Nicosia

Nicosia, also known as Lefkosia or Lefkoşa, is the capital of Cyprus. Its northern part is the de facto capital of Northern Cyprus. It is the southeasternmost capital city among European Union member states.

Nicosia has been continuously inhabited for over 5,500 years and has been the capital of Cyprus since the 10th century. It is the last divided capital in Europe. Three years after Cyprus gained independence from British rule in 1960, the Bloody Christmas conflict between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots triggered island-wide intercommunal violence, and in 1964, Nicosia's Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities segregated into the south and the north of the city, respectively. A decade later, Turkey invaded Cyprus following Greece's successful attempt to take over the island. Although the leaders of the takeover later stepped down, the dividing line running through Nicosia — and the rest of the island, interrupted only briefly by British military bases — became a demilitarised zone. It remains under the control of Cyprus while heavily policed by the United Nations. Now known as the United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus, it separates the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus, from Northern Cyprus, which is recognised only by Turkey. The ongoing dispute between the two communities is known as the Cyprus problem.

Apart from its legislative and administrative functions, Nicosia has established itself as the island's financial capital and its main international business centre. In 2018, Nicosia was the 32nd richest city in the world in relative purchasing power. In the 2022 Globalisation and World Cities (GaWC) ranking, Nicosia was classified as a "Beta −" city (lit. 'global city').