ANOLIONTAS

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Analiontas is a small village situated in the Tamasia region of the Nicosia district. It is located twenty-three kilometers south of the capital city of Nicosia and four kilometers east of Kambia. It was a mixed village until the intercommunal tensions of 1958. The name Analiontas literally means “above the lion” or “upper lion.” There was also a nearby village named Katalyontas, meaning “lower lion.” According to the village’s official website, these names probably derive from the Venetian period, as the lion was symbolically associated with the Evangelist Mark, who was the patron saint of the Venetians. However, Venetian maps of the period refer to these villages as Anolido and Katolido (www.analiondas.org). 
 
 
Historical Population:

Analiontas was a mixed village since the Ottoman period. As may be seen from the chart above, in the Ottoman census of 1831, Christians (Greek Cypriots) constituted the majority of the inhabitants (71%). In 1891 their percentage increased to almost 87%. During the first half of the 20th century, while the Greek Cypriot population of the village continued to increase, the Turkish Cypriot population fluctuated, and its growth was much slower than that of their Greek Cypriot neighbors. The last census (1946) that recorded the Turkish Cypriot population living in the village put the Turkish Cypriot percentage at 17%.

Displacement:

It is known that all the Turkish inhabitants of Analiontas were displaced in 1958 (35 persons in 1946). Most sought refuge in nearby villages or the Turkish sector of Nicosia(074).

Current Inhabitants:

Currently the village is mainly inhabited by its original Greek Cypriot villagers. The last census of 2001 puts the population of the village at 300.  


 
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