In line with legend, Cyprus was the birthplace of the traditional Greek goddess of affection, Aphrodite. Cyprus's fashionable historical past, in distinction, has been marked by tensions between its Greek and Turkish inhabitants.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded the north in response to a Greek government-backed navy coup on the island.
The island was successfully divided, with the northern third dominated by a Turkish Cypriot authorities and the southern two-thirds by the internationally acknowledged authorities led by Greek Cypriots.
United Nations troops are patrolling the “Inexperienced Line” that separates the 2 elements, and reunification talks are making sluggish progress.
Cyprus has efficiently diversified its largely agrarian economic system into one primarily based on companies – together with a big tourism sector – and light-weight trade.
Extra lately, it has additionally develop into an essential monetary middle, significantly for traders from Russia and Japanese Europe.
REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS: FACTS
- Capital metropolis: Nicosia
- Space: 9,251 km² (collectively)
- Inhabitants: 1.2 million (collectively)
- Languages: Greek, Turkish
- Life expectancy: 79 years (males) 83 years (ladies)
LEADER
President: Nikos Christodoulides
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Nikos Christodoulides is the island's first chief born in unbiased Cyprus.
Supported by centrist and right-wing events, Christodoulides served as international minister till early 2022. Within the February 2023 presidential election runoff, he gained 52% of the vote forward of his major rival, the left-backed Andreas Mavroyiannis.
He mentioned his major focus as president could be to discover a answer to the Cyprus downside, echoing related earlier feedback he made as international minister.
Turkish Cypriot chief: Ersin Tatar
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Ersin Tatar helps a two-state association for Cyprus
Ersin Tatar gained a slender victory within the second spherical of the October 2020 elections, defeating incumbent Mustafa Akıncı. The vote was scheduled for April 2020, however was delayed by six months because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mustafa Akıncı had advocated for a federal answer to the Cyprus dispute, and Ersin Tatar, the then prime minister, had advocated for a two-state answer.
5 days earlier than the primary spherical of elections, Tatar introduced a partial reopening of the ghost city of Varosha. Varosia has been sealed off for the reason that 1974 battle and the flight of its Greek Cypriot inhabitants. The announcement led to worldwide criticism and the downfall of his cupboard after the coalition's junior companion give up the federal government.
In September 2021, after a gathering with UN Secretary-Basic Antonio Guterres and then-President Nicos Anastasiades, Tatar mentioned that talks on the way forward for Cyprus wouldn’t start in the event that they took into consideration “the sovereign equality and worldwide standing of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.” “.
The standing of Northern Cyprus as an unbiased political entity is just acknowledged by Turkey.
The Cypriot media displays the island's political divide, with the Turkish-controlled zone within the north having its personal press and broadcasters.
As of January 2022, there have been 1.1 million web customers in Cyprus, 97% of the inhabitants, and 1.2 million Fb customers (Internetworldstats.com).
TIMELINE
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United Nations troops patrol the “Inexperienced Line” that separates the 2 elements of Cyprus
Some essential dates within the historical past of Cyprus:
1914 – After greater than 300 years of Ottoman rule, Cyprus is annexed by Nice Britain. Britain had occupied the island in 1878, though it remained nominally below Ottoman sovereignty.
1955 – Greek Cypriots start a guerrilla warfare in opposition to British rule. The guerrilla motion, the Nationwide Group of Cypriot Combatants (EOKA), needs enosis (unification) with Greece.
1960 – Britain grants Cyprus independence below a structure through which Turkish and Greek Cypriots share energy and, together with Turkey and Greece, has rights to intervene on the island.
1963 – President Makarios stokes Turkish fears by proposing constitutional adjustments that may repeal power-sharing agreements. Intercommunal violence happens. Turkish aspect withdraws attributable to energy sharing.
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Tensions between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots escalated into violence not lengthy after independence
1974 – Navy junta in Greece helps coup in opposition to President Makarios, resulting in Turkish invasion and occupation of a 3rd of the island. Greek and Turkish Cypriots flee in reverse instructions.
1983 – Rauf Denktas proclaims a Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which can solely be acknowledged by Turkey.
2001 – UN Safety Council renews its decades-long mission. About 2,400 peacekeepers patrol the buffer zone between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.
2003 – Turkish and Greek Cypriots are crossing the island's dividing “inexperienced line” for the primary time in 30 years after Turkish Cypriot authorities eased border restrictions.
2004 – Cyprus joins the EU, however as a divided island.
2008 – Cyprus introduces the euro. The symbolic intersection on Ledra Avenue between the Turkish and Greek sectors of Nicosia will reopen for the primary time since 1964.
2013 – Cyprus is negotiating a deal to free its monetary sector from the eurozone debt disaster.
2018 – The primary new buffer zone crossings in eight years will open at Deryneia within the east and Lefke within the west.
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The vacationer space of Varosha in northern Cyprus was fenced off by the invading Turkish military and lots of of its resorts at the moment are deserted ruins