Name	Nicosia
Official name	Λευκωσία (Greek) Lefkoşa (Turkish)
Image seal	Nicosia municipal logo - Cyprus.gif
Dot map caption	Nicosia
Pushpin map	Cyprus
Pushpin label position
Pushpin map caption	Location of Nicosia in Cyprus
Pushpin mapsize	300
Coordinates region	CY
Subdivision type	Status
Subdivision name	Internationally recognised as Republic of Cyprus territory, northern half of the city occupied by Turkey.
Subdivision type1	Country
Subdivision name1
Subdivision type2	District
Subdivision name2	Nicosia District
Leader title	Mayor
Leader name	Constantinos Yiorkadjis
Party	Independent
Population as of	2001 - 2006
Population total	398,293
Demonym	Nicosian
Latns	N
Coordinates	35°10′″N33°22′″N
Longew	E
Elevation m	220
Timezone	EET
Utc offset	+2
Website	Nicosia Municipality }}

: ''For the Italian town, see: Nicosia, Sicily. Also see: Nicosia (disambiguation)''.

Nicosia ( ), known locally as Lefkosia (, ), is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line. It is located near the center of the island, on the banks of the Pedieos River.

Nicosia is the capital and seat of government of the Republic of Cyprus. The northern part of the city functions as the capital of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a disputed breakaway region whose independence is recognized only by Turkey, and which the rest of the international community considers as occupied territory of the Republic of Cyprus since the Turkish Invasion in 1974.

Despite the division Nicosia has managed to become a sophisticated and cosmopolitan city, rich in history and culture that combines its historic past with the amenities of a modern city.

Through the years Nicosia has established itself as the island's financial capital and its main international business centre. Nicosia is consistently ranked as one of the richest cities in the world in per capita income terms. In the past few years Nicosia has seen remarkable progress regarding its infrastructure with the most remarkable being the central Eleftheria square currently in progress.

Landmarks

Ledra Street is in the middle of the walled city. The street has historically been the busiest shopping street of the capital and adjacent streets lead to the most lively part of the old city with narrow streets, boutiques, bars and art-cafés. The street today is a historic monument on its own. It is about long and connects the south and north parts of the old city. During the EOKA struggle that ran from 1955–1959, the street acquired the informal nickname ''The Murder Mile'' in reference to the frequent targeting of the British military by nationalist fighters along its course. In 1963, during the outbreak of hostilities between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities, following the announcement of amendments to the Cypriot Constitution, Turkish Cypriots withdrew to the northern part of Nicosia which became one of the many Turkish Cypriot enclaves which existed throughout the island. Various streets which ran between the northern and southern part of the city, including Ledra Street, were blockaded. During the Turkish army invasion of Cyprus in 1974, Turkish troops occupied northern Nicosia (as well as the northern part of Cyprus). A buffer zone was established across the island along the ceasefire line to separate the northern Turkish controlled part of the island, and the south. The buffer zone runs through Ledra Street. After many failed attempts on reaching agreement between the two communities, Ledra Street was re-opened on 3 April 2008.

To the east of Ledra Street, Faneromeni Square was the centre of Nicosia before 1974. It hosts a number of historical buildings and monuments including Faneromeni Church, Faneromeni School, Faneromeni Library and the Marble Mausoleum. Faneromeni Church, is a church built in 1872 in the stead of another church located at the same site, constructed with the remains of La Cava castle and a convent. There rest the archbishop and the other bishops who were executed by the Ottomans in the Saray Square during the 1821 revolt. The Palace of the Archbishop can be found at Archbishop Kyprianos Square. Although it seems very old, it is a wonderful imitation of typical Venetian style, built in 1956. Next to the palace is the late Gothic Saint John cathedral (1665) with picturesque frescos. The square leads to Onasagorou Street, another busy shopping street in the historical centre.

The walls sourrounding the old city have three gates. In The Kyrenia Gate which was responsible to the transport to the north, and especially Kyrenia, the Famagusta Gate which was responsible for the transport from Famagusta, Larnaca and Limassol and Karpasia, and the Paphos Gate for transport to the west and especially Paphos. All three gates are well-preserved.

In the northern part of the walled city the Selimiye Mosque is the main mosque, where the great festivals of Bayram and other Moslem gatherings are conducted. It was formerly the cathedral of St. Sophia which was built in the period from 1209 to 1228 AD, over the ruins of a previous building. Other famous mosques are Haydarpasha Mosque and Arabahmet Mosque. The Omerye Mosque in the southern sector is used for the needs of the Muslim immigrants who reside in the city.

The centre of the northern part is Atatürk Square (also known as Saray Square). The square is one of the oldest and most historical places of the city. The square takes its name from the Lusignian Palace (Saray) which stood in the area before it was destroyed by the Venetians in 1489. When the Venetians captured Nicosia, they built the square and placed a ancient Greek column in the middle. The column was moved from the Greek city of Salamis in Cyprus as a tribute to Venetian rule of the island. When the square was built, on top of the granite column, there was the lion of St. Mark and at the bottom, the coats of arms of noble Venatian families. In 1570, when the Ottomans captured Nicosia, they removed the lion, toppled the column and left it in the courtyard of Sarayonu Mosque. During the Ottoman era the Saray Square was the main square of the city. In July 1821, during the preparation of the Greek War of Independence, with the Sultan's consent, the Ottoman administration in the island under governor Küçük Mehmet, executed 486 Greek Cypriots, accusing them of conspiring with the rebellious Greeks. They included four Bishops, many clergymen and prominent citizens, who were beheaded in Saray Square, while Archbishop Kyprianos was hanged from a mulberry tree in the square. In 1915, the column was re-erected by the British. They replaced the lost St Mark lion with a bronze orb, and decorated the plinth with the dates of the demolishing and re-erection, 1550 and 1915.

The historical centre is clearly present inside the walls, but the modern city has grown beyond. Presently, the main square of the city is Eleftheria (Freedom) Square, with the city hall, the post office and the library. The square which is currently under renovation, connects the old city with the new city where one can find the main shopping streets such as the prestigious Stasikratous Street, Themistokli Dervi Avenue and Makarios Avenue.

Nicosia is also known for its fine museums. The Archbishop's Palace contains a Byzantine museum containing the largest collection of religious icons on the island. Leventis Municipal Museum is the only historical museum of Nicosia and revives the old ways of life in the capital from ancient times up to our days. Other interesting museums include the Folk Art Museum, National Struggle Museum (witnessing the rebellion against the British administration in the 1950s), Cyprus Ethnological Museum (House of Dragoman Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios, 18th century) and the Handicrafts Centre.

Nicosia also hosts an Armenian achbishopship, a small Buddhist temple and also the Maronite arbishopship and convent. Cyprus is the second most important country for the Maronite people worldwide after Lebanon. During the Pope's visit to the island in June 2010, the Pontiff resided inside the convent.

History

Pre-historic

Nicosia has been in continuous habitation since the beginning of the Bronze Age 2500 years BC, when the first inhabitants settled in the fertile plain of Mesaoria. Nicosia later became a city-state known as Ledra or Ledrae, one of the twelve kingdoms of ancient Cyprus built by Achaeans after the end of the Trojan War. Remains of old Ledra today can be found in the Ayia Paraskevi hill in the south east of the city. We only know about one king of Ledra, Onasagoras. The kingdom of Ledra was destroyed early. Under Assyrian rule of Cyprus, Onasagoras, was recorded as paying tribute to Esarhaddon of Assyria in 672 BC. Rebuilt by Lefkonas, son of Ptolemy I around 300 BC, Ledra is described as a small and unimportant town, also known as Lefkotheon. The main activity of the town inhabitants was farming. During this era, Ledra did not have the huge growth that the other Cypriot coastal towns had, which was primarily based on trade.

Roman and Byzantine times

In Byzantine times the town was also referred to as Lefkousia and also as Kallinikisis. In the 4th century AC, the town became the seat of bishopship, with bishop Saint Tryphillius (Trifillios), a student of Saint Spyridon.

After the destruction of Salamis by Arab raids in 647, the existing capital of Cyprus, Nicosia became the capital of the island around 965, when Cyprus rejoined the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantines moved the islands administration seat to Nicosia, primarily for security reasons as coastal towns were often suffering from raids. Since then it remains as the capital of Cyprus. Nicosia had acquired a castle and was the seat of the Byzantine governor of Cyprus. The last Byzantine governor of the Island was Isaac Comnenus who declared himself emperor of the island and ruled the island from 1183–1191.

Medieval times

On his way to the Holy Land during the Third Crusade in 1187, Richard I of England fleet was plagued by storms. He himself stopped first at Crete and then at Rhodes. Three ships continued on, one of which was carrying Queen Joan of Sicily and Berengaria of Navarre, Richard's bride-to-be. Two of the ships were wrecked off Cyprus, but the ship bearing Joan and Berengaria made it safely to Limassol. Joan refused to come ashore, fearing she would be captured and held hostage by Isaac Comnenus, who hated all Franks. Her ship sat at anchor for a full week before Richard finally arrived on the 8th of May. Outraged at the treatment of his sister and his future bride, Richard invaded.

Richard laid siege to Nicosia. Richard finally met and defeated Isaac Comnenus at Tremetousia. Richard became ruler of the island but sold the island to the Knights Templar. The Knights Templar ruled the island having bought it from Richard the Lionheart for 100.000 gold byzantiums. Their seat was the castle of Nicosia. On Easter day on the 11th of April 1192 the people of Nicosia revolted and drove the Knights Templar off the city. Having driven the Knights Templar away, fearing their return the Nicosians demolished the castle of the city almost to its foundations.

Guy of Lusignan, King of Jerusalem, bought Cyprus from the Knights Templar and brought many noble men and other adventurers, from France, Jerusalem, Tripoli, the Principality of Antioch and Kingdom of Armenia, to the island. Guy shared the land he had bought among them and Nicosia became capital off their kingdom. He imposed harsh feudal system and the vast majority of Cypriots were reduced to the status of serfs. The Frankish rule of Cyprus started from 1192 and lasted until 1489. During this time, Nicosia was the capital of the medieval Kingdom of Cyprus, the seat of Lusignan kings, the Latin Church and the Frankish administration of the island. During the Frankish rule, the walls of the city were built along with many other palaces and buildings, including the gothic Saint Sofia Cathedral. The tombs of the Lusignan kings can be found there. The first Lusignan castle was built during the reign of King Henry I, 1211. On seals of the king and his mother Alix in 1234, a castle with one or two towers is depicted surrounded with the inscription “CIVITAS NICOSIE”. The exonym Nicosia appeared with the arrival of the Lusignans. The French-speaking Crusaders either could not, or did not care to, pronounce the name ''Lefkosia'', and tended to say "Nicosie" translated into Italian and then internationally known as "Nicosia".

In 1374 Nicosia was occupied and ravaged by the Genoans and in 1426 from the Mamelukes of Egypt.

In 1489 Cyprus was captured by the Republic of Venice. Nicosia was their administrative center and the seat of the Venetian Governor. Since the threat from the Ottomans was visible, the Venetian Governors of Nicosia emphasized in their letters the need for all the cities of Cyprus to be fortified. In 1567 Venetians built the new fortifications of Nicosia, which are well-preserved until today, demolishing the old walls built by the Franks as well as other important buildings of the Frankish era including the King's Palace, other private palaces and churches and monasteries of both Orthodox and Latin Christians. The new walls took the shape of a star with eleven bastions. The design of the bastion is more suitable for artillery and a better control for the defenders. The walls have three gates, to the North Kyrenia Gate, to the west Paphos Gate and to the east Famagusta Gate. The river Pedieos used to flow through the Venetian walled city. In 1567 it was later diverted outside onto the newly built moat for strategic reasons, due to the expected Ottoman attack.

Ottoman and British administration

On July 1 st 1570 the Ottomans invaded the island. On the 22nd of July, Piale Pasha having captured Paphos, Limassol and Larnaca marched his army towards Nicosia and laid siege to the city. The city managed to last 40 days under siege until its fall on 9 September 1570. Some 20,000 residents died during the sige and every church, public building, and palace was looted. After its siege it was reported that the walls that were ruined, Nicosia retained very few inhabitants. The main Latin churches were converted into mosques, such as the conversion of Saint Sofia Cathedral into the Selimiye Mosque. From 1570 when the Ottomans took over Nicosia, the old river bed through the walled city was left open and was used as a dumping ground for refuse, where rainwater would rush through clearing it temporarily.

Nicosia was the seat of the Pasha, the Greek Archbishop, the Dragoman and the Qadi. When the newly settled Turkish population arrived they generally lived in the north of the old riverbed. Greek Cypriots remained concentrated in the south, where the Archbishopric of the Orthodox Church was built. Other ethnic minority groups such as the Armenians and Latins came to be settled near the western entry into the city at Paphos Gate.

On 5 July 1878 the administration of the island was officially transferred to Great Britain. On 31 July 1878, Garnet Wolseley, the first High Commissioner, arrived in Nicosia. He immediately established a skeletal administration by sending officers to each district to supervise the administration of justice and obtain all possible information about the area. Garnet Wolseley immediately established a Post Office at his camp at Kykko Metochi monastery outside Nicosia. Garnet Wolseley lived at ‘Monastery Camp' until a prefabricated residence had been built for him near Strovolos on the site of today's Presidential Palace.

At the time of British administration, Nicosia was still contained entirely within its Venetian walls. Although full of private gardens and amply supplied with water carried to public fountains in aqueducts, the streets remained unpaved and just wide enough for a loaded pack animal. In 1881, macadamized roads through the town were completed to connect with the main roads to the coastal towns but no roads were asphalted until after World War I. A series of openings in the Venetian walls provided direct access to areas beyond the walls. The first opening was cut in the Paphos Gate in 1879. The Limassol or Hadjisavva opening, now Eleftheria Square linked the city to the government offices in 1882. In June of that year, the municipal limits were extended to “a circle drawn at a distance of five hundred yards beyond the salient angles of the bastions of the fortifications. An opening was made at the Kyrenia Gate in 1931 after one of Nicosia's first buses proved too high to go through the original gate. Many more openings followed. During the post-war period the villages around Nicosia began to expand. By 1958 they had been engulfed in suburbia. Only Strovolos and Aglandja maintained separate physical identities, chiefly because of intervening state-owned land. By this time, the old city was increasingly given over to shops and workshops.

In 1955 an armed struggle against the British rule began aiming to unite the island with Greece, Enosis. The struggle was led by EOKA, a Greek Cypriot nationalist military resistance organisation, and supported by the vast majority of Greek Cypriots. The unification with Greece failed and instead the independence of Cyprus was declared in 1960. During the period of the struggle, Nicosia was the scene of violent protests against the British rule.

Independence and division

In 1960 Nicosia became the capital of the Republic of Cyprus, whose constitution was based on the co-operation of the island's two main communities, Greek and Turkish Cypriots. In December 1963, during the aftermath of a constitutional crisis, skirmishes broke out between Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots. Nicosia was divided into Greek and Turkish Cypriot quarters. The dividing line, which cuts through the city, was named Green line because the pen used by the United Nations officer to draw the line on a city map was green.

On the 15th July 1974, there was an attempted coup d'état led by the Greek military junta to unite the island with Greece. The coup ousted president Makarios III and replaced him with pro-enosis nationalist Nikos Sampson.

On the 20th July 1974, the Turkish army invaded the island on the pretext of restoring the constitutional order of the Republic of Cyprus. However, even after the restoration of constitutional order and the return of Archbishop Makarios III to Cyprus in December 1974, the Turkish troops remained on the island occupying the northeastern portion of the island. The invasion was given the codename Operation Attila and included two phases.

The second phase of the Turkish invasion was performed on the 14th August 1974, where the Turkish army advanced their positions, eventually capturing a total of 37% of Cypriot territory including the northern part of Nicosia and the cities of Kyrenia and Famagusta. The fighting left the island with a massive refugee problem. Out of a population of 600,000, an estimated 200,000 Greek-Cypriots had been uprooted and forced to flee south of the Attila line, while an estimated 60,000 Turkish-Cypriots remained south of the Attila line, uncertain of their fate.

On February 13, 1975 the Turkish Cypriot community declared the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus in the area occupied by Turkish forces. On November 15, 1983, Turkish Cypriots proclaimed their independence as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

The Turkish invasion, the continuous occupation of Cyprus as well as the self-declaration of independence of the TRNC have been condemned by several United Nations Resolutions adopted by the General Assembly and the Security Council. The Security Council is reaffirming their condemnation every year.

Municipalities

The Nicosia Municipality is responsible for all the municipal duties and responsibility on the southern part of city. The Nicosia Turkish Municipality, founded in 1958, carried out municipal duties on the northern part of city.

Nicosia Municipality

South Nicosia is political, economic and cultural centre of the Republic of Cyprus. Greater Nicosia is subdivided into nine municipalities, but the metropolitan authority is the Municipality of Nicosia itself – within whose boundaries the Constitution states that the main government buildings and headquarters must be situated. The other municipalities in the city are Strovolos, Lakatamia, Latsia, Aglandjia, Engomi, Agios Dhometios and the newly formed (as of 2011) Geri & Tseri.

According to the constitution of Cyprus Nicosia Municipality was divided into a Greek and Turkish sector with two Mayors: a representative of the Greek community which was the majority, and a second one representing the Turkish community. The Mayors and the members of the Council were appointed by the President of the Republic. Since 1986, the Mayors and members of the Council are elected. The Mayor and the Municipal Councillors are elected by direct popular suffrage but into separate ballots – one for the Mayor and the other for all the Councillors. Municipal elections are held every five years.

The Municipality of Nicosia is now headed by the Mayor, who is Constantinos Yiorkadjis supported by Democratic Rally and Democratic Party and the council composed of 26 councilors, one of who is Deputy Mayor.

The Mayor and the Councillors exercise all the powers vested in them by the Municipal Corporation Law. Sub-committees consisting of members of the Municipal Council act only on an advisory level and according to the procedures and regulations issued by the Council.

The Mayor is the executive authority of the Municipality, exercising overall control and managing the Municipal Council. The Council is responsible for appointing personnel employed by the Municipality. All municipalities in the Republic of Cyprus are members of the Union of Cyprus Municipalities. The executive Committee is the governing organ of the Union. This Committee is appointed from among the representatives of the Municipalities for a term of two and a half years. The Mayor of Nicosia is the President of the Union and the Chairman of the Executive Committee.

Nicosia Turkish Municipality

The first attempt to establish a Nicosia Turkish Municipality was made in 1958. In October 1959, the British Colonial Administration passed the Turkish Municipality Committees law. In 1960 with the declaration of independence of Cyprus, the Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus gave Turkish Cypriots the right to establish their own municipality. As negotiations between the two sides to establish separate municipalities failed in 1962, implementing legislation was never passed. Since the complete division of Nicosia following the Turkish Invasion in 1974, the Nicosia Turkish Municipality has become the de facto local authority of northern Nicosia. The Nicosia Turkish Municipality is a member the Union of Cyprus Turkish Municipalities. The current mayor is Cemal Metin Bulutoğluları from National Unity Party (UBP).

Culture

Museums

The Cyprus Archaeological Museum in Nicosia is the biggest archaeological museum in the country. It is home to the richest and largest collection of Cypriot antiques in the world. These consist exclusively of objects discovered on the island. The exhibits have been stored in the same building outside the city walls of Nicosia ever since the establishment of the museum in 1882 by the British administration reigning the island at that time.

The Ethnographic Museum hosts the largest collection of ethnographic artifacts in the country which includes costumes, pottery, lace, metalwork, woodcarving and paintings.

In old Nicosia, the Ethnological Museum (Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios Mansion) is the most important example of urban architecture of the last century of Ottoman domination which survives in old Nicosia. Today, the mansion which was awarded the Europa Nostra prize for its exemplary renovation work, functions as a museum where a collection of artifacts from the Byzantine, Medieval and Ottoman era are displayed.

Performing arts

Nicosia offers a wide variety of musical and theatrical events, organized either by the municipality or independent organizations.

The Cyprus Symphony Orchestra, established in 1987, is based in Nicosia. The orchestra, whose main sponsor is the Cyprus government, presents symphonic performances for audiences of all ages, promoting knowledge and cultivating appreciation for classical music. In addition to symphonic concerts the CySO actively engages in educational and outreach programmes, as well as other cultural activities all over Cyprus.

THOC (Theatrical Organization of Cyprus) was founded in 1971 and is a member of the European Theatre Convention. It hosts a wide variety of theatre shows on a regular basis at the Latsia Municipal Theatre, Nea Skini and Theatro Ena.

Skali Aglantzias is a multifunctional space in the Scali area of Aglantzia. It is made up of an open ­ air square, amphitheatre, exhibition space, restaurant & bar. It hosts many shows, concerts and cultural events.

The Satirical Theatre of Cyprus was founded in October 1983 by actor and director Vladimiros Kafkaridis. It is the first Free Theatre to be supported financially by the government. It is also the only drama school in Cyprus.

Strovolos Municipal Theatre is located in the municipality's main avenue. It has hosted many charitable, cultural and educational events, as well as theatre shows, concerts, operas and ballets.

Cultural events are also hosted by the Ammochostos Gate Cultural Centre, the Municipal Arts Centre, the Municipal Centre of Contemporary Social and Cultural Services and others.

In June 2011, Nicosia launched its campaign to become the European Capital of Culture for 2017.

Education

Nicosia has a large student community as it is the seat of five universities, the University of Cyprus (UCY), the University of Nicosia, the European University Cyprus, the Open University of Cyprus and Frederick University.

Economy

Nicosia is the financial and business heart of Cyprus. The city hosts the headquarters of all Cypriot banks namely Cyprus Popular Bank (also known as Laiki Bank), Bank of Cyprus, the Hellenic Bank. Further, the Central Bank of Cyprus is located in the Acropolis area of the Cypriot capital.

A number of international businesses base their Cypriot headquarters in Nicosia, such as the big four audit firms PWC, Deloitte, KPMG and Ernst & Young. International technology companies such as NCR and TSYS have their regional headquarters in Nicosia. The city is also home to local financial newspapers such as the Financial Mirror and Stockwatch.

Cyprus Airways has its head offices in the entrance of Makariou Avenue.

According to a recent UBS survey in August 2011, Nicosia is the wealthiest per capita city of the Eastern Mediterranean and the tenth richest city in the world by purchasing power in 2011. ".

Climate

Nicosia has a hot subtropical semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification ''BSh'') with long, hot and dry summers with relatively wet and mild winters.

Transportation

Nicosia is linked with other major cities in Cyprus via a modern motorway network. The A1 connects Nicosia with Limassol in the south with the A6 going from Limassol onto Paphos. The A2 links Nicosia with the south eastern city of Larnaca with the A3 going from Larnaca to Ayia Napa. The A9 connects Nicosia to the west Nicosia district villages and the Troodos mountains.

Public transport within the city is currently served by a new and reliable bus service. For more information about bus routes in Nicosia refer to OSEL. Many taxi companies operate in Nicosia. Fares are regulated by law and taxi drivers are obliged to use a taximeter.

In 2010, as part of the Nicosia Integrated Mobility Plan, a pre-feasibility study for a proposed tram netowork has taken place and sponsored by the Ministry of Communications and Works. The study compared two scenarios, with and without the operation of a tramway in terms of emitted polluting loads. The study realised that the reduction in the pollutants per transported passenger for the scenario with tramway, fluctuates from 5-10% and reaches up to 90% specifically in the central roads of Nicosia.

In 2011, the Nicosia Municipality introduced the Bike in Action scheme, a bicycle sharing system which covers the Greater Nicosia area. The scheme is run by the Inter-Municipal Bicycle Company of Nicosia (DEPL). While the bike-lane network is being upgraded, the scheme aims to serve a large portion of the population, university students and tourist groups in their movement to and from downtown. The scheme has 27 docking stations spread across seven municipalities and involves 315 bikes which people can borrow from any designated station and return to any other station of their choosing. Specifically the Nicosia Municipality has installed 100 bikes in 5 stations, the Aglandjia Municipality 50 bikes at 4 stations, the Municipality of Strovolos 80 bikes at 8 stations, the Municipality of Dali 20 cycles at 3 stations, the Municipality of Ayios Dhometios 20 cycles at 2 stations, the Municipality of Latsia 15 bikes at 2 station and the Municipality of Engomi 30 cycles at 3 stations. People do not have to register to use the bikes as long as they have a credit or debit card in order to pay a €150 security deposit. The deposit is paid back within 24 hours of returning the bike.

There is currently no train network in Cyprus however plans for the creation of an intercity railway are currently under way. The first railway line on the island was the Cyprus Government Railway which operated from 1905 to 1951. There were 39 stations, stops and halts, the most prominent of which served Famagusta, Prastio Mesaoria, Angastina, Trachoni, Nicosia, Kokkinotrimithia, Morphou, Kalo Chorio and Evrychou. It was closed down due to financial reasons.

Mayors of Nicosia

Pre-Independence (1882–1959)

Christodoulos Severis, 15 November 1882–31 July 1888.

Achilleas Liassides, 1 August 1888–10 April 1906.

Antonios Theodotou, 8 January 1888–10 April 1906.

Mehmet Şevket Bey, 11 April 1908–31 March 1911.

Antonios Theodotou, 1924–1926

George Markides, 6 April 1926–31 March 1929.

Themistoclis Dervis, 5 April 1929–28 September 1946.

Ioannis Clerides, 1 June 1946–31 May 1949 (Last elected Mayor until 1986).

Themistoclis Dervis, 1 June 1949–18 December 1959.

Post-Independence (1959-1974)

Diomedes Skettos, 1959–1960.

George M. Spanos, 1960–1962; 1963–1964.

Odysseas Ioannides, 1964–1970.

Lellos Demetriades, December 1971–July 1974 (dismissed by the July 15 Coup).

After 1974

Christoforos Kithreotis, August 1974.

Lellos Demetriades, October 1974–2001 (Elected in 1986; reelected in 1991 and 1996).

Michalis Zampelas, 2002–2006.

Eleni Mavrou, 2007–2011.

Constantinos Yiorkadjis, 2011-present.

Sports

Football

Football is the most popular sport in Cyprus, and Nicosia is home of three major teams of the island; APOEL, Omonia and Olympiakos. APOEL and Omonia dominate Cypriot football. There are also many other football clubs in Nicosia and the suburbs. GSP Stadium is the largest football stadium in Nicosia.

Other sports

Nicosia is also the home for many clubs for basketball, handball and other sports. APOEL and Omonia have basketball and volleyball sections and Keravnos is one of the major basketball teams of the island. The Gymnastic Club Pancypria (GSP), the owner of the Neo GSP Stadium, is one of the major athletics clubs of the island. Also, all teams in the Futsal First Division are from Nicosia.

Venues

Nicosia has some of the biggest venues in the island; The Neo GSP Stadium, the biggest in Cyprus, with capacity of 23,400 is the home for the national team, APOEL, Olympiakos and Omonia. The other big football stadium in Nicosia is Makario Stadium with capacity of 16,000. The Eleftheria Indoor Hall is the biggest basketball stadium in Cyprus, with capacity of 6,500 seats and is the home for the national team, APOEL and Omonia. The Lefkotheo indoor arena is the volleyball stadium for APOEL and Omonia.

International and European events

Nicosia hosted the 2000 ISSF World Cup Final shooting events for the shotgun. Also the city hosted two basketball events; the European Saporta Cup in 1997 and the 2005 FIBA Europe All Star Game in the Eleftheria Indoor Hall. Another event which was hosted in Nicosia were the Games of the Small States of Europe in 1989 and 2009.

Famous Nicosians

Tassos Papadopoulos, ex-president of the Republic of Cyprus (2003–2008).

Glafkos Klerides, president of the Republic of Cyprus (1993–2003).

George Vasiliou, president of the Republic of Cyprus (1988–1993).

Ioannis Kasoulides, Member of the European Parliament.

Kıbrıslı Mehmed Kamil Pasha, Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire

Fazıl Küçük, former vice president of the Republic of Cyprus (1960–1963).

Benon Sevan, Armenian ex-head of UN Oil for Food program.

Nicolas Economou, composer.

Andys Skordis, composer

Alkinoos Ioannidis, singer.

Michalis Hatzigiannis, singer.

Stavros Konstantinou, singer, winner of Greek Super Idol.

Alparslan Türkeş, a Turkish nationalist politician who served as a Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey

Giannos Kranidiotis, a Greek diplomat and politician

Mick Karn, bassist, singer.

Anna Vissi, Greek-Cypriot singer.

International relations

Twin towns – Sister cities

Twinnings

	* Schwerin, Germany, since 1974	* Athens, Greece, since 1988	* Odessa, Ukraine, since 1996		Shiraz, Iran>Shiraz, Iran, since 1999	* Bucharest, Romania, since 2004	Shanghai, People's Republic of China>China, since 2004

Collaborations

	* Moscow, Russian Federation, since 2000	Nicosia, Sicily>Nicosia, Sicily, Italy, since 2000	Qingdao, People's Republic of China>China, since 2001		Athens, Greece, since 2002, 2003	* Helsinki, Finland, since 2003	* Damascus, Syria, since 2003		* Zagreb, Croatia, since 2004	* Valletta, Malta, since 2007

Gallery

See also

Cypriot Orthodox Church

Divided cities

Foreign relations of Cyprus

Foreign relations of Northern Cyprus

List of Cypriot companies

United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus

References

Nicosia Municipality (south) website

Nicosia Municipality (north) website

Nicosia Municipality website -Transportation

Cyprus Island – Nicosia

The World of Cyprus bilingual information portal with background on folk culture and Byzantine influences

External links

English-language website for Municipality of Nicosia (Λευκωσια)

Nicosia Turkish Municipality

"Nicosia in Dark and White" A photo project about the city's old abandoned buildings

Organisational structure of Islamic religion in Cyprus

Echoes Across the Divide (2008) is a documentary film about an attempt to bridge the Green Line with a bicommunal music project performed from the rooftops of Old Nicosia

Category:Capitals in Asia Category:Capitals in Europe Category:Divided cities Category:Historic sites in Cyprus Category:Populated places in Nicosia District

ace:Nikosia af:Nicosia am:ሌፍኮዚያ ar:نيقوسيا an:Nicosia roa-rup:Lefcosia az:Nikosiya bn:নিকোসিয়া zh-min-nan:Nicosia be:Горад Нікасія be-x-old:Нікасія bg:Никозия bar:Nikosia bo:ནེ་ཁོ་ཤི་ཡ། bs:Nikozija br:Nikozia ca:Nicòsia cs:Nikósie cy:Nicosia da:Nicosia de:Nikosia et:Nikosia el:Λευκωσία es:Nicosia eo:Nikozio eu:Nikosia fa:نیکوزیا hif:Nikosia fr:Nicosie fy:Nikosia (Syprus) ga:An Leafcóis gv:Lefkosia gag:Lefkoşa gd:Nicosia gl:Nicosia - Λευκωσία ko:니코시아 hy:Նիկոսիա hi:निकोसिया hsb:Nikosia hr:Nikozija io:Nikosia id:Nikosia os:Никоси is:Nikósía it:Nicosia he:ניקוסיה kl:Nicosia ka:ნიქოზია kk:Никосия rw:Nikosiya sw:Nikosia ht:Nikozi ky:Лефкоша lad:Nikosiya la:Nicosia lv:Nikosija lb:Nikosia lt:Nikosija lij:Nicosia (Çipro) lmo:Nicoséa hu:Nicosia mk:Левкозија mi:Nicosia mr:निकोसिया arz:نيكوسيا ms:Nicosia mdf:Никосия nah:Nicosia nl:Nicosia (Cyprus) ja:ニコシア nap:Nicosìa frr:Nikosia no:Nikosia nn:Nikosia nov:Nikosia oc:Nicosia pnb:نیکوسیا pms:Nicosìa nds:Nikosia pl:Nikozja pnt:Λευκωσίαν pt:Nicósia kaa:Arqa Nikosiya crh:Lefkoşa ro:Nicosia ru:Никосия sah:Никосия sco:Nicosia stq:Nicosia sq:Nicosia simple:Nicosia sk:Nikózia sl:Nikozija ckb:نیکۆسیا sr:Никозија sh:Nikozija fi:Nikosia sv:Nicosia tl:Nicosia ta:நிக்கோசியா roa-tara:Nicosie tt:Никосия th:นิโคเซีย tg:Никосия tr:Lefkoşa udm:Никосия uk:Нікосія ug:نىكوسىيە vep:Nikosii vi:Nicosia war:Nicosia yo:Nicosia bat-smg:Nėkosėjė zh:尼科西亚

name	The Classic
hangul	클래식
rr	Keulraesik
mr	K‘ŭllaesik
director	Kwak Jae-yong
producer	Jee Yeong-joon,Lee Jae-soon
writer	Kwak Jae-yong
starring	Son Ye-jin,Jo Seung-woo,Zo In Sung
music	Jo Yeong-wook,Choi Seung-hyun
cinematography	Lee Joon-kyoo
editing	Kim Sang-beomKim Jae-beom
studio	Egg Films
released
runtime	127 minutes
country	South Korea
language	Korean
admissions	533,950 (Seoul)
gross	$6,895,678 }}

''The Classic'' (; ''Keulraesik'') is a 2003 South Korean melodrama / romance film directed by Kwak Jae-yong.

Plot

The film tells the parallel love stories of a mother and daughter. The story of the mother is told partially in flashbacks.

The movie starts in the present day. The daughter, Ji-hye (Son Ye-jin), is cleaning-up around her house when she comes across a box full of old letters and a diary that detail the story of her mother, Joo-hee (who is also played by Son Ye-jin). Periodically in the movie, Ji-hye reads one of these letters, which starts a flashback scene in which the story of the mother is told. These flashbacks are intertwined with Ji-hye's own story, in which she falls for a fellow student, Sang-min (Zo In Sung), who is involved with the school theater.

The movie tells the story of both relationships. The mother, Joo-hee, visits the countryside as a student one summer and meets Joon-ha (Jo Seung-woo). Together they explore the countryside, playing near a river which they both will always remember as their special place. When a storm starts they take shelter together under a tree, but not before Joo-hee twists her ankle and is rendered helpless. Joon-ha carries her on his back and they struggle home, only to be confronted by her angry parents. Before they separate, Joo-hee gives him a necklace, which he keeps close as a precious reminder of their time together.

Unfortunately, as often happens in affairs of the heart, a third party prevents any deepening of their relationship. Joo-hee has been promised by her parents as a bride to Tae-soo, Joon-ha's friend. But Tae-soo, a noble friend, finds out about Joo-hee and Joon-ha's attraction for each other and helps the two communicate secretly by letting them use his own name in place of Joon-ha's in their letters. When Tae-soo's father finds this out, however, he beats Tae-soo. Tae-soo tries unsuccessfully to commit suicide so that his two friends can be together.

Meanwhile, in the present, Ji-hye falls for Sang-min in whom her friend Soo-kyeong is also very interested, but he seems not to notice. Then, in a sweet scene, they take shelter from the rain together under the same tree. He uses his coat to cover both of them and escorts her to where she needs to go. The moment, while magical, does not go anywhere as she feels his help was only due to his generous nature and not from any feelings for her on his part.

Back in the past, Joon-ha is guilt-ridden over his friend's attempted suicide and Joo-hee's own guilt. Determined to prevent any more hurt to her, Joon-ha joins the army and goes to Vietnam. There he loses his eyesight while he tries to retrieve the necklace Joo-hee had given him. When he returns to Korea, he meets again with Joo-hee, and, trying to hide his blindness, convinces her he has married in the hope she will move on with her life. Though heart broken that their relationship cannot continue, she does move on and eventually marries Tae-soo, Joon-ha's kind friend. After they have been married for several years and have a young daughter (Ji-hye) Joo-hee is approached by friends of Joon-ha, who relate Joon-ha's last wish: that his ashes be scattered by Joo-hee in the river, now a reservoir, where they first met. She then finds out that Joon-ha hadn't married, but he later did after Tae-soo and Joo-hee were married. She was told that he had a son also. The heart-break is too much and she cries.

In the present, Ji-hye's own story unfolds. Sang-min reveals his true feelings for Ji-hye - feelings that mirror her own. It is also revealed that their taking shelter together during the storm was no accident: he had purposely left his umbrella behind in a shop so that he could join her under the tree. Then, when Ji-hye pensively reveals her mother's story to him, tears stream down his face. Silently he lifts a necklace from around his neck and places it around hers. It is the necklace that Ji-hye's mother, Joo-hee, had given to Joon-ha when they met. The circle is completed: Joo-hee's daughter and Joon-ha's son have fallen in love.

Cast

Son Ye-jin in dual role as Ji-hye and Joo-hee (Ji-hye's mother)

Jo Seung-woo as Joon-ha

Zo In Sung as Sang-min

Lee Ki-woo as Tae-soo (friend of Joon-ha)

Lee Soo-in as Soo-kyeong (friend of Ji-hye)

Seo Yeong-hee as Na-hee (friend of Joo-hee)

Lim Ye Jin as Shopkeeper

Development

Several of the school scenes were filmed at various universities in Korea. Notably, the library was in Kyung Hee University. There are many parallels between the flashback and present day stories. In the flashbacks, Joon Ha writes letters in the name of his friend Tae-soo to their mutual love interest. In the present day, Ji-hye writes letters in the name of her friend to their mutual love interest. In the flashbacks, Joo-hee has an annoying female friend that Joon-ha is initially set up with. In the present day, Ji-hye also has an annoying friend that interferes with her relationship. Also, Joo-hee and Ji-hye both receive the same poem from the people they love: "When the sun shines...".

Reception

''The Classic'' was nominated at the Hong Kong Film Awards in the category Best Asian Film in 2004.

Son Ye-jin received several awards for her performance in the film:

2003 40th Daejong sang Awards: Best New Actress (''The Classic'')

2003 39th PaekSang Arts Awards: Best New Actress (''The Classic'')

2003 24th Blue Dragon Film Awards - Most Favourite Star (''The Classic'', ''Crazy First Love'')

2004 9th Moscow International Love Movie Awards: Best Couple (''The Classic'')

Music

The film relies heavily on music to help convey emotion.

Korean Songs in the film:

''그랬나봐'' ("Geuraetna pwa" - World without love) - performer: Kim Hyung Joong

''고백'' ("Gobaek" - Confession) - performer: Delispice - played during the art gallery scene

''너에게 난 나에게 넌'' ("Neoehgeh nan naehgeh neon" - I am yours, you are mine) - performer: Jatanpung - played during both special umbrella scenes

''너무 아픈 사랑은 사랑이아니었음을'' ("Neomu apeun sarangeun sarangee anieosseumeul" - It wasn't love if it hurt so much) - performer: Kim Kwang Suk - played during train and last meeting scenes

''사랑하면 할수록'' ("Saranghamyon halsoorok" - If we are in love, then...) - Played in different instrumental versions throughout the film - always at emotional moments. It is sung in the final scenes by performer Han Song Min. There is also a Mandarin version of this song titled "Hui Se Kong Jian" (灰色空間 in Mandarin) which is sung by Taiwanese singer Show Luo in Taiwanese drama called "The Outsider II".

The piano piece performed by Joo-Hee on stage is Beethoven's Piano Sonata 8, movement 2 Pathetique Sonata.

Pachelbel's Canon in D was also used as the background music. This same music was featured in the director's earlier film, ''My Sassy Girl''.

Some American songs were used as well.

References

External links

Category:2003 films Category:2000s romance films Category:South Korean romance films Category:Romantic drama films Category:Vietnam War films Category:Films about blind people Category:Films set in 1968 Category:Films directed by Kwak Jae-yong Category:Korean-language films Category:South Korean films fr:The Classic ja:ラブストーリー (韓国映画) ko:클래식 (영화) th:คนแรกของหัวใจ คนสุดท้ายของชีวิต zh:假如愛有天意

Group	Turkish Cypriots''Kıbrıslı Türkler ''
Population	est. 800,000-1,100,000
Region1
Pop1	150,000-200,000
Ref1
Region2
Pop2	300,000-500,000
Ref2
Region3
Pop3	300,000-400,000
Ref3
Region4
Pop4	40,000-60,000
Ref4
Region5
Pop5	5,000-10,000
Ref5
Region6
Pop6	2,000
Ref6
Region7
Pop7	2,000
Ref7
Languages	Cypriot Turkish
Religions	Predominantly Islam
Footnotes	This figure does not include Turkish settlers from Turkey. }}

Turkish Cypriots ( ) are the ethnic Turks and members of the Turkish-speaking ethnolinguistic community of the Eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus. The term is used to refer explicitly to the indigenous Turkish Cypriots, whose Ottoman Turkish forbears colonised the island in 1571. About 30,000 Turkish soldiers were given land once they settled in Cyprus, which bequeathed a significant Turkish community; today's Turkish Cypriots.

History

Ottoman troops landed in Cyprus in mid-May 1570 and conquered it within a year from Venetian rule. The Turkish arrival to the island was welcomed by the Greek Cypriots as it was an improvement on Catholic domination and on the hope that 'anybody was better than the Venetians.' After the defeat of the Venetians in 1571, the Turkish commander, Lala Mustafa Paşa, chose 12,000 infantry and 4,000 cavalrymen to stay behind as colonists. Furthermore, a substantial number of Turkish soldiers and their families from the Mediterranean region of Turkey, approximately 20,000, went to Cyprus and were given fiefs on the island. A fief was a parcel of real estate given by Sultan Selim II to his soldiers in return for their service to him. By the late sixteenth century there was an estimated 40,000-60,000 Turks in Cyprus.

Throughout the Ottoman rule, the demographic ratio between Christian "Greeks" and Muslim "Turks" fluctuated constantly. By 1777-1788 the Turkish Muslim (and some Greek Muslim) population constituted the majority on the island, with 40,000 Muslim Turks and 37,000 Christian Greeks. In 1788-1792 Turks were estimated at 45,000 compared to 40,000 Greeks. However, by 1841, Turks made up 27% of the island's population. The reason for this decline is because the Turkish community were obliged to serve in the Ottoman army for years, usually away from home, very often losing their lives in the endless wars of the Ottoman Empire.

By 1878, during the Congress of Berlin, Cyprus was 'rented' to the British with the condition that Britain would come to the Ottoman Empire's aid in case of a Russian attack. However, in 1914, the Ottoman Empire established an alliance with Germany, Britain annexed Cyprus, and the island became a British colony. At this time, Cyprus' Muslim inhabitants were asked to choose between adopting British nationality and retaining their Ottoman subject status; this resulted in 4,000-8,500 Muslim Turks choosing to leave the island and move to Turkey. By July 1923, Turkey accepted that Cyprus had become a British territory under the Treaty of Lausanne and almost half of the Turkish community, approximately 15,000, immigrated to Turkey. Furthermore, the Great Depression of 1929 brought economic depression to Cyprus with unemployment and low wages. Thus, Turkish Cypriots started to immigrate in small numbers to the United Kingdom and the United States during the 1930s for economic reasons.

In 1950 a referendum was held by the Greek Cypriots in which 95.7% of eligible Greek Cypriot voters cast their ballots in supporting a fight aimed at enosis, the union of Cyprus with Greece. By 1955, the Greek Cypriot fight for enosis was led by an armed organisation called EOKA by Georgios Grivas which aimed at bringing down British rule and uniting the island of Cyprus with Greece. Turkish Cypriots had always reacted immediately against the objective of enosis; thus, the 1950s saw many Turkish Cypriots who were fleeing the EOKA. By 1958, Turkish Cypriots set up their own armed group called TMT and by early 1958, the first wave of armed conflict between the two communities began, a few hundred Turkish Cypriots left their villages and quarters in the mixed towns and never returned.

By 16 August 1960, the island of Cyprus became an independent state, the Republic of Cyprus, with power sharing between the two communities under the 1960 Zurich agreements, with Britain, Greece and Turkey as Guarantor Powers. Archbishop Makarios III was elected as president by the Greek Cypriots and Dr. Fazıl Küçük was elected as vice-president by the Turkish Cypriots. The two ethnic groups continued to pursue their separate objectives of enosis and taksim. In December 1963, in events known as Bloody Christmas ('':tr:Kanlı Noel''), Greek Cypriots initiated a military campaign against the Turkish Cypriots, after which intercommunal clashes continued until 1974. Turkish Cypriots suffered heavier casualties and some 25,000 Turkish Cypriots became internally displaced, amounting to about a fourth of their population. This resulted in an exodus of Turkish Cypriots, with the majority migrating to the United Kingdom while others went to Turkey, North America and Australia.

With the rise to power of the Greek military junta in 1967, a group of right-wing Greek extremists supporting the union of Cyprus with Greece created an organisation called EOKA B, an analogous organization to the Turkish TMT and staged a coup in 1974. This led to a military offensive by Turkey which used its right as one of the guarantor states and invaded the island.. Turkish troops killed a lot of Greek Cypriot Citizens. Many Greek Cypriots are missing since then. After the Turkish invasion and the ensuing 1975 Vienna agreements, 60,000 Turkish Cypriots who lived in the south of the island fled to the north. The 1974-1975 movement was strictly organised by the Provisional Turkish Administration who tried to preserve village communities intact.

Thus, Cyprus was divided into two zones, separated by the green line, which was first established in 1964. In the north, the Turkish Cypriots first declared the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus in 1975, and in 1983 they unilaterally declared the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus which has since remained internationally unrecognized except by Turkey. In April 2004, a referendum of the Annan Plan to reunite the island was strongly approved by Turkish Cypriots (64.9% voting “yes”) whilst it was strongly rejected by the Greek Cypriots (75.8% voting “no”). The plan as Greek Cypriots argued gave match more power to Turkish Cypriot than they had till then, so it is the high percentage of rejection by the Greek Cypriots.

Culture

Religion

The majority of Turkish Cypriots (99%) are Sunni Muslims. Turkish Cypriots are not conservative and many do not actually practice the religion. For example, alcohol is frequently consumed by Turkish Cypriots and women dress casually. In fact, the majority of Turkish Cypriots are overwhelmingly secular. However, religion still plays a role within the community; for example, Turkish Cypriot boys are generally circumcised at a young age in accordance with religious beliefs; however, this practice appears more related to custom and tradition than to powerful religious motivation.

In the 300 years of Ottoman rule in Cyprus, the Turks built mostly religious buildings on the island. Hala Sultan Tekke near the salt lake in Larnaka.) and the Mevlevi Tekke in Nicosia are considered to be the most important two tekkes.

Language

The Cypriot Turkish dialect is relatively distinct from standard Turkish used in Turkey as it is more casual than the formal standard Turkish. The words (mainly verbs) have short, cut ends with some lengthy vowels at the end of each sentence. For example, instead of saying 'ne yapiyorsun?' (what are you doing?), the Cypriot dialect shortens this to 'napan?'.

However, since the establishment of the TRNC, mainland Turkish has become more influential; the influence of Turkish television has also contributed to this.

Music and dances

Folk music and dancing is an integral part of social life among Turkish Cypriots. Traditional Turkish Cypriot folk dances can be divided into 5 categories: Karsilamas, Sirtos, Zeybeks, Ciftetellis / Arabiyes, and Topical Dances (such as Orak, Kozan, Kartal and Topal). The folk dancing groups usually have performances during national festivals, weddings, Turkish nights at hotels and within tourism areas.

Demographics

According to the 2006 Northern Cyprus Census, there was 145,443 Turkish Cypriots who were born and currently living in North Cyprus. Of the Cypriot-born population, 120,007 had both parents born in Cyprus; 12,628 had one of their parents born in Cyprus and the other born in another country. Thus, 132,635 Turkish Cypriots had at least one parent born in Cyprus.

54,077 32,264 10,178 10,241 4,617 1,157 32,538 3,544 1,307 6,492 9,067 11,955 173 371145,443

Place of Birth	! Turkish Cypriot population who were born in Cyprus and who are permanent residents in the TRNC (2006 Census)	! Male	! Female
North Cyprus	112,534	56,332
Nicosia Lefkoşa District	Lefkoşa	|	27,043	27,034
Ammoxostos Gazimağusa District	Gazimağusa	|	16,151	16,113
Kerynia Girne District	Girne	|	5,168	5,010
Morfou Güzelyurt District	Güzelyurt	|	5,013	5,228
İskele District	İskele	|	2,356	2,261
District not Indicated	|	601	556
South Cyprus	|	15,411	17 127
Nicosia District	Nicosia (Lefkoşa)	|	1,646	1,898
Famagusta District	Famagusta (Gazimağusa)	|	598	709
Larnaca District	Larnaca (Larnaka)	|	3,031	3,461
Limassol District	Limassol (Limasol)	|	4,314	4,753
Paphos District	Paphos (Baf)	|	5,750	6,205
District not Indicated	|	72	101
Cyprus - North or South region not Indicated	|	178	193
Total	|	71,921	73,522

Diaspora

There was significant Turkish Cypriot emigration from the island during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, mainly to Great Britain, Australia, and Turkey. Emigration from Cyprus has mainly been for economical and political reasons. According to the TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in 2001, 500,000 Turkish Cypriots were living in Turkey; 200,000 in Great Britain; 40,000 in Australia; some 10,000 in North America; and 5,000 in other countries (mainly in Germany).

A more recent estimate, in 2011, by the Home Affairs Committee states that there is now 300,000 Turkish Cypriots living in the United Kingdom whilst Turkish Cypriots themselves claim that the British-Turkish Cypriot community has reached 400,000. Furthermore, recent estimates suggest that there is now 60,000 Turkish Cypriots living in Australia.

Famous Turkish Cypriots

Adam Booth - Boxing Trainer and Manager to David Haye

Alparslan Türkeş - Far Right Nationalist Leader in Turkey

Alp Mehmet - UK Ambassador to Iceland 2004 - 2008

Asil Nadir - Former CEO of Polly Peck International PLC

Billy Mehmet - Scottish Premier League footballer

Colin Kazim-Richards - Galatasaray and Turkish International Football Player

Derviş Eroğlu - Current President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Derviş Ali Kavazoğlu - Member of Progressive AKEL party who was assassinated by TMT

Fatih Terim - Football manager of Galatasaray

Fatima Whitbread - World Champion Javelin Thrower

Fazıl Küçük - First Vice-President of the Republic of Cyprus

Fazıl Önder - Journalist and peace fighter who was assassinated by TMT

Feri Cansel - Actress

Hal Ozsan - Actor (Dawson's Creek, Kyle XY)

Haldun Dormen MBE - Actor

Hussein Chalayan - Fashion Designer

İsmet Güney - (Artist) Creator of the Republic of Cyprus flag

Kemal Izzet Colchester United Football Player

Kıbrıslı Mehmed Emin Pasha - 3-times Ottoman Empire Grand Vizier in mid-19th century

Kıbrıslı Mehmed Kamil Pasha- 5-times Ottoman Empire Grand Vizier in late-19th and early-20th century

Leon Osman - Everton Football Player

Lawrence Rustem - Councillor for British National Party

Mehmet Ali Talat - Second President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Mehmet Nazım Adil - Naqshbandi Sufi Sheikh

Meliz Redif - 400 Metre Runner

Meral Ece OBE - Baroness House of Lords

Metin Huseyin - Film Director

Muzzy Izzet - Former Leicester and Birmingham City Football Player

Nil Burak - Singer

Niyazi Berkes - Sociologist

Okan Ersan - Guitarist, composer and recording artist.

Osman Türkay- Poet, nominee for the Nobel Prize for Literature

Özker Özgür - Politician

Rauf Denktaş - First President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Suat Günsel, Businessman and billionaire

Tamer Hassan - Actor

Tracey Emin - Artist

Vamik Volkan - Psychoanalyst and Author

Zeki Alasya - Actor

Ziynet Sali - Singer

See also

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Turkish Cypriot diaspora

Northern Cypriot passport

Cyprus

Greek Cypriots

Cypriot refugees

List of Cypriots

Cypriot Turkish

References

Bibliography

Further reading

Baybars, Taner, Plucked in a far-off land, London: Victor Gollancz, 1970.

Beckingham, C. F., ''The Cypriot Turks'', Journal of the Royal Central Asian Society, vol. 43, pp. 126–30, 1956.

Beckingham, C. F., ''The Turks of Cyprus'', Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. vol 87(II), pp. 165–74. July-Dec. 1957.

Beckingham, C. F., ''Islam and Turkish nationalism in Cyprus'', Die Welt des Islam, NS, Vol 5, 65-83, 1957.

Committee on Turkish Affairs, An investigation into matters concerning and affecting the Turkish community in Cyprus: Interim report, Nicosia: Government Printing Office, 1949.

Dandini, Jerome. ''Voyage du Mont Liban / traduit de l'Italien du R. P. Jerome Dandini ... Ou il est traité tant de la créance ... des Maronites, que des plusieurs particularitez touchant les Turcs ... avec des remarques sur la theologie des chrétiens & ... des mahometans. Par R. S. P.''

Jennings, Ronald C., Christians and Muslims in Ottoman Cyprus and the Mediterranean World, 1571–1640, New York University Studies in Near Eastern Civilization-Number XVIII, New York University Press, New York and London, 1993-Acknowledgments ix-xi + 428 pp.

Oakley, Robin, ''The Turkish peoples of Cyprus'', in Margaret Bainbridge, ed, The Turkic peoples of the world. (pp. 85–117), New York: Kegan Paul, 1993

External links

Historical Origins of Turkish Cypriot People

Oral histories of Turkish Cypriots in Britain

History of Turkish Cypriots in Britain

Reassessing what we collect website – Turkish Cypriot London History of Turkish Cypriot London with objects and images

Turkish Cypriots of Australia - Historical Book

North Cyprus Turkish Youth Club of Victoria

Association of Turkish Cypriots Abroad

Turkish Cypriot Lobby Group in the UK

North Cyprus Turkish Community Centre of Victoria

Turkish Cypriots Category:Oghuz Turks

az:Kipr türkləri de:Zypern-Türken el:Τουρκοκύπριος eo:Turkaj kipranoj fr:Chypriotes turcs mk:Кипарски Турци nl:Turks-Cyprioten pl:Turcy cypryjscy pt:Cipriotas turcos ru:Турки-киприоты sv:Turkcyprioter tr:Kıbrıs Türkleri