Larnaca
Larnaca exhibits forced adaptation: became main airport gateway after 1974 invasion captured Nicosia airport, now third-largest city processing tourism.
Larnaca District became Cyprus's gateway by default: when the 1974 Turkish invasion captured Nicosia International Airport, Larnaca airport became the country's primary air entry point. The third-largest city (144,000) now processes the tourist arrivals that drive an economy where tourism accounts for roughly 20% of GDP. This is infrastructure as competitive advantage—not because Larnaca is optimal, but because alternatives were eliminated.
The district hosts critical infrastructure beyond the airport: oil refineries, the Vasilikos power station, and industrial zones that concentrate manufacturing where port access exists. The energy sector positions Larnaca for offshore natural gas development in Cyprus's Exclusive Economic Zone. The 2024 GDP growth of 3.4% flowed partly through Larnaca's processing capacity—visitors arriving, energy generating, goods shipping.
Larnaca's economy reflects forced adaptation. The refugees from Famagusta settled here; the economic activity displaced from the north relocated here. The city expanded to absorb functions that couldn't be performed elsewhere. When Cyprus's unemployment reached 4.6% (lowest in 15 years) in 2024, Larnaca's service sector and industrial base contributed to that absorption. The district isn't naturally advantaged—it became advantaged because war destroyed the alternatives.