Cyprus is an island nation in the eastern Mediterranean, notable as the third largest and third most populous in the sea. It is politically divided, with the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus governing the south and the largely unrecognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus de facto governing the north, separated by a United Nations Buffer Zone.
First settled around 13,000 years ago, Cyprus's strategic location and rich copper resources made it a prize for numerous empires, including the Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians (seized by Alexander the Great in 333 BC), Romans, Ottomans (from 1571), and British (from 1878). The island gained independence in 1960, but growing tensions between Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities led to significant intercommunal violence. A Greek Cypriot nationalist coup on July 15, 1974, precipitated a Turkish invasion five days later, resulting in the island's effective partition.
This division led to the establishment of the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 1983, recognized only by Turkey. Today, the Republic of Cyprus operates as a developed, high-income economy and a major tourist destination, having joined the European Union in 2004 and announcing its intention to join NATO in 2024.