Nicosia

Nicosia, also referred to as Lefkosia or Lefkoşa, serves as the capital of Cyprus. Located on the island, this urban settlement is the southeasternmost capital city among European Union member states, functioning with the EUR currency.

How did a historical turning point reshape the administrative seat of Cyprus? In 1960, the island gained independence from British rule. Three years later, the Bloody Christmas conflict between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots triggered island-wide intercommunal violence. Consequently, in 1964, Nicosia's Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities segregated into the south and the north of the city, respectively. A decade later, in 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus just days after a Greek junta-backed coup aimed to unite the island with Greece. Following the invasion, the island was split between Cyprus in the south and a Turkish-occupied zone in the north, with the dividing line running directly through Nicosia, making it the last divided capital in Europe.

Before and after this division, the city experienced a long history. Nicosia has been continuously inhabited for over 5,500 years and has been the capital of Cyprus since the 10th century. Today, Nicosia administers a population of 200,452 residents within the administrative region of Nicosia, holding coordinates at latitude 35.17284 and longitude 33.35397 under the Asia/Nicosia timezone. Alongside its legislative and administrative functions, Nicosia has established itself as the island's financial capital and its main international business centre. Additional details regarding the city and its records can be verified through Nicosia and the GeoNames record for Nicosia.