 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Paralimni" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(December 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Paralimni Παραλίμνι (Greek) | |
|---|---|
 Paralimni'sProtaras resort in July 2011 | |
  Paralimni Location in Cyprus | |
| Coordinates:35°2′0″N33°59′0″E / 35.03333°N 33.98333°E /35.03333; 33.98333 | |
| Country |  Cyprus |
| District | Famagusta District |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Giorgos Nikolettos |
| Population (2011[1]) | |
• Total | 40,000 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 5280-5297 |
| Website | www.paralimni.org.cy |
Paralimni (Greek:Παραλίμνι) is a town within theFamagusta District ofCyprus, situated on the island's east coast. Since theTurkish invasion in 1974, it has increased in size and status, primarily due to the migration of refugees fleeing fromthe north. Many workers in the tourist sectors ofProtaras andAyia Napa live in Paralimni, which is now the temporary administrative centre of the Famagusta District and the largest municipality of the district under the control of theRepublic of Cyprus.
The city of Paralimni is located in the extreme southeast ofCyprus island. The city is located 110 kilometers east of the capitalNicosia. The city was traditionally a suburb ofFamagusta (until the occupation of the city), just 10 km to the north.
Paralimni is located near theMediterranean coast, about 80 meters above sea level. The city is located at the southeast end of the island's central plateauMesaoria. This is why the plain extends around the city in the north and the coastal hills rise to the south.
The city's population in 2001 was 11,091. In 2011, it was 15,000.
The word Paralimni is Greek and means "by the lake". Historically, the town was built on the shores of a shallow lake which filled with water only in the winter. At the beginning of the 20th century, the whole lakebed was reclaimed for agricultural purposes. Paralimni has not always been where it is now, and was built originally on a hill situated betweenDeryneia and its present location. In the 15th century, it was moved inland to avoid detection by pirates. It is said that the first people to settle in Paralimni arrived just after the capture of the nearby town ofFamagusta by theOttoman Turks in 1571. The first settlement was calledSaint Demetrius, and this place still bears his name today.
In 1986, after a referendum, the area was declared a municipality with the name "Paralimni". In May 1986, the first elections were held for the office of mayor and municipal council; Nikos Vlittis was elected the first mayor, and served from 1986 to 2006. In December 2006, Vlittis lost the election to Andreas Evaggelou, who served as mayor until 2011. The town is a stronghold for theDemocratic Rally, acentre-right party. Architecturally, Paralimni has been undistinguished, as very little remains of the original village. Outside of the town centre, most houses are little more than small rectangular blocks; this is compensated for by their attractive gardens, especially when the trees are in bloom. Younger generations who earn higher salaries have been spending larger amounts of money on the construction of more modern and attractive houses in the town.
At the heart of Paralimni lies a shopping centre and a small entertainment scene, including modern cafes and bars. Since Paralimni has rapidly grown in size, Cyprus' largest food retailers likeCarrefour have built or rented branches there. Many local supermarkets are also present. The countryside surrounding Paralimni has red soil rich in zinc, which is famous for producing very nutritious and flavourful potatoes. It is also known for its picturesque windmills, which are used to draw water from underground aquifers to irrigate the surrounding land. Many of these windmills are now derelict, having been replaced by electric or diesel-powered pumps. Before the rise of tourism, the rich agricultural land surrounding Paralimni was the source of its wealth, and is still of great importance today.
Enosis Neon Paralimniou, which plays in the FootballCypriot First Division and BasketballCypriot First Division is the team of the town.
Protaras (Greek:Πρωταράς;Turkish:Protaras) is a predominantly tourist resort which comes under the administrative jurisdiction of Paralimni Municipality.
| Climate data for Paralimni | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 16.0 (60.8) | 16.1 (61.0) | 18.7 (65.7) | 22.2 (72.0) | 26.8 (80.2) | 30.8 (87.4) | 33.1 (91.6) | 33.3 (91.9) | 31.2 (88.2) | 27.7 (81.9) | 21.7 (71.1) | 17.3 (63.1) | 24.6 (76.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 12.3 (54.1) | 12.0 (53.6) | 14.2 (57.6) | 17.4 (63.3) | 21.8 (71.2) | 25.7 (78.3) | 28.2 (82.8) | 28.5 (83.3) | 26.1 (79.0) | 22.8 (73.0) | 17.6 (63.7) | 13.7 (56.7) | 20.0 (68.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 8.6 (47.5) | 7.9 (46.2) | 9.7 (49.5) | 12.5 (54.5) | 16.8 (62.2) | 20.6 (69.1) | 23.4 (74.1) | 23.7 (74.7) | 20.9 (69.6) | 18.0 (64.4) | 13.4 (56.1) | 10.1 (50.2) | 15.5 (59.9) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 70.0 (2.76) | 62.0 (2.44) | 35.0 (1.38) | 15.0 (0.59) | 7.50 (0.30) | 2.50 (0.10) | 0.50 (0.02) | 0.30 (0.01) | 1.20 (0.05) | 25.0 (0.98) | 45.0 (1.77) | 87.0 (3.43) | 351.0 (13.82) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1 mm) | 8.2 | 5.6 | 4.7 | 3.5 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 4.9 | 7.3 | 38.9 |
| Source: Meteorological Service (Cyprus)[2] | |||||||||||||
Paralimni's lake is home to the harmless Cyprusgrass snake, which was declared extinct in the 1960s until being rediscovered in 1994.[3] As a result, the lake was designated a Site of Community Interest (SCI).
.jpg)
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Media related toParalimni at Wikimedia Commons
| Municipalities ofCyprus | |
|---|---|
| Nicosia District |
|
| Limassol District |
|
| Larnaca District |
|
| Famagusta District | |
| Paphos District |
|
| Kyrenia District | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
