Is Cyprus closer to Greece or to Turkey?

Answer 1

There is a supposition that this question makes explicitly, that the Greeks own Cyprus, and one made implicitly, that the people of any given territory should be more similar to its closest neighbors. Neither assumption is correct.

Greek Cypriots are so called because they embraced the Greek Orthodox Faith and had extensive oceanic commerce with the Greeks during the Ancient Period. It is notable, though, the Cypriot culture is not traditionally considered Danaan (central Ancient Greece) or Achaen (southern Ancient Greece), but is usually seen as being much more similar to Levantine and Mesopotamian culture. As a result, Greek Cypriot, as a term is an abbreviation of Greek Orthodox Cypriot. These people formed the majority of the island's inhabitants because of the way that Orthodox Christianity spread and the way Islam did not on the island. Greek Cypriots maintain political control of the Republic of Cyprus (which is an ally of but not controlled by Greece) because they form the majority of the population (between 75-80% of ethnic Cypriots are Greek Cypriots).

As to the second assumption that countries next to each other should be culturally similar, see Burma and Thailand, Pakistan and Iran, Iran and Iraq, Sudan and South Sudan, etc. Close proximity between countries can indicate similarities, but does not require them.

Answer 2

Cyprus is nearer to turkey then Greece