British Colonial Period & Division
British Colonial Rule (1878–1960)
The Ottoman Empire ceded Cyprus to Great Britain in 1878 (formally annexed in 1914). The British left deep marks: left-hand traffic (to this day!), the legal system, the administrative language English, and the type-G sockets. The British military bases Akrotiri and Dhekelia still exist as sovereign British territory — right in the middle of the island.
Independence & the Cyprus Issue (1960–1974)
On August 16, 1960, Cyprus became independent. First President: Archbishop Makarios III. However, the young republic was unstable from the start. The Greek-Cypriot majority (80%) sought Enosis (union with Greece), while the Turkish-Cypriot minority (18%) feared for their rights.
In 1963, intercommunal unrest broke out. Turkish-Cypriot enclaves were besieged, UN peacekeeping forces were dispatched. The Green Line in Nicosia emerged. A decade of tensions followed.
The Division of 1974
On July 15, 1974, the Greek military junta staged a coup against Makarios to enforce Enosis. Five days later, on July 20, 1974, the Turkish army invaded — officially to protect the Turkish-Cypriot minority. In two phases, Turkish troops occupied 37% of the island.
The consequences were catastrophic: 200,000 Greek Cypriots from the north and 50,000 Turkish Cypriots from the south were displaced. Varosha in Famagusta became a ghost town. Nicosia Airport became a UN buffer zone. Families were separated, cultural heritage was destroyed or looted.
Since 1983, the north has called itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC) — recognized internationally only by Turkey. The Annan Plan for reunification failed in a 2004 referendum (the Greek Cypriots voted against it, the Turkish for it). The division persists to this day.
Cyprus Today
The Republic of Cyprus joined the EU in 2004 (formally for the entire island, de facto only the south). Since 2008, the Euro has been used. Since 2003, the border crossings have been open — Cypriots and tourists can move freely back and forth. Reunification talks are stalled, but everyday life at the Green Line has become surprisingly normal. Some Cypriots from both sides work, shop, or dine on the other side.
