On August 16, 1960, Cyprus gained independence from Great Britain.
The first president of the republic was Archbishop Makarios III, who united the church and secular authorities. In 1963-1964, riots broke out, organized by Greek nationalists. In 1964, the bases of the UN peacekeeping troops were located in the country, whose mission continues to this day.
On July 20, 1974, Turkish troops landed, after the pro-Greek coup organized by the colonel's regime with the aim of joining Greece, and thus set foot on the northern coast of the island. They seized about a third of the island and occupied its northern part.
In 1983 In the Turkish-occupied part of the island, Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash founded the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
The occupied territories are divided by a 180 km long “green line”, guarded by United Nations troops. This border runs through the capital, Nicosia, which is the last divided capital in the world since the fall of the Berlin Wall.