Post 1945, South West Asia, Eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus, United Nations Force in Cyprus, 1964 - 2021

A mountainous island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus has a long history of civilisations and empires fighting over its shores. Cyprus became an independent nation in 1960 following years of violence and simmering discontent, both a sign of anti-British sentiment and the growing hostility between Greek and Turkish populations .
Amid growing concern about a Turkish military intervention, the UN Security Council recognised the situation in Cyprus was a threat to international peace and security and recommended creating a UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus. On 27 March 1964, the United Nations Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) became operational in Cyprus. Australia agreed to send a police contingent.
On 15 July 1974, the Cypriot National Guard staged a coup d'etat, overthrowing the Government of Cyprus with the aim of unifying the island with Greece. Intense fighting soon broke out across the island but despite the violence, UNFICYP continued to patrol and kept a close eye on conflicting forces. Five days after the coup the Government of Turkey launched military operations and invaded Cyprus on 20 July 1974 taking control of the northern part of the island.
Today, the island is partitioned into the area controlled by the Government of Cyprus in the south and the area under the administration of the self-declared Turkish Republic of North Cyprus in the north. A UN-controlled, demilitarised zone called the United Nations Buffer Zone with UN headquarters and peacekeeping forces contained inside this zone., The Buffer Zone lies between the lines of the Cypriot National Guard and the Turkish military and Turkish Cypriot forces to prevent further fighting IIt extends for more than 180 km from east to west across the country, through the centre of the capital, Nicosia. It's as small as 4 m in some parts of downtown Nicosia, and more than 7 km wide in others. It covers an area of 346 km2.