The island of Cyprus has for centuries been a rich source of Copper, with the first evidence for Copper mining dating back to 2500 BC. As such, it became highly valued by a succession of Empires in the region. The Greeks extensively colonised the island from 1500 BC, before control passed to the Egyptians, Romans and eventually to the Byzantine Empire.

In 1191 AD Cyprus was conquered by Richard the Lionheart of England, beginning 400 years of western rule. In 1489 Cyprus was annexed by the trading empire of Venice. In 1571 the Ottoman Turks took control and the ancestors of present-day Turkish Cypriots settled on the island.

The Ottoman Sultan ceded control of Cyprus to Britain in 1878. Subsequently, the strategic position of Cyprus - close to the Suez Canal and on the trade routes to India and the Middle East - made the island increasingly important to the British. At the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the Ottomans sided with German and Austro-Hungary and so the island was formally annexed by Britain.

In 1915 Cyprus was offered to Greece as an inducement to enter the war on the side of the Allies, but the offer was declined, as the Greeks believed the Allied would lose the war. The Greeks later entered the war, but the offer had been withdrawn. Since at least 1900 a movement for union with Greece, called Enosis, had been gaining popularity within the Greek Cypriot population. The offer of 1915 had raised expectations on Cyprus that Enosis was coming closer, but in 1925 the island was made a Crown Colony of Britain. Cyprus remained under British control throughout World War Two. The Cypriots were staunch supporters of the Allies and some 30,000 served in the British forces during the war.

However, pressure for Enosis increased markedly after 1950, and in early 1955 EOKA was formed to bring this about by armed force. EOKA-led guerrilla warfare against Turks and Britons escalated rapidly and on 26 November 1955 a State of Emergency was declared. While military action to suppress the extremist attacks continued, negotiations were opened with Greece and Turkey on finding a political solution. In 1959 a compromise deal was agreed, and on 16 August 1960 Cyprus became an independent republic within the Commonwealth. Attempts by the Greek Cypriots in 1963 to reduce the veto power of the Turkish Cypriots quickly led to the Turkish Cypriots withdrawing from the coalition government. In December 1963 inter-communal violence erupted and in the following year a United Nations peacekeeping force (UNFICYP) was established to restore order. In 2003 the peacekeeping force was still on the island.

In 1967 the government in Athens was deposed in a military coup. The new military government frequently interfered with the internal affairs of Cyprus and began plotting to overthrow the Greek Cypriot government. In 1970 Athens started supporting the EOKA B terrorist group, which was fighting for Enosis against moderate Greek Cypriots.

On 15 July 1974 President Makarios was deposed by the Cyprus National Guard in a coup organised in Athens. Within a week, Turkish armed forces invaded Cyprus to protect the safety of Turkish Cypriots. Fierce fighting took place, while Greek attempts to reinforce the Greek Cypriot forces met with failure. By 24 June 1974, the military government in Athens had been replaced by a civilian administration. A ceasefire was soon agreed, by which time Turkey had occupied abut 20% of the island. The peace talks subsequently broke down and on 14 August 1974 Turkish forces resumed their offensive - eventually occupying 37% of the land area of Cyprus. On 7 December 1974 Makarios was restored as President - but only for the Greek speaking region of the island. Turkish Cypriots voted on 8 June 1975 for the creation of a separate Turkish Cypriot state. Accordingly, in 1977 the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus was declared as an autonomous region of Cyprus. The Turkish Cypriot leadership later abandoned the idea of federation and opted for independence, proclaiming the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on 15 November 1983. Only Turkey recognised the new country.

Cyprus applied to join the EU in 1990 and formal negotiations opened in March 1998. The status of Northern Cyprus remains a significant obstacle to a successful EU agreement.

A UN-backed plan for a two-zoned federation for Cyrus has met with some opposition inside the country. Under the plan, each community would have it's own territory, but share a number of government functions. Turkish Cypriots, mindful of the repression experienced before 1974, are unwilling to accept plans that do not ensure full sovereignty and equality for Turks. Greeks Cypriots fear that the Turkish minority would dominate their affairs and be able to veto important government decisions.

By late 2003 Greek Cypriots concerns had been largely allayed, but Turkish Cypriot elections which highlighted the issues involved had proved indecisive. Significant progress on re-unification looks unlikely in the near future.