KARPAZ, North Cyprus
January 22, 2009 by Essential Ed
Filed under Karpaz, Regions
The Karpaz peninsula is located on the far eastern stretch of North Cyprus, and it stretches right up to the tip of the peninsula, it’s often referred to as the ‘panhandle.’ You may even hear or see the peninsula being called Karpasia, Karpas, Kirpasha, Carpasia or Dipkarpaz – in fact Dipkarpaz is a present day town, and Carpasia was the ancient city where the ruin of Ayios Philon stands. It was once a very densely populated area during both the Roman and Luisignan times, but now it is far less so.
The Karpaz peninsula has some breathtaking beaches, wonderful walks and is littered with ancient churches, monuments, remains and ruins. Part of the area is also now a designated National Park, where feral donkeys are allowed to roam free and nature is pretty much left alone.
The Karpaz is also largely an agricultural area producing crops, and you will find that most local inhabitants have animals and land, but tourism also obviously plays a large part in the economy too.
There are now many places to stay on and around the coast and the Karpaz peninsula’s villages, and as the welfare of the environment becomes ever more important, accommodation is being built for the more environmentally minded tourist. You can choose from very basic North Cyprus accommodation such as beach huts on stilts, or opt for a B&B style pension or even holiday apartments.
There is some development starting to encroach on this area, with property developments and the marina sites at Yeni Erenköy for example, but hopefully strong controls will be put in place to keep the majority of the Karpaz a much 
treasured and valued area for years to come. With the efforts of groups such as the North Cyprus Friends of Karpaz, who endeavour to preserve the local environment and its peoples, hopefully sense will prevail.
If you’re visiting or living in North Cyprus it would be remiss of you to not take the time to explore this fantastic area of the island.
Please visit our Karpaz Region section detailing more of the towns in the area, as well as region sections on Lefkoşa, Famagusta, Kyrenia and Güzelyurt.
what about the economy on it
Hi Jordon,
Short question, but think we get the gist of it! The Karpaz is mainly an arable and farming area as it has been for a long time. Residents are quite often farmers who grow crops or keep livestock for the local market. The further you go towards the tip of the peninsula the less land there is, so a lot of it is quite sparse. Many local communities are making attempts at eco-tourism activities, offering cheaper and more traditional accommodation and holiday experiences with activities focused on the rural and cultural aspects of life. So we think these are main economical aspects to the Karpaz region.
Hope this helps.