Greek Lefkosia Turkish Lefkoşa
City (pop., 1998 est.: 194,100), capital of Cyprus .
Lying on the Pedieos River, it is bordered by mountains to the north and south. It was a kingdom in the 7th century BC and has been the capital of the island since the 10th century AD. It came successively under the control of the Byzantines, Venetians, and Ottomans; the British held it from 1878 until 1960. During the 20th century the city grew beyond the existing circular Venetian walls. The population in the surrounding area is engaged mainly in agriculture. A UN buffer zone has separated the city's Greek and Turkish sectors since 1974.