The Turkish Cyprus barrier （UN Buffer Zone on Cyprus）is a 300 km (187 mile) separation barrier along the 1974Green Line (or ceasefire line) between the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and The Republic of Cyprus. Constructed by Turkey, it served to separate the northern 37% (mostly inhabited by ethnic Turkish Cypriots) of Cyprus, occupied by Turkish troops since 1974, from the southern part (mostly inhabited by ethnic Greek Cypriots), and splits the capital Nicosia in two.
The barrier itself consists of concrete walls, barbed wire fencing, watch-towers, anti-tank ditches, and minefields. Parts of it are patrolled by United Nations peacekeeping forces.
In April 2003 the Turkish Cypriot government significantly eased travel restrictions across the barrier, which had consisted of a near 30 year ban on crossings. Since Cyprus' joining of the European Union (de facto only the southern part joined), travel restrictions have been abolished for all EU citizens.
Cyprus (in Greek Kypros Κύπρος and in Turkish Kıbrıs) is an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, 113 kilometres (70 miles) south of Turkey and around 120 km west of the Syrian coast.
Cyprus is geographically in Western Asia (or the Near East), though politically and culturally it is considered as being in Europe.
The Turkish Cypriot area proclaimed its independence in 1975, and the self-styled Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was established in 1983.
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