Nicosia - The Capital of Cyprus

Population
330,000
Language
Greek
Continent
Europe
Since
1960
Eco Ranking
44/195

Source: Environmental Performance Index 2024.

About Nicosia

Nicosia has been the capital of Cyprus since the medieval period, serving successively under Lusignan, Venetian, Ottoman, and British colonial rule before becoming the capital of the independent Republic of Cyprus in 1960. Nicosia is the world's only currently divided capital city. Following intercommunal violence between Greek and Turkish Cypriots in the 1960s, Turkey launched a military intervention in July 1974 in response to a coup backed by the Greek military junta that aimed to unite Cyprus with Greece. Turkish forces occupied the northern third of the island. Nicosia was split by the UN Buffer Zone, known as the Green Line, which runs through the city center, separating the Greek Cypriot south from the Turkish Cypriot north. The Republic of Cyprus, internationally recognized, controls the south; the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognized only by Turkey, controls the north and declared independence in 1983. The UN has maintained a peacekeeping force (UNFICYP) on the island since 1964. Reunification negotiations have taken place repeatedly but have failed to produce a settlement, most notably in 2004 when the Annan Plan was rejected by Greek Cypriots in a referendum. The division has persisted for over 50 years with no agreed resolution in sight.

About Cyprus

The Republic of Cyprus is a presidential republic and EU member state since 2004, though EU law is suspended in the northern part of the island not under government control. Cyprus joined the eurozone in 2008. The country's politics have been dominated by the Cyprus problem, the ongoing division, since 1974. Turkey maintains approximately 30,000 troops in northern Cyprus. The Republic of Cyprus does not recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Greece and Turkey are both NATO members, creating persistent tensions within the alliance over Cyprus. The island's banking sector experienced a severe financial crisis in 2012-2013.

View Nicosia on the map

View Nicosia - The Capital of Cyprus on the map

Flight time from Nicosia to other capitals

CityDistance (km)Flight Time
Rome20002h 21m
Abu Dhabi23002h 42m
Paris30003h 32m
London32003h 46m
Cape Town78009h 11m
Singapore82009h 39m
Washington, D.C.910010h 42m
Tokyo910010h 42m
Buenos Aires1230014h 28m
Canberra1430016h 49m

Capitals with similar population to Nicosia

CityPopulation
Yamoussoukro355,573
San José342,188
Maseru330,790
Manama330,000
Nicosia330,000
Ciudad de la Paz297,000
Ljubljana295,504

Capitals with similar eco ranking to Nicosia

CityEco Rank
Kyiv41
Kingstown42
Nicosia44
Caracas45
Libreville45
Bridgetown46
Brasília47

Source: Environmental Performance Index 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why is Nicosia a divided city?

    Nicosia was divided following Turkey's military intervention in Cyprus in July 1974. Turkey launched the operation after a coup, backed by the Greek military junta, attempted to unite Cyprus with Greece. Turkish forces occupied the northern third of the island, and a UN ceasefire line (the Green Line) was established through the center of Nicosia, dividing it into a Greek Cypriot south and a Turkish Cypriot north.

  • What is the Green Line in Nicosia?

    The Green Line is the UN Buffer Zone that runs through Nicosia and across the island of Cyprus, separating the Republic of Cyprus in the south from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the north. It is patrolled by the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), which has been on the island since 1964. The buffer zone in Nicosia passes through the city center, dividing streets and buildings.

  • Is the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus recognized internationally?

    No. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which declared independence in 1983, is recognized only by Turkey. The international community, including the United Nations and the European Union, regards the entire island as part of the Republic of Cyprus. The northern area is considered by most states to be under illegal Turkish military occupation.

  • When did Cyprus gain independence?

    Cyprus gained independence from Britain on August 16, 1960, following the Zurich and London Agreements. The Republic of Cyprus was established with a constitution that provided for power-sharing between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. The power-sharing arrangement broke down in 1963, leading to intercommunal violence and eventual partition in 1974.

  • Has there been any progress toward reunifying Nicosia and Cyprus?

    Multiple rounds of UN-sponsored negotiations have failed to produce a settlement. The most significant attempt was the 2004 Annan Plan, which proposed a reunified federal state. Turkish Cypriots approved the plan in a referendum, but Greek Cypriots rejected it by 76 percent. Cyprus joined the EU that same year as a divided island. Subsequent talks in 2017 also collapsed. The situation remains unresolved.

Sights and landmarks

The Venetian city walls from 1567, with eleven heart-shaped bastions, enclose the historic inner city in an almost perfect circle of 4.5 kilometres. The Gothic Cathedral of Saint Sophia from the 13th century was converted after 1571 into the Selimiye Mosque in the Turkish Cypriot north. The Ledra Street crossing opened in 2008 as the first pedestrian crossing through the buffer zone. The Cyprus Museum houses the most important archaeological collection on the island, including 2,000 terracotta figurines from Ayia Irini (7th century BC). The Büyük Han, an Ottoman caravanserai from 1572, is the best-preserved example of its kind in Cyprus.

Climate and best time to visit

Nicosia has a hot Mediterranean climate (Csa) with the driest and hottest summers of any European capital. July temperatures average between 21 and 37 degrees Celsius, with regular peaks above 40 degrees. January fluctuates between 5 and 15 degrees. Annual rainfall is only 330 millimetres, falling almost exclusively between November and March. The best travel period is March to May and October to November, when temperatures are pleasant.

Regional significance

Nicosia is the world's only divided capital since the Turkish intervention of 1974. The Green Line, a UN-patrolled buffer zone, runs through the city. The southern part is the seat of the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member since 2004. The north forms the capital of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a state recognised only by Turkey. Although limited in population (around 330,000 in the entire urban area), Nicosia is an important financial centre in the eastern Mediterranean.

Culture and customs

Nicosia is culturally divided between Greek Cypriot (Greek Orthodox) and Turkish Cypriot (Sunni Muslim). On both sides a Mediterranean cuisine thrives with dishes such as halloumi (a Cypriot cheese with PDO status), kleftiko (slow-roasted lamb) and meze spreads with up to twenty different small dishes. The Cypriot coffeehouse culture, kafenia, remains a social hub of neighbourhoods. Since 2003 the city has hosted the Kypria International Festival, the island's most important performing arts festival.
Nicosia, capital of Cyprus
Nicosia, capital of Cyprus

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