Green Line (Cyprus)

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Ledra Street, once cut by the Green Line in Nicosia

The term Green Line is often used to refer to the cease fire line that de facto divides the island nation of Cyprus into two, cutting through the capital of Nicosia. It was first established in 1964, when Major-General Peter Young was the commander of a "peace force", a predecessor of the present UNFICYP. After stationing his troops in different areas of Nicosia, the general drew a cease-fire line on a map with a green pencil, which was to become known as the "Green Line". The Green Line became impassable following the July 1974 invasion by Turkey which, euphemistically called 'Peace Operation', intervened by air, sea and land capturing approximately 8% of Cyprus territory in response to a short lived Greek Cypriot coup. When the coup dissolved, the Turkish Armed Forces advanced to capture approximately 37% of the island and meet the "Green Line". The Green Line became a separation barrier between the Turkish community and the Greek community of the Republic of Cyprus in 1983 with the self-proclamation of the separatist^[1] Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and recognized only by Turkey an act condemned by United Nations members (see Res 541). This line is also referred to as the 'Attila Line' on some maps (named after the Turkish code-name for the 1974 Military Intervention: Operation Atilla). Since 2004 it has been possible for travelers to walk across it in some places. The meandering green line cuts Cyprus into two and it is the southernmost points that the Turkish troops occupied during the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus in 1974.