Kipras Province

Map of Kipras

Kipras Island Nature

Map of Kipras island

Kipras Province, Otherwise known as Kipras Island, Cyprus, Kipro Proninca, Kipro Ilsi, Κύπρος (Greek) or just Kipras, is an Island Province located in the Mediterranean Sea, apart of Lifannia and is apart of Other Lands Region. The Population of the island is 4,202,498. The Province is notable for having strong Byzantine culture, history and population majority.

## History

### Post 1944

#### Makedonian reestablishement

> *Due to unreliable sources and unconfirmed history of the island before 1944, this page will only include post 1944 history only.*
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Makedonia annexed Kipras on November 10th, 1947. Not much is known about the changes on the island that happened after Makedonian rule started, but 3 years later, the fate of the island was decided for the next 30 years.

#### Lifannian occupied Kipras and Annexation

##### Lifannian-Makedonian War

In 1950, after long tension between the countries of Lifannia and Makedonia and their alliances, a war eventually broke down. Kipras was quickly taken, and soon Makedonia issued its capitulation. All of of Makedonia was split between Lifannia's alliance. Kipras, along with most of mainland Makedonia went to Lifannia.

The flag of the island nowadays was made not so long after, as a symbol of Lifannian rule over the island. Some theories claim Antanas Spotas, singer of 17 And You Are Fucked, made the flag, as he made a lot of now beloved flags, and was stationed on the island. A test of the flag he owned in his fag museum concluded that the flag in his collection was at least one of the first.

Soon after the annexation. Lifannia made the Makedonian Puppet state, but excluded Kipras from the state, possibly suggesting that Kipras might remain under Lifannian administration. Lota was introduced as the currency. During Lifannian talks of Makedonian puppet administration and Makedonian old claims, Kipras was discussed somewhat. Eventually, Makedonia relented into losing it. Lifannian officials deemed the island of Kipras as a good place for a naval base in the Mediterranean Sea. Lifannian officials discussed whether to return the island, to return the island but to keep a part or to outright keep it, and eventually settled on keeping it.

On June 3rd, 1951, Kipras was officially made an Incorporated Province of Lifannia, with special autonomy.

#### Nikosijas Autonomous Province

Due to its outright Makedonian majority population, Lifannian leadership granted the island autonomy, the first province to have autonomy. The goal of the granting was for the island to remain stable and not to have major uprisings, Ensure infrastructure being built was good quality, ensure Lifannian navy base was supplied and upkept and to control other duties. The official name of the Island was Kipras, but even most Lifannian documents used Cyprus instead. Lifikas was established as a closed city and the military and naval base for the Lifannian army and navy.

Protests were frequent in the 1950s and 60s against Lifannian control. After Makedonian independence some hoped for a return to Makedonia, starting riots, but the government did not have a harsh response to the riots, and the riots ended peacefully after a while. The same happened after the formation of Francedonia, and some hoped for a war to start so there could be a possibility of Liberation of the Islands.

During all these times, the Lifannian minority was growing in the background, due to migration and higher birth rates of Lifannians. First large scale migration was from troops and their families, and later richer Lifannians in the 60s, the result of which made the island economy grow sharply as they established hotels. Kipras was advertised as a hot paradise, with Byzantine culture and history combined with modern Lifannian infrastructure. Eventually, Lifannians made up 10% of the population in 1962, mostly within Lifikas county.

Language was a big issue in the politics of the Island. As Lifannia was the holder of the island, it was expected for some knowledge of Lifannian by the residents of the island, but the residents protested and sent their children to be homeschooled or in Byzantine only schools. The autonomous government instead helped the Lifannian minority learn Greek instead. Despite the boycotts, Lifannian language eventually was taught in most schools by 1970 as a 2nd language.

In 1978, The Lifannian minority grew to 20%. This increased fears among the native Byzantine population that assimilation might become a policy on the island and the status of autonomy would be removed. Some protested for the return of the island to Byzantium after Mayonaka returned Sicily to Byzantium in 1979, though the hostility between Byzantines and the government lessened after Lifannia joined a common alliance with Byzantium.

### Byzantine Kipras and 1990s tensions

#### Return to Byzantium

After Lifannia and Yare Yare united into GGDL, nations proceeded to occupy some Lifannian territory, causing instability. The autonomous Kipras government panicked and rejoined Byzantium in 1986. Kipras was renamed back to Cyprus and was merged into a state with Crete. Elections for Byzantium was hosted not long after, and the united state of Cyprus and Crete voted for the communist candidate. Some Lifannians claimed the vote was rigged against the Lifannian minority, as the island was merged with Crete, which was theorized to have happened to outweigh the Lifannian minority and not due to population, with evidence showing that even west Iceland was its own state. News reported some Protests over the countries, but not specifying any in Cyprus, and the riots were stopped by the police. Eventually, Communists lost power within the government of Byzantium without doing major changes.

##### Cyprus Question

After the rise of the Anti-Unionists in Lifannia and the first GGDL ultimatum to Czelesia, a conflict between GGDL and EU started, with tensions being felt in Cyprus too. Lifannia laid claims on the island, and diplomatic warfare started between Byzantium, which was Leading the EU, and Lifannia, which was apart of GGDL.

After the 2nd Ultimatum to Czelesia by Lifannia, many thought that war was unavoidable, but somehow it did not happen.

The status of the island was always at question. Talks over the island raged on. Byzantine politicians claim the island was given away and therefore Lifannia should have no claim on it, and historically it was Byzantine only mostly. Lifannian politicians argued that the island was not claimed by the government of Byzantium and its predecessors during the Lifannian control period lasting from 1950 to 1986 and therefore made Byzantine claims invalid.

Crimea was also under Byzantine control, but a diplomatic solution was reached for it and Relations improved between the countries many hoped the same would happen with Cyprus, instead of a war breaking out.

Despite Byzantine owning the Island and being in the EU, the Majority of the countries in the world Supported the Lifannian claim, considering Cyprus as Lifannian territory, which only added to Lifannian claims on Cyprus. No country also supported Byzantine Cyprus and two remained neutral and/or supported an independent Cyprus, an idea that some have proposed within Lifannia as a compromise.

Byzantium offered a deal where most of the island would go to Lifannia, but some territory was under Byzantine control for military bases and football was under Byzantine control. On top of that, Lifannia was to pay 5,000,000 Lotas for it. Lifannia declined the offer due to safety concerns of having 2 foreign military bases on an island with one of the biggest Lifannian naval bases.

Not long after the offer, GGDL managed to work out a deal with some pressure and Byzantium eventually gave up the island diplomatically. On September 20th, 2001, the Island was officially given back to Lifannia. This ended up being the last major event before the Disolution of GGDL.

#### Lifannian Return

The reaction of the Return was met very positively in Lifannia but mostly mixed in Kipras, as most of the population was Byzantine, but some supported the idea instead of having a war. Kipras lost its autonomous status and became a regular incorporated province of Lifannia. The Lifannian navy reestablished its naval base in Lifikas and it once again became a closed city until 2013.

The Lifannian Minority grew to 30% in 2021, although from this point on would have its growth as proportion of the population stagnate. The island also became partners with Crete.

In 2043, after the Ultimatum to Byzantium by Yare Yare, Czelesia and Yugoslavia, The Byzantine government announced the government was to be disbanded, as they did not wanna have Byzantium occupied by foreigners while they were in power. Those countries occupied the land and soon worry started to break out in Kipras, as their old native homeland was now occupied. To add to the tension, Rena, an autonomous Region of Lifannia, was having diplomatic conflict with Yugoslavia, which also occupied some Byzantine territory, generating more uncertainty in the Island. Some have demanded the Island to have its autonomous status brought back to help save Byzantine culture and people, as there was legitimate uncertainty over the treatment Byzantines in mainland Europe. As a result, Trust in Lifannia by Kipras Byzantine finally was positive, owing to the fact it was the only government felt safe for Byzantines. In 2045, a record number of 81% Kipras Byzantines trusted Lifannia, compared to just 31% in 2042.

## Province

The Island is entirely surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. It has 2 ports and 2 airports, with Nikosijas Airport being the main airport. Lifikas airport is mostly an airbase for the Lifannian Airforce. A highway connects Lifikas to Gresenika through Nikosijas.

## Demographics

The Island has a 66% Byzantine Majority and a 32% Lifannian minority, with 2% identifying as others. Lifannians are mostly concentrated in Lifikas County. In Recent years, some people identified as Kiprians. Most who consider themselves as Kiprians come from families with ties to both Lifannia and Byzantium. They are counted into the Byzantine population, and if seperate they would make up 17% of the island's population.