180 days per year or subject to a visa.
Business
Known for their business acumen since antiquity, Cypriots have been able to evolve by adopting British business law: advantageous taxation, facilitation of administrative procedures, etc. And this, as well in the north as in the south of the island. While Russian and Turkish investors have long benefited from this situation, Cypriot businessmen are well established in the UK. For example, most of the 170 major Greek Cypriot shipowners have their headquarters or a subsidiary in London. Since the Brexit, interest is more limited for new investors.
