Study in Cyprus

The island of Cyprus has a long and complex history due to its strategic location in the Eastern Mediterranean. Its history has seen periods of rule by various powers, including the Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Lusignans, Venetians, Ottomans, and British. The Ottoman period, from 1571 to 1878, saw the establishment of a significant Turkish Cypriot community alongside the Greek Cypriot population. While the two communities coexisted under the Ottoman millet system, distinct identities and aspirations developed over time. In 1878, administration of the island was ceded to Britain, which formally annexed it in 1914 and declared it a Crown Colony in 1925. During British rule, Greek Cypriot calls for "enosis" (union with Greece) grew stronger, leading to increased intercommunal tensions.

Following Cyprus gaining independence from Britain in 1960 with a constitution aimed at power-sharing between the two communities, disputes and violence erupted in the early 1960s, leading to the withdrawal of Turkish Cypriots from the government and their displacement into enclaves. In 1974, a Greek-backed coup aiming for enosis prompted Turkey to intervene militarily, resulting in the de facto division of the island. The northern part came under Turkish Cypriot control, leading to a population exchange where most Greek Cypriots in the north moved south, and most Turkish Cypriots in the south moved north. In 1983, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) declared independence, though it is only officially recognized by Turkey. The division persists today, despite numerous efforts to achieve a unified solution.