The Cyprus dispute originated from tensions between the two separate cultural groups inhabiting the island. What some historians refer to as the “Cyprus problem” has been a source of conflict for several decades. Since 1955, repeated clashes between the island’s Greek and Turkish communities have created political instability. Cyprus is placed in an advantageous position in between the Middle East and Europe, making it an ideal base for the strategic power in the region. Though the population of Cyprus is composed of mostly Greek and Turkish communities, the Greeks are considered to be the “dominant cultural influence.” In a 1960 census, the population was 77% Greek and 18% Turkish. From the Turks’ arrival during the Ottoman Conquest in 1571, until 1974, both groups were interspersed throughout the island, though remaining socially distinct.