Cape Greco

Cape Greco, also known as Capo Greco (Italian for "Greek cape"; Greek: Κάβο Γκρέκο), is a headland in the southeastern part of the island of Cyprus. It is at the southern end of Famagusta Bay and forms part of Ayia Napa Municipality. It lies between the towns of Ayia Napa and Protaras, both tourist resorts, and is visited by tourists for its natural environment. It is the de facto easternmost point of both the Republic of Cyprus and the European Union. Rizokarpaso is further east but under the control of Northern Cyprus. According to local legend, it is also the home of the 'Ayia Napa sea monster'.

Cape Greco
Sea caves at Cape Greco

Important Bird Area

A 1209 ha area encompassing the cape has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it is a key migration site for large numbers of raptors and other birds. It forms a migratory bottleneck for red-footed falcons, pallid harriers, honey buzzards and common kestrels, as well as supporting breeding populations of Cyprus wheatears, Cyprus warblers and black francolins. Although the cape is a National Forest Park under the administration of the Forestry Department of the Cyprus Ministry of the Interior, the birds there are threatened by illegal trapping.[1]

Transmitter
Antennas on Cape Greco as in October 2021

Cape Greco was the location of a powerful mediumwave broadcasting station operated by Radio Monte Carlo; it carried the french and arab language programme of Radio Monte Carlo Middle East / RMC Moyen-Orient aimed at audiences in the middle east and northern africa. In the early morning hours and for some years at late night, it carried programmes of TWR in arab, armenian and persian language.

The transmitter site was constructed in the early 1970s and started operation 1973 carrying the french & arab language programme of Radio Radio Monte Carlo Middle East / RMC Moyen-Orient on a frequency of 1233 kHz with 600 kW. After 1974, early morning und late night hours were used to transmit programmes of Trans World Radio targeted at the middle east. For financial reasons and declining importance of mediumwaves, the RMC Moyen-Orient transmissions have been terminated at 31. Dec. 2019.

The interest of the U.S. in a broadcasting facility to cover the middle east led to a contract to use the reserve antenna and a second transmitter was installed in 1992. From 1992, this transmitter carried the arab language programme of Radio Sawa founded by the U.S. government. From the initial frequency of 981 kHz it had to move to 990 kHz because of an interference with ERT broadcasting from Athens, the transmissions with 600 kW were ceased at 1. July 2019.

In early November 2021, both antennas were demolished and a nature reserve information center should take the place of the transmitter buildings.[2][3]

See also

References
  1. "Cape Greco". BirdLife Data Zone. BirdLife International. 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  2. Ludwig, Kai. "Französische Mittelwellenanlage in Zypern wird eliminiert". Radio eins rbb. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  3. Sennit, Andrew G. World Radio TV Handbook (various years ed.). Billboard Books.

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