Geodiversity is all around us in our daily life and it supports biodiversity on Cyprus and Earth, as the pillar upon which the habitats of all living organisms are created. It refers to the diversity of non-living elements of nature, such as rocks, minerals, fossils, soils, sediments, landforms, mountains and mountain ranges, spectacular landscapes, groundwater, rivers, lakes and wetlands, and even the processes that create, modify and destroy the above features, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods and others.
Undoubtably, without the rich geological diversity and geomorphology of Cyprus, this vast variety of ecosystems would have not developed, within which life was created, it developed and evolved on our island, with 52 types of habitats, approximately 2,000 species of plants (of which 145 species are endemic and only occur in Cyprus), 33 species of mammals (including marine mammals – 1 species of seal and 3 species of dolphins), more than 400 species of birds (over 328 are migratory and 53 species are permanent residents), 22 species of reptiles and a broad variety of insects that call this unique part of the Earth their home.
The significance of geodiversity for our planet is so evident, that the 41st UNESCO’s General Conference proclaimed the 6th October as the International Geodiversity Day.
Therefore, the Troodos UNESCO Global Geopark joins the celebration of this important day, as its unique geodiversity renders Troodos as a world-wide attraction for geoscientists and has played a significant role since the 1950’s, on the development of the theory of ocean spreading and the creation of new oceanic crust as we know it today.
In order to celebrate the unique Geodiversity of Cyprus, the Geological Survey Department and the Troodos Development Company, would like to invite you on the 6th October 2023, to the Visitor Centre of the Troodos UNESCO Global Geopark which is situated in the heart of the Amiantos Mine, for a free guided tour of the exhibits in our museum as well as the exquisite geological rock samples of our geological garden.
