Owing to its strategic location in the Mediterranean, a crossing point between Europe, Asia and Africa, Cyprus has been occupied by a succession of major powers from antiquity through to the 20th century.  Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Venetians all left their mark.  The Ottomans ruled for three centuries until the island came under British administration from 1878–1960. The UK has retained 2 sovereign military bases, Akrotiri and Dhekelia.

Following independence in 1960 tensions between the majority Greek Cypriots and the minority Turkish Cypriots came to a head.  Eleven years of sporadic inter-communal violence culminated in 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied the northern part of the island, displacing many Cypriots and leading to the establishment of a separate Turkish Cypriot political entity.  This proclaimed itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 1983, recognised internationally only by Turkey.  Attempts at settlement of the situation by negotiation since then have never succeeded.  The two entities are separated by the Green Line, patrolled by UN troops.  In more recent years it has become possible for individuals to cross this line.

The entire island joined the EU in 2004, but the EU acquis applies only to the areas under the internationally recognised Greek Cypriot government; it is suspended in the Turkish Cypriot area. However individual Turkish Cypriot citizens able to show their Republic of Cyprus citizenship enjoy the same rights as other citizens of the EU.