Nature

Notwithstanding its small size, Cyprus has a variety of natural vegetation. This includes forests of hardwood, evergreen and broadleaved trees such as Pinus latepensis, cedar, cypresses and oak. Ancient authors write that most of Cyprus, even Messaoria, was heavily forested, and there are still considerable forests on the Troodos and Kyrenia ranges, and locally at lower altitudes. About 17% of the whole island is being classified as woodland.

Where there is no forest, tall shrub communities of arbutus and rachne, Pistacia terebinthus, Olea europea, Quercus coccifera and Styrax officinalis are found, but such maquis is uncommon.

Over most of the island untilled ground bears a grazed covering of garrigue, largely composed of low bushes of cistus, Genista sphacelata, Calycotoime villosa, Lithospermum hispidulum, Phaganalon rupestre and, locally, Pistacia lentiscus. Where grazing is excessive this covering is soon reduced, and an impoverished batha remains, consisting principally of Thymus capitatus, Sarcopoterium spinosum, and a few stunted herbs.