Cyprus is in the Middle East.
Cyprus ( [ ˈsaɪprəs ] [ Κύπρος , Kýpros ] [ ˈcipros ] ; Kıbrıs [ ˈkɯbɾɯs ] ) , officially the Republic of Cyprus ( [ Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία , Kypriakí Demokratía , links = no ] [ Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti , links = no ] ) , is an island country in the Eastern Mediterranean and the third largest and third most populous island in the Mediterranean . As a strategic location in the Middle East , it was subsequently occupied by several major powers , including the empires of the Assyrians , Egyptians and Persians , from whom the island was seized in 333 BC by Alexander the Great . The Middle Eastالشرق الأوسط , ; Միջին Արևելք , ; Orta Şərq Central Kurdish : ڕۆژھەڵاتی ناوین , Rojhelatî Nawîn ; Moyen-Orient ახლო აღმოსავლეთი , ; Μέση Ανατολή , ; המזרח התיכון , ; Rojhilata Navîn خاورمیانه , ; Bariga Dhexe Orta Doğu مشرق وسطی , is a transcontinental region centered on Western Asia and Egypt . In the Middle East , there is also a Romani community .