Mesaoria

Overview

The Mesaoria (Greek: Μεσαορία, Turkish: Mesarya Ovası) is a fertile alluvial plain located in the centre of the island of Cyprus. It is the largest plain on the island and covers an area of approximately 1,000 square kilometers.

Geography

Mesaoria is situated between the Troodos Mountains to the south and the Pentadactylos Mountains to the north. The plain stretches from the Gulf of Famagusta in the east to the Gulf of Morphou in the west, covering a width of around 96 kilometers and varying in depth from 16 to 32 kilometers.

Hydrology

The Mesaoria plain is drained by several rivers and streams, including:

* Peacas (Pediaus), which originates near Mahaira and flows through Nicosia
* Almanas, which rises near the source of Paction and crosses Mesaria in a northeasterly direction
* Cares, a smaller but more permanent stream

These waterways are seasonal, with most of them drying up during the summer months. However, they swell with rainwater during the winter, providing temporary relief to the surrounding landscape.

Economy

As the island's main agricultural area, Mesaoria is home to a diverse range of crops and livestock. The fertile soil and favorable climate make it an ideal location for farming, with many Cypriots relying on agriculture as their primary source of income.

References

Note: This article has been compiled from various sources in different languages, including Greek (EL), Turkish (TR), Hebrew (HE), Spanish (ES), French (FR), English (UK), and Bulgarian (BG).