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Country Profile : CYPRUS
About the Republic of Cyprus An ancient culture which can be traced back 9,000 years, the prime position of Cyprus between Europe , Africa and the Middle East made it both an important trading post and a very desirable possession by acquisitive invaders. Fought over for centuries, by Phoenicians, Egyptians, Assyrians, Persians and Venetians until finally ruled by the Ottoman Empire for 300 years. In 1925 Cyprus became a crown colony of Britain until independence in 1960. Islanders are rightly proud of their ancient culture and tourists flock to visit the remains of Greek Temples, Roman mosaics and to enjoy the warm Mediterranean climate. Always popular with the British, there are significant ex-pat communities on the south of the island and English is widely spoken. However, the recent and ongoing painful history between the two parts of the island, the Turkish Cypriot North and Greek Cypriot South has left it divided in two by a 'Green Line' maintained by UN troops. Recent hopes that the upcoming EU accession would enable a solution to be found, were dashed when the Greek Cypriot south failed to agree to the UN brokered peace plans for unification. Cyprus History After independence in 1960, a Greek sponsored attempt in 1974 to seize government was met with Turkish military intervention to protect Turkish Cypriots. Roughly one third of the island was seized and declared itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in 1983 - recognised only by Turkey . During this time 180,000 Greek Cypriots, living in the North were forced to flee their homes and became refugees in the South. A peace-keeping 'Green Line' has since been patrolled by UN troops. Attempts by the United Nations to create a peace settlement have floundered, the most recent being the April 2004 referendum put to both populations. Whilst reunification was supported by Turkish Cypriots, it was overwhelmingly rejected by Greek Cypriots, due to concerns over the rights of refugees to return to their former homes. This has left the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus excluded from EU membership and still excluded from the global economy, to the disappointment of the UN and EU officials who worked to build the peace plan. Cyprus Economy Because the North has only been accepted as legitimate by Turkey, this has left Northern Cyprus unable to attract foreign investment and trade, as a result their GDP stands at roughly one third of the South. Turkey provides substantial grants and loans as aid, with recent efforts to develop tourism as a means of building and strengthening the economy. In recent developments, although not ready to legitimise the self-declared state, the EU has pledged 260 million euros to Northern Cyprus in recognition of residents' commitment to reunification, despite opposition from their leader Rauf Denktash. The South is considerably more prosperous, with tourism having played an important role in the economy, along with manufacturing and agricultural exports.
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