Nicosia is located in the center of the island of Cyprus (northeast corner of the Mediterranean), which has a rich history dating back to the Bronze Age. It became the capital of the island in the 11th century A.D. It is the biggest city of the country with nearly 260.000 inhabitants, almost one third of the total population.
Today, Nicosia is a modern and cosmopolitan business and cultural center. Besides the Government offices and the foreign diplomatic and other missions, the capital hosts all the financial institutions, trade fairs, the Cyprus Stock Exchange, the Conference Center, etc.