After an insurgency by fighters seeking union with Greece, the British eventually granted Cyprus independence in 1960. – Divided island –Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied the northern third of the island in response to a coup sponsored by the military junta then ruling Greece. – British bases –Cyprus is home to the two British Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia that house key military and air force installations. In the wake of the crisis, Cyprus says it has cleaned up its banking system and tightened controls over a sector that was long seen as a haven for cash from Eastern Europe. Cyprus has stepped up a passports-for-investment scheme, and the government is also looking to cash in on offshore oil and gas deposits.

Source: The Guardian January 21, 2018 08:03 UTC