Monarga is a village located in the vicinity of Boghaz village in the Famagusta district, situated immediately inland of Famagusta bay. The origin of the village’s name is obscure. In 1958, Turkish Cypriots adopted Deregeçit, meaning “river passageway,” as an alternative Turkish name for the village. Interestingly, the village was renamed once again in 1975 as Boğaztepe, which means “Boghaz hill.”
As can be seen from the chart above, Monarga was always solely inhabited by Muslims in the Ottoman period and the first half of the 20th century. However its population continuously declined in the first quarter of the 20th century, dropping from 61 in 1891 to 31 in 1921. Monarga’s population began to recover only after 1931. After 1946 Greek Cypriots also started to settle in the village. However, Turkish Cypriots continued to be the majority in the village in 1960, constituting almost 76% of the total population in that year.
Displacement:
During the 1963-4 intercommunal strife, all of the Turkish Cypriots of Monarga were displaced (around 60). They sought refuge mainly in the villages of Ovgoros/Ergazi(179), Agios Iakovos/Altınova(121) and Avgolida/Kurtuluş(132), which were under the control of Turkish Cypriot fighters. However, in 1974 all of its Greek Cypriot inhabitants were displaced. They fled in August 1974 from the advancing Turkish army to the southern part of the island. Currently, like the rest of the displaced Greek Cypriots, the Greek Cypriots of Monarga are scattered throughout the island’s south. The number of displaced Monarga Greek Cypriots can be estimated to be around 20-25.
Current Inhabitants:
Currently the village is predominantly inhabited by Turkish Cypriots including those who were originally from Monarga. The 2006 Turkish Cypriot census puts the total population of the village at 444. Over the last twenty years, many European citizens, Turkish nationals and wealthy Turkish Cypriots from elsewhere in the island’s north (including returnees from abroad) have bought property, built houses, and settled here.
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