The people of Cyprus are broadly divided into two main ethnic communities, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, who share many cultural traits but maintain distinct identities based on ethnicity, religion, language, and close ties with their respective motherlands. Before the dispute started in 1964 the peoples of Cyprus were dispersed over the entire island.
The Cyprus dispute, also known as the Cyprus conflict, Cyprus issue, or Cyprus problem, is an ongoing dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in the aftermath of the 1974 Turkish military invasion and occupation of the northern third of Cyprus. Although the Republic of Cyprus is recognized as the sole legitimate state – sovereign over all the island – the north is under the de facto administration of the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is guarded by Turkish Armed Forces. Only Turkey recognizes the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, while there is broad recognition that the ongoing military presence constitutes occupation of territories that belong to the Republic of Cyprus. According to the European Court of Human Rights, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus should be considered a puppet state under effective Turkish control.
An exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is a sea zone prescribed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea over which a state has special rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources, including energy production from water and wind. It stretches from the baseline out to 200 nautical miles (nmi) from its coast. In colloquial usage, the term may include the continental shelf. The term does not include either the territorial sea or the continental shelf beyond the 200 nmi limit. The difference between the territorial sea and the exclusive economic zone is that the first confers full sovereignty over the waters, whereas the second is merely a "sovereign right" which refers to the coastal state's rights below the surface of the sea. The surface waters, as can be seen in the map, are international waters.
The Greek diaspora, Hellenic diaspora or Omogenia refers to the communities of Greek people living outside Greece, Cyprus which are the traditional Greek homelands, Albania, North Macedonia, parts of the Balkans, southern Russia, Ukraine, Asia Minor, the region of Pontus, Eastern Anatolia, Georgia, the South Caucasus, Egypt, southern Italy and Cargèse in Corsica. The term also refers to communities newly established by Greek migration outside these traditional areas during the 20th and 21st centuries.
Greece has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 39 times since its debut in 1974, missing six contests in that time. Greece's first win came in 2005 with "My Number One", sung by Helena Paparizou. The Greek national broadcaster, Ellinikí Radiofonía Tileórasi (ERT), broadcasts the event each year and organises the process for the selection of the Greek entry. Greece has never finished last in the contest.
EOKA-B was a Greek Cypriot paramilitary organisation formed in 1971 by General Georgios Grivas ("Digenis"). It followed an ultra right-wing nationalistic ideology and had the ultimate goal of achieving the Enosis (union) of Cyprus with Greece. During its short history, the organisation's chief aim was to block any attempt to enforce upon the Cyprus people what the organisation considered to be an unacceptable settlement to the Cyprus issue. In addition, the organisation drafted various plans to overthrow President Makarios. The organisation continued its activities until it officially declared its dissolution and disbanded on February 11th 1978.
The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2008 was the sixth Junior Eurovision Song Contest, which is the world's largest song contest for children. It was held at the "Spyros Kyprianou" Athletic Centre in Lemesos, Cyprus and hosted by Alex Michael and Sophia Paraskeva. It was won by the Georgian trio Bzikebi, with the song "Bzz..". This is the first song to win any Eurovision Song Contest in an imaginary language. Ukraine took 2nd place and Lithuania finished 3rd. Bzikebi also became the first group act to win Junior Eurovision.
Northern Cyprus is recognised only by Turkey, a country which facilitates many of its contacts with the international community. After declaring independence from the Republic of Cyprus, Northern Cyprus' relations with the rest of the world were further complicated by a series of United Nations resolutions which declared its independence legally invalid. A 2004 UN Referendum on settling the Cyprus dispute was accepted by the Turkish Cypriots but rejected by the Greek Cypriots. After that, the European Union declared its intentions to assist in reducing the economic isolation of Northern Cyprus and began giving aid to the territory. However, due to pressure from Greece and the Republic of Cyprus, this aid coming from EU funds cannot be used on Greek Cypriot land and property nor on public bodies. As a result, these funds can be used only on around 20 percent of the territory under the de facto control of Northern Cyprus.
Cypriot–Russian relations refers to bilateral foreign relations between the Republic of Cyprus and the Russian Federation. The USSR established diplomatic relations with the newly independent Republic of Cyprus on 18 August 1960. Cooperation between both countries has increased since the 1990s and the fall of the USSR. Cyprus has an embassy in Moscow and Russia has an embassy in Nicosia.
Greece participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 with the song "This Is Our Night" sung by Sakis Rouvas. The Greek national television broadcaster Ellinikí Radiofonía Tileórasi (ERT) announced that it had internally selected Rouvas to represent Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest on July 15, 2008, making Greece the first country to pick an artist for the 2009 edition.
Algeria–Cyprus relations refer to the bilateral relations between Algeria and Cyprus. Algeria is represented in Cyprus through its embassy in Beirut, Lebanon. Cyprus is represented in Algeria through its embassy in Paris, France. Both countries are full members of the Union for the Mediterranean.
Cyprus has recognised same-sex unions since 9 December 2015 by allowing same-sex couples to enter into civil cohabitations. A bill to establish civil cohabitations was approved by the Cypriot Parliament on 26 November 2015. The law took effect on 9 December 2015 upon publication in the country's official gazette.
Petros Kestoras is a Cypriot diplomat and former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cyprus to the Russian Federation.
The Maronites in Cyprus are members of the Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Cyprus whose ancestors migrated from present-day Lebanon during the Middle Ages. They traditionally speak their own variety of Arabic in addition to Greek. As Eastern Catholics of the West Syriac Rite, they are in full communion with the Catholic Church of Rome.
Cyprus–Norway relations are foreign relations between Cyprus and Norway. Diplomatic relations were established on 22 March 1963. The government in Cyprus considers that the "bilateral relations between Cyprus and Norway are excellent in all fields". Neither country has resident ambassadors.
Dimitrios P. Droutsas is a Greek lawyer and politician, who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece in 2010–2011. He became MP of the European Parliament by replacing Stavros Lambrinidis, who went on to become Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece.
Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis is a Cypriot politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus from July 2007 to March 2008 and from 5 August 2011 - 27 February 2013, as well as Minister of Communications and Works (Cyprus) from March 2010 to August 2011.
Michael John Pantelides is an American politician who formerly served as the mayor of the city of Annapolis, Maryland. He is a member of the Republican Party. Pantelides was elected in November 2013, defeating incumbent Josh Cohen. Pantelides was 30 years old at the time of his election and was the city's first Republican mayor in more than a decade.
