CYPRUS

History

• Cyprus officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
   
• The history of Cyprus is a chronicle of the island's strategic importance and its dynamic past, marked by a succession of civilizations and cultures. In antiquity, Cyprus was inhabited by various peoples, including the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans. The island became a part of the Byzantine Empire in the 4th century, later witnessing the arrival of the Crusaders, Venetians, and Ottoman Turks. Under Ottoman rule, Cyprus retained its cultural diversity. In 1878, the island was leased to the British Empire, leading to its formal annexation in 1914.
   
• Throughout this period, tensions between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities arose. In 1960, Cyprus gained independence, but inter-communal disputes persisted. In 1974, following a coup aimed at unifying Cyprus with Greece, Turkey intervened and occupied the northern part of the island. The division has endured, with the Republic of Cyprus controlling the south and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus existing in the north, recognized only by Turkey. The history of Cyprus encapsulates a tale of cultural synthesis, geopolitical shifts, and the ongoing quest for reconciliation on this strategically positioned Mediterranean island.