PRASTIO

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Prastio is a village in the Mesaoria plain, located eleven miles northwest of Famagusta and two miles southwest of Pyrga. The meaning of the name is obscure. Some say the name is the corrupted version of prastij which means “hamlet” in Greek. There are others who claim that Prastio derives from the ancient Greek pro-asti, meaning “towards the city.” In 1975, Turkish Cypriots changed the name to Dörtyol, which means “crossroad” or “junction.”
 
 
Historical Population:

As may be seen from the chart above, Prastio was a mixed village during the Ottoman period, but with only a small Muslim minority. In the Ottoman census of 1831, Muslims constituted only 6% of the population. This percentage was slightly higher in the 1891 British census (9.5%). However, by 1901 there was only one Muslim family living in the village. On the other hand, during the first half of the 20th century the total population of the village steadily increased, from 723 in 1901 to 976 in 1960.

Displacement:

The Greek Cypriots of Prastio were displaced in 1974. They fled in August 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 Prastio are scattered throughout the island’s south, with small pockets in towns. The number of the Greek Cypriots who were displaced in 1974 was approximately 1,000 (991 in 1973 census).

Current Inhabitants:

Today the village is primarily inhabited by people from Turkey who came to the island in 1975-76. They derive mainly from the Feke, Sayimbeyli, and Osmaniye districts of Adana province in southern Turkey and Sivas province in eastern Turkey. There are also a small number of displaced Turkish Cypriot families living in the village, who came from different locations in the south. The 2006 Turkish Cypriot census put Prastio/Dörtyol’s population at 1,385.

  


 
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