<em>The island of Cyprus is two nations today as a result of a process of domination by foreign powers that led to an ethnic, ideological and political separation, as well as a conflict not resolved by international diplomacy and which maintains a permanent military tension.
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The Island of Cyprus is divided politically into two nations: the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of the North of Cyprus.
The Republic of Cyprus belongs to the European Union since 2004, is a member of the UN since its proclamation of Independence in 1960, is composed mainly of Greco-Cypriots and occupies two thirds of the territory of the island of Cyprus.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is recognized only by Turkey and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, is composed mostly of Turkish-Cypriot, and occupies the remaining third of the Island of Cyprus.
There are also two military bases with sovereignty of the United Kingdom.
The island of Cyprus is inhabited since ancient times but through its history has been dominated by a long list of powers that were conquering successively.
The Greek domination from the conquest made by Alexander the Great and the subsequent Turkish conquest by the Ottoman Empire were the dominions that most influenced the current composition of its population.
At the end of the Second World War, Cyprus remained in the hands of the United Kingdom. In 1960, the United Kingdom, Greece and Turkey signed an agreement declaring the independence of Cyprus and granting the United Kingdom sovereignty over the military bases of Akrotiri and Dhekelia.
In 1974 the Greco-Cypriot military carried out a coup d'état and Turkey responded with another coup that could only be established in the northern third of the Island.
