Geology of Cyprus

[1] Cyprus is commonly divided into four bedrock units,[2] which are illustrated in the small inset map at the right.

[3] The Troodos Ophiolite crops out in the central part of Cyprus in a northwest to southeast striking band.

This slab of oceanic lithosphere was formed around 90 million years ago as part of the Neotethys seafloor (Meliata-Maliac-Vardar).

The mantle parts of the lithosphere are made of harzburgite and dunite (both peridotites), with about 50 to 80% of the minerals now transformed into serpentinite.

[5] It is thought that this assemblage was deposited between the Middle Triassic and the Upper Cretaceous and was thrust on to the southern margin of Cyprus from the Maastrichtian onwards well into the Cenozoic.