Cyprus

**Cyprus**, officially the **United Binational Cypriot Republic**, is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea, lying off the coast of Turkey, Syria and Israel. To the west of the country lies Greece and the North African Caliphate to the south. Due to the British Sovereign Base Areas, Cyprus’s only land border is with the United Kingdom.

## History

### Independence

On 16 August 1960, Cyprus attained independence after the Zürich and London Agreement between the United Kingdom, Greece and Turkey. The UK retained the two Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, while government posts and public offices were allocated by ethnic quotas, giving the minority Turkish Cypriots a permanent veto, 30% in parliament and administration, and granting the three mother-states guarantor rights.

Intercommunal violence erupted on December 21, 1963, when two Turkish Cypriots were killed at an incident involving the Greek Cypriot police. The violence resulted in the death of 364 Turkish and 174 Greek Cypriots, destruction of 109 Turkish Cypriot or mixed villages and displacement of 25,000-30,000 Turkish Cypriots. In 1964, Turkey tried to invade Cyprus in response to the continuing Cypriot intercommunal violence. But Turkey was stopped by a strongly worded telegram from the US President Lyndon B. Johnson on 5 June, warning that the US would not stand beside Turkey in case of a consequential Soviet invasion of Turkish territory.

### Turkish Invasion and Division

On 15 July 1974, the Greek military junta under Dimitrios Ioannides carried out a coup d'état in Cyprus, to unite the island with Greece. The coup ousted president Makarios III and replaced him with pro-enosis nationalist Nikos Sampson. In response to the coup, five days later, on 20 July 1974, the Turkish army invaded the island, citing a right to intervene to restore the constitutional order from the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee. This justification was rejected by the United Nations and the international community.

Three days later, when a ceasefire had been agreed, Turkey had landed 30,000 troops on the island and captured Kyrenia, the corridor linking Kyrenia to Nicosia, and Turkish Cypriot quarter of Nicosia itself. The junta in Athens, and then the Sampson regime in Cyprus fell from power. In Nicosia, Glafkos Clerides assumed the presidency and constitutional order was restored, removing the pretext for the Turkish invasion. International pressure led to a ceasefire, and by then 37% of the island had been taken over by the Turks and 180,000 Greek Cypriots had been evicted from their homes in the north. At the same time, around 50,000 Turkish Cypriots moved to the areas under the control of the Turkish Forces and settled in the properties of the displaced Greek Cypriots. Among a variety of sanctions against Turkey, in mid-1975 the US Congress imposed an arms embargo on Turkey for using American-supplied equipment.

### Post Division

After the restoration of constitutional order and the return of Archbishop Makarios III to Cyprus in December 1974, Turkish troops remained, occupying the northeastern portion of the island. In 1983, the leader of Turkish Cypriots proclaimed the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), which is only recognised by Turkey. The Turkish invasion, followed by occupation and the declaration of independence of the TRNC have been condemned by United Nations resolutions, which were reaffirmed by the Security Council every year.
On 1 May 2004 Cyprus joined the European Union, together with nine other countries. Cyprus was accepted into the EU as a whole, although the EU legislation is suspended in the territory occupied by Turkey (TRNC), until a final settlement of the Cyprus problem. In July 2006, the island served as a haven for people fleeing Lebanon, due to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

### Reunification

Talks reopened in April 2024, with both sides looking towards reunification. The Turkish government passed a bill in its parliament which suggested that should Cypriot reunification fail to achieve protection for Turkish Cypriots, that Turkey was obligated to re-occupy the north of the island. In response, the Greek government passed a bill which suggested it would counter-invade the island should Turkey move to violate the peace. However, in June 2025, the negotiations achieved an agreement on establishing a new constitution. The two sides officially reunified on 1 August 2027, giving both Greek and Turkish Cypriots separate but equal legislative bodies, with the Presidency being held by a Greek and Turk at all times. Presidential elections were held on 2 August, and the Presidents-elect being sworn into office the following day.

## Government and Politics

The government of Cyprus is comprised of a Greek executive and legislature and a Turkish executive and legislature. The two Presidents are elected by their respective ethnic group, for five-year terms renewable once and wield dual executive power. The legislatures contain 150 members elected by party-list proportional representation for and hold legislative power for their respective ethnic groups.

### Administrative Divisions

Cyprus is divided into six districts and a national territory. The six districts are Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia and Paphos. The Cypriot Capital Territory is a national entity, directly administered by the two legislatures.

### Foreign Relations

**Cyprus** maintains close relations with Greece and Turkey and strong military ties to the United Kingdom. Cyprus is a member of the European Union and thus is close to many European states. Cyprus also has strong ties with Syria and Israel. The Russian Navy also uses Cypriot ports. Russia has invested heavily in **Cyprus**. **Cyprus** has the unique position of maintaining good relations with both the western powers and the Eurasians.

## Economy

Tourism and banking were the top two industries in **Cyprus**.

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