Cyprus: Divided Island

Situated in the eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus is the third largest island in that sea. Its distinctive shape is immediately recognizeable on maps, map stamps and map postcards.

Here are several postcards from my collection:









Interestingly, Cyprus is divided into not two, but four jurisdictions:

• the area under the effective control of the Republic of Cyprus in the south of the island;
  
• the Turkish occupied area in the north, calling itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (recognized only by Turkey);
  
• the United Nations-controlled Green Line, separating the two; and
  
• two Sovereign Base Areas (Akrotiri and Dhekelia), over which the United Kingdom retained jurisdiction after Cypriot independence.

From Wikipedia: