Editing History of Cyprus (section)

==Modern Cyprus==
{{main|Modern history of Cyprus}}
[[File:Cypriot demonstration 1930.jpg|thumb|250px|Cypriot demonstrations for [[Enosis]] (Union) with [[Greece]].]]
[[File:Nikosia BW 2023-09-21 09-52-38 v1.jpg|thumb|250px|Statue of Liberty symbolising the independence of Cyprus.]]
In 1878, as the result of the [[Cyprus Convention]], the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|United Kingdom]] took over the government of Cyprus as a protectorate from the [[Ottoman Empire]]. In 1914, at the beginning of [[World War I]], the Ottomans declared war on Britain, leading to the British annexation of Cyprus.

The island's population welcomed the arrival of the British in 1878, as it meant the end of the long Turkish occupation, on one hand, but also because (bearing in mind the example of the [[Ionian Islands|Ionian islands]]) it was believed to be a necessary transitional stage for the final purpose, which was the return of Cyprus to Greece. In the 1920s, the political leaders of the Cypriot Greeks decided to adopt a change of tactics in their pursuit for [[enosis]]—the union of Cyprus with Greece. Instead of the uncompromising course for "union and only union", it was decided that, under the circumstances, some civil liberties could be negotiated and won in favor of the Cypriot people. In 1921, the Political Organization of Cyprus was formed to serve that purpose, but was dissolved later that decade.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Polignosi |title=Πολιτική Οργάνωσις Κύπρου |url=http://www.polignosi.com/cgibin/hweb?-A=8965&-V=limmata |access-date=2022-07-08 |website=www.polignosi.com}}</ref>

Greek Cypriot representatives were repeatedly sent to England over the years to formally set the request to the colonial metropolis, but to no avail whatsoever. The participation of Greek Cypriots in the national struggles of the Greeks (such as in the wars at the end of the 19th century and in the Balkan wars of 1912-13) was an expression of their belief in the common origin of Greeks and Cypriots, in a common fate and a common path. The participation of Greek Cypriot volunteers in the First World War was an expression of the belief that there would be a "Cypriot share" in the "distribution of profits" after the victory (something that also happened later, during the Second World War). Besides, the Greek Prime Minister, [[Eleftherios Venizelos]], had negotiated the handing over of Cyprus to Greece, in the years leading to the First World War. However, during the "distribution of profits" at the [[Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920)|Paris conference]] after the First World War, there was no "Cypriot share" despite the Greek Cypriot leadership's presence and efforts. After the [[Treaty of Lausanne]] (1923), by which Turkey renounced all its rights over Cyprus, some new hopes were born because a very serious obstacle to the return of Cyprus to Greece was removed. However, in 1925, following the [[dissolution of the Ottoman Empire]], and with the removal of this obstacle, England proceeded not to cede Cyprus to Greece but to annex it by declaring the island a [[Crown Colony]]. It had then become absolutely clear to the Greek Cypriots, from English officials (such as the Colonial Secretary [[Leo Amery]]) that unification was out of the question, and that this subject was definitively closed, rebutting the hopes and expectations of the Greek Cypriots for achieving their ideal.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Polignosi |title=Οκτωβριανά |url=http://www.polignosi.com/cgibin/hweb?-A=8233&-V=limmata |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=www.polignosi.com}}</ref>

The National Organization of Cyprus (EOK; not to be confused with EOKA), that was founded in 1930 by church circles and whose members were chosen by the Archbishop, played a role in strengthening the demand of [[enosis]]. Its purpose was the pursuit of this goal and the rejection of the Autonomy proposed by the English.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Polignosi |title=Εθνική Οργάνωση Κύπρου ΕΟΚ |url=http://www.polignosi.com/cgibin/hweb?-A=3383&-V=limmata |access-date=2022-07-08 |website=www.polignosi.com}}</ref> In 1931, the even more hardline National Radical Union of the Center (ΕRΕΚ) was founded whose members were secret.{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}} The repetitive rebuttal of the Greek Cypriots' hopes, along with other political events at the time, triggered the great uprising of October 1931, known as the [[1931 Cyprus revolt|October riots]]. Cyprus thus entered a period of autocratic rule known as ''Palmerokratia'' ("Palmerocracy"), named after governor [[Richmond Palmer]], which started shortly before the revolt and would last until the beginning of [[World War II]].

In January 1950, the Orthodox Church of Cyprus organized the Union Referendum (referendum about Enosis), in which Greek Cypriots, which constituted around 80%  of the population at the time, were called to vote, and ended in strong favor for the movement. However, their shout fell on deaf ears since the international community showed no desire to support their request{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}} Between 1955 and 1959 [[Greek Cypriots]] formed the [[EOKA]] organisation, led by [[George Grivas]], and began the liberation struggle with ultimate goal being [[enosis]]. However the EOKA campaign did not result in union with Greece but rather in an independent republic, the [[Cyprus|Republic of Cyprus]], in 1960.

The 1960 constitution put in place a form of power-sharing, or [[Consociationalism|consociational]] government, in which concessions were made to the [[Turkish Cypriots]] minority, including as a requirement that the vice-president of Cyprus and at least 30% of members of parliament be Turkish Cypriots. Archbishop [[Makarios III]] would be the [[President of Cyprus|President]] and Dr. [[Fazıl Küçük]] would become vice president. One of the articles in the constitution was the creation of separate local municipalities so that Greek and Turkish Cypriots could manage their own municipalities in large towns.

Internal conflicts turned into full-fledged armed fighting between the two communities on the island which prompted the United Nations to send [[United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus|peacekeeping forces]] in 1964; these forces are still in place today. In 1974, Greek nationalists performed [[1974 Cypriot coup d'état|a military coup]] with the support of the military junta in Greece. Unable to secure multilateral support against the coup, Turkey [[Turkish invasion of Cyprus|invaded]] the northern portion of the island. Turkish forces remained after a cease-fire, resulting in the [[Taksim (politics)|partition]] of the island.<ref name=danopoulos>Danopoulos, Constantine Panos. ''Civil-military relations, nation building, and national identity: comparative perspectives'' (2004), Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 260</ref> The intercommunal violence, the coup, and the subsequent invasion led to the [[Cypriot refugees|displacement]] of hundreds of thousands of Cypriots.<ref>Barbara Rose Johnston, Susan Slyomovics. ''Waging War, Making Peace: Reparations and Human Rights'' (2009), American Anthropological Association Reparations Task Force, [https://books.google.com/books?id=jOU9_BQU9SYC&dq=%22in+turn%2C+some+of+the+approximately%22&pg=PA211 p. 211].
</ref><ref>
Morelli, Vincent. ''Cyprus: Reunification Proving Elusive'' (2011), DIANE Publishing, [https://books.google.com/books?id=dyWwReoc81oC&dq=%22it+was+estimated+that+over+150%2C000%22&pg=PA10 p. 10].</ref>

The ''[[de facto]]'' state of Northern Cyprus was proclaimed in 1975 under the name of the [[Turkish Federated State of Cyprus]]. The name was changed to its present form, the [[Northern Cyprus|Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus]], on 15 November 1983.  Recognised only by Turkey, Northern Cyprus is considered by the international community to be part of the Republic of Cyprus.

In 2002 [[UN Secretary General]] [[Kofi Annan]] started a new round of negotiations for the unification of the island. In 2004 after long negotiations between both sides a plan for unification of the island emerged. The resulting plan was supported by [[United Nations]], [[European Union]] and the [[United States]]. The nationalists on both sides campaigned for the rejection of the plan, the result being that Turkish Cypriots accepted the plan while Greek Cypriots rejected it overwhelmingly.

After Cyprus became a member of the European Union in 2004, it adopted the [[euro]] as its currency on January 1, 2008, replacing the previously used [[Cypriot pound]]; Northern Cyprus continued to use the [[Turkish lira]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/articles/euro/change_over_cyprus_and_malta_en.htm|title = Cyprus and Malta: Welcome to the euro area! - European Commission}}</ref>

The political environment is dominated by the communist [[Progressive Party of Working People|AKEL]], the liberal conservative [[Democratic Rally]], the [[centrism|centrist]]<ref>{{cite web |author=DotNetNuke |url=http://www.diko.org.cy/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070611174508/http://www.diko.org.cy/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=24 |archive-date=11 June 2007 |title=Ιδεολογική Διακήρυξη του Δημοκρατικού Κόμματος |publisher=Diko.org.cy |access-date=6 January 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Democratic Party (Cyprus)|Democratic Party]] and the [[social democracy|social-democratic]] [[Movement for Social Democracy|EDEK]].
In 2008, [[Dimitris Christofias]] became the country's first Communist head of state. Due to his involvement in the [[2012–13 Cypriot financial crisis]], Christofias did not run for re-election in 2013. The Presidential election in 2013 resulted in [[Democratic Rally]] candidate [[Nicos Anastasiades]] winning 57.48% of the vote. As a result, Anastasiades was sworn in on 28 February 2013. Anastasiades was re-elected with 56% of the vote in the [[Cypriot presidential election, 2018|2018 presidential election]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tribune.gr/world/news/article/434054/nikitis-ton-eklogon-stin-kypro-56-o-nikos-anastasiadis.html |title=Νικητής των εκλογών στην Κύπρο με 56% ο Νίκος Αναστασιάδης |first=Αίθουσα |last=Σύνταξης |date=4 February 2018 |access-date=5 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180205003251/http://www.tribune.gr/world/news/article/434054/nikitis-ton-eklogon-stin-kypro-56-o-nikos-anastasiadis.html |archive-date=5 February 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17217956 |title=Cyprus country profile |work=BBC News |date=19 October 2020 |access-date=13 July 2021 }}</ref> On 28 February 2023, [[Nikos Christodoulides]], the winner of the 2023 presidential [[2023 Cypriot presidential election|election]] run-off, was sworn in as the eighth president of the Republic of Cyprus.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Cyprus president sworn in |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230228-new-cyprus-president-sworn-in |work=France 24 |date=28 February 2023 |language=en}}</ref>