The Island of Cyprus is located at the Eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea to the south of Turkey. The Island was divided in 1974, into the Republic of Cyprus in the south and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the north. Currently the north is acknowledged only by Turkey, whilst the south has full international recognition.

Limassol (or Lemesos in Greek) is the second largest city on the island of Cyprus. A 2005 estimate puts its population at around 92,200 and it as a key commercial and tourist centre, the city is also home to one of the Islands main seaports. A multimillion-pound, port development programme is underway and is set for completion by 2010, once finished Limassol will be one of the most modern container ports in the Mediterranean region.

For many years Limassol has had associations with Great Britain. It is claimed that Richard the Lionheart married his fiancée close by on his way to the crusades and in modern times the British Royal Air Force maintain an Air Base at Akrotiri, a short distance south of the city.

The Republic of Cyprus has developed a modern and thriving open free market economy which, according to the Central Bank of Cyprus, recorded real GDP growth of 3.4 per cent in the period 2000 to 2004. The economy of the city is mainly tourist related, however the port at Limassol is also a key player, not only in the economy of the city but also for the whole of the Republic of Cyprus. The area around Limassol is also home to the islands wine companies that serve the wine-growing regions on the slopes of the Troodos Mountains.