Cyprus is a major tourist destination in the Mediterranean. With an advanced, high-income economy and a very high Human Development Index, the Republic of Cyprus is a member of the Francophonie and the Commonwealth since 1961 and was a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement until it joined the European Union on 1 May 2004. On 1 January 2008, the Republic of Cyprus joined the Eurozone.
As English is the language of instruction in many programmes of higher education in Cyprus many abroad students find their education here. In 2005-06 many foreign students came from Europe, India, Bangladesh and China.